Finally finished my first rod build on the Trout Smiths 7’6” 4/5 wt blank that I picked up from Shane Gray back in May. The blank is a blend of E and S glass and has a similar feel as the McFarland GTX, which is also a blend of E and S. I briefly casted it with an Orvis Superfine WF5 line in the yard this evening. Looking forward to testing the Trout Smiths rod on the water when I have time to fish again.
I wanted to keep the build simple with no tipping on the wraps and no hook keeper. The silk thread turned out semi-translucent, which was my goal. The wraps also happened to be a nice match for the dark hardware on the RL seat. I didn’t want to detract from the build with my poor handwriting so there’s no inscription. I added one extra trim band at the 12” mark from the butt of the reel seat, as 12” is the ballpark measurement of a decent redeye bass. The rod feels like it will be perfect as a redeye bass specialist - small poppers, foam hoppers, and buggers in small/medium size moving water. Thanks to all the members here who helped me with rod building advice over the past few months.
Components: Ray Lee reel seat, bullet nose grip from Proof, REC winding check, Mildrum stripping guide, Snake brand guides with Ecoating, Snake brand tip top, Kimono silk thread in Castle Grey, Threadmaster epoxy.