It is currently 29 Mar 2024, 10:15


New Topic Add Reply
Author Message
Sceptre Rod revisited
Post 26 Sep 2008, 23:00 • #1 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/31/06
Posts: 1262
Location: Mid- coast Maine
Yesterday I played hookey and dragged my brother-inlaw to the East Outlet of Moosehead Lake for some LL Salmon and Brook trout. I loaned Ernie my Spruce Creek and I grabbed the tube I thought had the Garcia-Conolon 2541B. Whern we arrived and I opened the tube it had the Sceptre that I had made into a four piece. I had fished this rod early this spring and wasn't happy with it. Side note, I fished it with a DT#6 with a 3 nymph rig and a couple of them fairly heavy. I thought the rod sucked and was waiting to try it with some different lines. I rigged the rod this time with the same DT#6 and a dry elk hair caddis and was exspecting to have a miserable day. man was I wrong. The rod cast beautifully and had incredible reach. I've never fished a 9' rod any lighter than a #9 and only in saltwater. I might be more inclined now to fish a longer rod, especially on rivers as big as the East Outlet. Great mending and long roll casts. The rod was tiring though and after four hours I was ready for a break. I still want to try this rod with a #8 and some saltwater flies. Anyone used theirs with the larger lines and flies? I hope it handles the heavier lines as good as the #6. Oh yeah the fishing was fairly good, I got 7 salmon to hand and one 10" brookie. All on dries. The big brookies don't seem to have moved up stream yet. I did see one 18" brookie landed on a streamer though, they will be there soon. Going back next weekend for both days and I will be using the Sceptre.
Cheers
RFMcD


Top
  
Quote
Sceptre Rod revisited
Post 26 Sep 2008, 23:53 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Remember that no rod is at its best with heavy multiple fly rigs, which are often derecked into the deep runs and boils rather than really cast. Watch the drift-boat sports on the East Outlet with their bead-head rigs and bobbers (excuse me, strike indicators) and you'll see that they aren't casting much at all. A lot of close in "high-sticking" is done the same way up there, and a cane pole would be fit for the task. Nothing wrong with fishing this way, except it doesn't really involve fly-casting or show the capability of a rod with a balanced leader and fly rigged on it.

That rod will fling an 8 half way across the East Outlet, but it will, if anything, be more tiring. You could always ease up back to the 6, or a good all-around compromise would be a DT 7. If you really want to lighten up, it would even cast a DT 5 as far as you can manage a dry fly float across the complex currents in the East Outlet. Except for the weight of the rod, though, it will feel more like a stiff graphite rod with a line weight that light, and you won't have much casting feel. It will even chunk a WF 9--put a #6, 8X long, sleek and sparse Barnes Special on--wherever you want to swim it. I've used all these lines on mine over the 30 years I've had it, but it's best with a 7 or 8, and tiring no matter what. I think you saw all the early discussion of the rod, but here's a link to work back through: http://fiberglassflyrodde ... m/reply/40053#reply-40053


Last edited by whrlpool on 27 Sep 2008, 00:07, edited 1 time in total.

Top
  
Quote
Sceptre Rod revisited
Post 27 Sep 2008, 00:28 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/31/06
Posts: 1262
Location: Mid- coast Maine
Whirlpool, thanks for the advice. I'll try it with a WF9. I'm hoping it will work for a backup in Texas for Reds come January. The Golden Eagle will be the rod of first choice there. Are you from Maine or just fish here? I'm going to be staying in a cabin on the lake next weekend and the last weekend this month.come fish on the EO me. I can't offer a bed unfortunately. The last weekend I'll be giving casting and fishing lessons to a lady I built an 8" #5 McFarland for. I'm looking forward to trying that rod myself. Look for my Taurus/tackle box with FLYMPH for plates.
RFMcD


Top
  
Quote
Sceptre Rod revisited
Post 27 Sep 2008, 00:53 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/26/06
Posts: 3837
Location: Northeast Of Heaven
Hello
I like mine best with a # 8 weight forward but that is tossing huge bass bugs and fly rod lures.
Good to see your post thought you went the way of the doe doe.
Tight Lines and Sceptre Loops
Andy M


Top
  
Quote
Sceptre Rod revisited
Post 27 Sep 2008, 17:22 • #5 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/11/07
Posts: 573
Location: Driftless Area & Great Lakes Tribs

A rather timely post ... as I sit here typing my 9' 8/9 wt Sceptre is spinning in the rod dryer letting the final wrap finish coat dry. I also made a four piece out of my 8/9 wt, as I did with the 7' 4/5 wt but found it to be far more difficult to find the properly tappered spigott ferrule material for the 8/9 wt than what it was for the 7' 5/4 wt. I finally ended up with a solid white fiberglass ferrule for the tip section but had to resort to a piece of heavy duty graphite blank for the butt section ferrule, I then painted all the ferrules to match the original and coated them with Flex-Coat as well. Assembled its a pretty close match to the original.

I'll be baptising the new rod on the PM starting a week from now and am excited to see how it stands up to the fall run Kings. I appreciate your comments on the rod's behavior with various line weights! I will be bringing a 5 reels and a couple of spare spools and will put the rod through its paces with 7wt through 10wt WFF lines plus a sink tip 8wt to see what works best. I was hoping to match the rod to either my Speedex (came with a WF10F) or my Hardy JLH Ultralite 8/9 with a WF8F. After playing with the rod a little I'm beginning to think it may require a heavier reel like my Lamson 3.5 LP.

Looking forward to a lot of tight lines and screaming reels!



Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

New Topic Add Reply



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
Google
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group