Salmon fly rod conversion

The Other Traditional Rods forum.
User avatar
Liphook
Barbel
Posts: 4701
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2018 6:21 pm
5

Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Liphook »

I've been thinking of converting a recently bought 12ft 3pce salmon fly rod into something suitable for close range carp fishing....I've searched TFF using the drop down search facility and found a few posts on the subject but in all cases the links to further reading end up with error scripts. Can any of you learned gentle men assist please? Many thanks in advance :Hat:

User avatar
Tengisgol
Barbel
Posts: 4868
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:49 pm
10
Location: Essex Boy
Contact:

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Tengisgol »

Yes, I did that once. I used a 15’ Hardy salmon rod and made the butt section just a cork handle.

Lovely cane; very through action but good fun to use.
Where the willows meet the water...

https://sites.google.com/site/tengisgol/

User avatar
Martin James
Eel
Posts: 2490
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:39 pm
12

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Martin James »

I used a 15’ Sharps salmon rod, doing the same as Tengisgol, using part of the butt section for the handle, it turned out ideal for big carp at close range with its softer but power in the now butt section.

User avatar
Liphook
Barbel
Posts: 4701
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2018 6:21 pm
5

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Liphook »

Thank you both gents :Hat: I've rushed in and bought a 12ft Martinez and Bird 'Loch Assynt' off that well known auction site. It was cheap but poorly described - the middle section doglegs badly at the lower ferrule, though I hope that resetting the ferrule will fix that. The rod also has considerable brewers droop! Turning it to put the rings on top puts it in much better order. What took my eye was the straight cork handle with sliding winch reel seat - I had hoped it was perhaps a worming, spinning or even loch trolling rod that had been mis identified as a fly rod. Looking through Google images it would appear that this was the standard format for their double handed fly rods, so that's my mistake! Fortunately the cane appears in very good order with its many intermediate tyings all intact and almost 100% varnish intact. Only the ferrule threads have cracked varnish and loosened threads. The 'agatine' (is that the right description of the red glass-like liners?) butt and tip rings, low bells, reel seat, button and ferrules and bag are in very good order, so all is certainly not lost!
I'm thinking of cutting down the butt section to create a dolly butt in similar style to my Chapmans 500 and 550, but it would be a shame to scrap the otherwise mint original cork! I wonder is it possible to find/make a step down female ferrule that I can add to the butt immediately in front of the existing handle, allowing me to cut the cane near the handle and join the middle section to the shortened butt? I hope this makes sense!
Can anyone tell me more of the brand or rod? My TFF research so far indicates that perhaps M&B and Priory had connections?
Regards
Al

User avatar
Rod
Grayling
Posts: 743
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:28 pm
9
Location: Basingstoke

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Rod »

I mentioned doing the same with a 14ft rod, on another thread, and was told it would ruin the rod, because of the taper? The rod in question has all lined eyes, two tips, but no manufacturers name on it, so taking what has been said on this thread, it would be okay to go ahead, as it will never see a Salmon river again.
Rod :Hat:
An old man, who's only pleasure left in life, is sitting by some water, fiddling with his maggots?

User avatar
Catfish.017
Eel
Posts: 2183
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:53 am
11
Location: Fradley Junction quite often!

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Catfish.017 »

Lip hook you will probably find that the two top sections may not have the power required for your purpose in the format you describe. I converted a 12ft Salmon rod a couple of years ago by shortening each section by the correct amount to give a three equal section rod . It was easier to aim for a 10'6" rod requiring 6" to be removed from each section. The butt section ferrule was removed, 6" taken off and the end filed a little to refit the ferrule. I think the middle section was shortened each end with more taken off the bottom than the top. Same again with the top section but this time more was taken off the tip. This way you get to use all the original ferrules. It wasn't a complete success for me as the tip was rather thick at the end (slow tapers on fly rods) but I subsequently fitted up a spare Avon top section which makes it into a much nicer rod.

User avatar
Liphook
Barbel
Posts: 4701
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2018 6:21 pm
5

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Liphook »

Thanks for the replies gents. Fd for thought. The slow action isn't a major issue as I intend to use it for margin fishing with braid (as it cuts through potomegeton so well)

User avatar
Northern_Nomad
Arctic Char
Posts: 1663
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 8:10 pm
10
Location: Wales

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Northern_Nomad »

Here is a link to a conversion I did some years ago.

I still use it and as well as carp have used it for big tench, bass fishing on the Tiefi and also for carp stalking.

Yes it has a very mellow action, but it was originally built for salmon in the days when a mid 20 was not uncommon, so very much up to mid range carp.

Here you go:

http://www.traditionalfisherman.com/vie ... 50&t=11812

:Thumb:
"We knelt side by side looking at it. I knew it was big, and suddenly it dawned on me it was more than that. It was tremendous!" - Richard Walker

User avatar
OldAngler
Perch
Posts: 403
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:00 pm
6
Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire area

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by OldAngler »

I did a conversion a few years ago and was never happy with the result. As other members have hinted in its 'Salmon' form I found it had too soft an action. Fine for casting a fly, but not so good for stopping a good fish.
The advice of selectively shortening sections sound a good option.

Good luck!

User avatar
Wallys-Cast
Pike
Posts: 6579
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:02 am
12
Location: Durham.

Re: Salmon fly rod conversion

Post by Wallys-Cast »

Shortening sections at the ferrules was always thought to be the best way to stiffen a cane rod.
I have made a few floater rods from 14ft-15ft Salmon fly rods and they are indeed very nice to use. I found a length of just under 11ft was the best I could achieve from an original 14 foot rod. Yes, quite a soft action but capable of throwing big baits and very forgiving, even 8lb line is unbreakable on such a rod. I think the modern trend for powerful rods to suit Barbel fishing was already available with some of the best made Salmon rods.
I still own a 10ft 9inch rod made from a 14ft Hardy Salmon rod and it is without doubt the finest Carp floater rod I have ever used.

Wal.

Post Reply

Return to “Other Traditional Cane Rods”