[sean]

Meant to get these up a while ago but got a little busy.

I have never liked the cork on my T&T 1409 and after seeing Bob's rods at the charity spey clinic I had to have a composite cork grip. Well I left my rod with Bob and look what he brought to the Sandy Clave with him. This page may take a while to load but it is worth it!

Upper Grip:

Lower Grip:

Lower Handle:

He left the orig reel seat in which is good cause they rock:

My favorite part..the feather inlay:

Picture quality is not the greatest but I think you all get the idea. Bob is a magician. Now if I can convince my wife have Bob redo the rest of my rods:chuckle:

 

[inland]

Bob really out did himself with that inlay. Wow, that is beautiful.

William

 

[fredaevans]

I've got even better news.

This is Bob's standard grip, inlay and all. The wood knob might have been an extra "touch" but it's easily done. All of the rods of Bobs that I've tried have all been top end .... except for the price. Better yet, just like a custom rod (which is what they are) he fits the rod (both the blank and the handle) to the specific fisherman.

Had Bob extend the handle on my Redington 11'3" 6 wt to convert it from a 1 hander to a 'switch rod.' Jolly good caster!!!!!

fae

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Picture Please

Fred,
How about a picture of the finished product? I assume, dangerous, that he redid the handle, not just extended?

 

[sinktip]

Amazing work! Curious as to why you didn't like the cork on your 1409 though. What specifically didn't you like?

 

[JimW]

Sean, That work is outstanding. I love the feel of the burled cork vs. the standard.

 

[sean]

Juim,

Actually it is not burled cork but rather a rubberized cork. Cleans up easy and am thinking it would be great for saltwater use as well. The handle really sticks to your hand and while it is a little heavier than normal cork it is balanced so nicely with my reel it does not make a difference. The rubberized cork actually stiffened up the butt section a little more and I am finding it easier to pick up tips than with the old cork on the rod.

Sinktip,

Well when I recieved the rod a snake guide had been crushed up against the top handle and that pitted the cork up. I sent it back and all they did was fill it with cork dust which started falling out after using the rod a few times. Maybe I got a bad cork job but it was really pitted and just did not feel right in my hand. The rubberized cork just feels better.


I like it so much that from now on I think I am just gonna buy blanks and have Bob wrap em up for me cause he does such good work. I also need to get my hands on one of his switch rods. Cast one at the Sandy clave and they will rock for beach fishing.

-sean

 

[fredaevans]

Pete, et. al. I'll see if I can get Joan to take/post

a photo.

Fred

One of the local shops is doing the same conversion on that rod. Can you give us an evaluation on it - type of lines, best uses, etc.?

I've been thinking that it would make for a good trout spey rod.

Can't remember just how Bob did the extention so put a call into him to join this thread with the info. The good part is the extention is as solid as a rock ... as in it feels/acts like it was apart of the original rod out of Redington.

Use two main lines (fishing situation dependent) with this rod. A DT 7wt for fishing 'close in' or a 6wt forward (the one I 'won' on the action board) for more distant work. This rod would also work very well with a WC line. The handle extention allows you to work this rod just like a standard spey rod config., a good thing. Another good thing is because of it's length/weight the configuration is really a 'switch rod' so you can still use it very well as a one hander, or as a true spey.

Best part is the rod, at least when I purchased it a couple of years ago was only $159 through Mark B's shop.

fae

 

[Robert Meiser]

Sean,

Thanks very much for posting the photo's....Good on ya bro !!!

I hope your ripping some lips with that T&T... And also hope to see you in Sept.....Prime time on the Rogue.

Over 100 summer fish a day showing over Gold Ray dam already, with the vast majority of the fish still in the Canyon.

OOOOOH my...It's gonna be a good year !

Life is good....Meiz

 

[Grampa Spey]

Sean, re Bob Meiser's handles/rods

Actually, your rod is typical of what Bob does with his rods.

I have two of his 10'6" switch rods, his 7/8 and 9/10. Both are beautiful rods. However, don't let the beauty stop you from fishing for big fish in some tough situations. If you get a little salt or grime on the rods and handles, just rinse them off in the shower, wipe down and allow to dry overnight. The rods are great in a boat, a float tube, a pram, wading or fishing from the shoreline.

Even my wife the art, color and fashion critic agrees that his rods are beautiful.

Soon my third Meiser switch rod will be on its way. Bob is building a 5/6 10'6" rod that I will adopt very soon.

 

[Grampa Spey]

Sean, Fred Evans, Bob Meiser

Monday, I adopted Bob's latest switch rod. It is the 5/6, two handed switch rod.

Yesterday, it and I worked out on the Russian River for about 5 hours.

With a Loop Graphite reel and the Orvis Wonderline 6 weight, a Rio 10' Bonefish Leader and 3' of 6# tippet and a dry fly size 8, I cast for about 3-4 hours. This combo worked great for roll casts up to 40-50', double speys and snake rolls up to 60'. That line will probably become my workhorse dry fly line for closer quarters.

The rod worked great with an Orvis Wonderline with the built in clear intermediate tip and about 2' of tippet and a size 8 nymph. I had to stop using it as the Russian Sucker fish were grabbing the fly on about every cast. The rod brought them in very easy for me to dispatch them.

The last hour I tried my Mid Spey 6/7 floating line with a 15' furled leader, 2 foot of tippet and a size 8 dry fly on an Orvis Battenkill Large Arbor size 6. One of the amazing things with Bob's rods is how any reel seems to balance the rod.

With that leader length, I was not that effective with Double Spey casts. However, for about the first 45 minutes, I was able to Snake Roll about the same distance that I can with my Sage 7141.

After about an hour the wind was swirling and my old shoulder was fighting the wind and the 4+ hours of casting. So I called it a great day.

My new Bob Meiser 5/6 Switch Rod will be the traveling companion of my Sage 7141 for late spring, summer and early fall trout. It should work great for half pounders as well as for trout.

My wife, the fashion critic, feels that this new rod is the most beautiful rod she has ever seen including Bob's 7/8 and 9/10 switch rods.