Spey Pages banner

First Impressions of a new 16'7" 7 wt. Quantum built by Steve Godshall

12K views 60 replies 11 participants last post by  raspberry-patch 
#1 ·
First a little background. The first rod that Steve Built for me was a 14' ARE UHM 7/8. I had asked Johnny at ARE if he had any custom builds as I was not to crazy about the colors used in his standard build. I have and still love this 14' 7/8. I am able to dance with this rod and understand her every move. I also love a 12' 3/4 ARE UHM that I built for lighter work. I really didn't need anything else to cover everything I fish for but I have since added a 5 wt. and a 3 wt. quantum to the quiver and have no explanation for why I thought I needed these rods. I love them all. Before the WDFW again closed the Columbia River near where I live to steelhead fishing, I had a frustrating day fishing for two reasons, 1. I grew tired of chipping ice out of the guides and 2. with more pressure on the fish recently they seemed to have move a bit further out. I would continually see fish jump about 15' further out than I could reach with my current set up.

My Mom lives in Kooskia Idaho and I like to fish the clearwater when I to see her I had been thinking about getting a longer stick so I could cover more water with each cast so more fish get to see my fly each time I cast. Because of my recent frustration combined with liking to fish the CW and had been considering a longer rod anyway I called Steve and talked to him about what I wanted to accomplish and that I was thinking about picking up a 16' rod that would be easy to cast and help me obtain that extra 15-20 feet when casting without having to strip in more line. The result of the conversation was Steve developing a 16'7" 7 wt. rod with the new generation graphite. Steve had built something similar on an older generation graphite but had not yet tried it with the newer-lighter graphite blanks. About a month later Steve had a proto-type that he had his tester(s) use before he finalized the design and built one for me to demo.

I tested the rod for a little over a week. This rod is amazingly easy to cast long lines with and liked the beauty of the demo rod I just bought it instead of getting one built to my requested color scheme.

I am one month away from turning 63, and am 6'3" tall and average build...definitely not a Hercules type individual.

In the two weeks that I have had this rod in my possession, I have tried the following lines on this rod and these are my impressions:

Ballistic Vector XL 8/9 (660 gr) . This is the line that Steve provided with the rod for demo. This line is buttery smooth and seems to be built for this rod. If you like very smooth and a light feeling line, you will love this combination. I have not had a lot of time with it yet, but it turns over a 23' leader very nicely and at this point I have not put all of the line out of the guides, but have the knot to the backing between the reel and the first guide. I am easily reaching water that I was not prior to getting this rod and line. This line I will be using for days when I want an easy day and long casts

Gaelforce Equalizer 54 9/10 (585 gr.) (I had acquired this line my 14' rod and thought I loved it on this rod until I tried the 73 so I recently sold the 54.) very good but not nearly as impressive as the other GF that I tried.

Gaelforce Equalizer 63 7/8 (662 gr.) thank you Poppy) a little light for this rod. I should have requested a 8/9 to test drive.

Gaelforce Equalizer 73 8/9 (756 gr) (thank you Poppy) this was a very nice fit and smooth casting line. It was so easy to cast on my 14' rod that I bought one for it and almost decided that I didn't need the longer rod!!!. I returned the 63 and 73 demos and in part because Bruce Kruk said that I could cast the 83' on a 16' rod, asked Poppy to send me the 83 and the 15 M to test drive.

Gaelforce Equalizer 83 8/9 (817 gr.) (thank you Poppy). I will be adding this line to my collection even though I have only cast it once for about 30 minutes. I cannot believe how easy it was to handle this longer line on this rod. It looks like my days of needing to chip ice out of my guides when trying to reach fish out 100' are over. The only tough decision for me now is to decide if I want to keep the integrated line or if I want to have it made into a head. I am getting about 10' further with this line than I am with the Vector XL. It does take more effort to cast this line than the Vector XL though---it is 157 grains heavier. If you like a deeply loading feeling this is the combination that you want should you pick up one of these rods from Steve.

Gaelforce EEx 15 M #8 (thank you Poppy)--Nice casting and great turn over with a 10' intermediate poly. Had I not test drove the 83 with rod, I would have picked up this head for this rod. Definitely worth testing this line, especially if you are using a 14' or longer rod.

Nextcast Fall Favorite Gen 2 6/7 was not a good fit for me with this rod. It was both too short and too light. It worked well with my 14' ARE.

Nextcast Steelhead Finder 45: FI-7 ; FF-8 32.5' 600 gr; FF-8/9? 650 gr. I love the Steelhead finders, just not on this rod. These heads are just too short for this rod. They were not fun to cast at all. They are fantastic with my 13 and 14' rods.

Bottom line is WOW!!! If you are considering moving up to a long line rod, contact Steve and get in line to demo this rod, but don't do it unless you are ready to have a lighter pocket book, but if you like the feel of an easy casting smooth long rod it is worth the lighter pocket book.

cal
 
See less See more
#2 ·
First a little background. The first rod that Steve Built for me was a 14' ARE UHM 7/8. I had asked Johnny at ARE if he had any custom builds as I was not to crazy about the colors used in his standard build. I have and still love this 14' 7/8. I am able to dance with this rod and understand her every move. I also love a 12' 3/4 ARE UHM that I built for lighter work. I really didn't need anything else to cover everything I fish for but I have since added a 5 wt. and a 3 wt. quantum to the quiver and have no explanation for why I thought I needed these rods. I love them all. Before the WDFW again closed the Columbia River near where I live to steelhead fishing, I had a frustrating day fishing for two reasons, 1. I grew tired of chipping ice out of the guides and 2. with more pressure on the fish recently they seemed to have move a bit further out. I would continually see fish jump about 15' further out than I could reach with my current set up.

My Mom lives in Kooskia Idaho and I like to fish the clearwater when I to see her I had been thinking about getting a longer stick so I could cover more water with each cast so more fish get to see my fly each time I cast. Because of my recent frustration combined with liking to fish the CW and had been considering a longer rod anyway I called Steve and talked to him about what I wanted to accomplish and that I was thinking about picking up a 16' rod that would be easy to cast and help me obtain that extra 15-20 feet when casting without having to strip in more line. The result of the conversation was Steve developing a 16'7" 7 wt. rod with the new generation graphite. Steve had built something similar on an older generation graphite but had not yet tried it with the newer-lighter graphite blanks. About a month later Steve had a proto-type that he had his tester(s) use before he finalized the design and built one for me to demo.

I tested the rod for a little over a week. This rod is amazingly easy to cast long lines with and liked the beauty of the demo rod I just bought it instead of getting one built to my requested color scheme.

I am one month away from turning 63, and am 6'3" tall and average build...definitely not a Hercules type individual.

In the two weeks that I have had this rod in my possession, I have tried the following lines on this rod and these are my impressions:

Ballistic Vector XL 8/9 (660 gr) . This is the line that Steve provided with the rod for demo. This line is buttery smooth and seems to be built for this rod. If you like very smooth and a light feeling line, you will love this combination. I have not had a lot of time with it yet, but it turns over a 23' leader very nicely and at this point I have not put all of the line out of the guides, but have the knot to the backing between the reel and the first guide. I am easily reaching water that I was not prior to getting this rod and line. This line I will be using for days when I want an easy day and long casts

Gaelforce Equalizer 54 9/10 (585 gr.) (I had acquired this line my 14' rod and thought I loved it on this rod until I tried the 73 so I recently sold the 54.) very good but not nearly as impressive as the other GF that I tried.

Gaelforce Equalizer 63 7/8 (662 gr.) thank you Poppy) a little light for this rod. I should have requested a 8/9 to test drive.

Gaelforce Equalizer 73 8/9 (756 gr) (thank you Poppy) this was a very nice fit and smooth casting line. It was so easy to cast on my 14' rod that I bought one for it and almost decided that I didn't need the longer rod!!!. I returned the 63 and 73 demos and in part because Bruce Kruk said that I could cast the 83' on a 16' rod, asked Poppy to send me the 83 and the 15 M to test drive.

Gaelforce Equalizer 83 8/9 (817 gr.) (thank you Poppy). I will be adding this line to my collection even though I have only cast it once for about 30 minutes. I cannot believe how easy it was to handle this longer line on this rod. It looks like my days of needing to chip ice out of my guides when trying to reach fish out 100' are over. The only tough decision for me now is to decide if I want to keep the integrated line or if I want to have it made into a head. I am getting about 10' further with this line than I am with the Vector XL. It does take more effort to cast this line than the Vector XL though---it is 157 grains heavier. If you like a deeply loading feeling this is the combination that you want should you pick up one of these rods from Steve.

Gaelforce EEx 15 M #8 (thank you Poppy)--Nice casting and great turn over with a 10' intermediate poly. Had I not test drove the 83 with rod, I would have picked up this head for this rod. Definitely worth testing this line, especially if you are using a 14' or longer rod.

Nextcast Fall Favorite Gen 2 6/7 was not a good fit for me with this rod. It was both too short and too light. It worked well with my 14' ARE.

Nextcast Steelhead Finder 45: FI-7 ; FF-8 32.5' 600 gr; FF-8/9? 650 gr. I love the Steelhead finders, just not on this rod. These heads are just too short for this rod. They were not fun to cast at all. They are fantastic with my 13 and 14' rods.

Bottom line is WOW!!! If you are considering moving up to a long line rod, contact Steve and get in line to demo this rod, but don't do it unless you are ready to have a lighter pocket book, but if you like the feel of an easy casting smooth long rod it is worth the lighter pocket book.

cal
Congrats....you are about to enter spey casting and fishing nirvana as the pleasure of this style of angling reduces the frustration of stripping and shooting line.

Traditional Scottish spey rods, 16 to 18 feet, were favoured to easily cast a longer line while fishing Far and Fine Off. The size of the river had nothing to do with the length of the rod, especially for summer conditions with low clear water requiring a stealthy approach and presentation. 100 to 150 foot casts were necessary at 35 to 15 degree angles down stream to avoid spooking jaded fish. These longer casts were also necessary for wading anglers to be able to touch midstream or the shoulders of seams on the far river bank.

To paraphrase Jock Scot’s spey fishing strategy, it is better to fish with a rod that is too long than one that is too short.

Regards from the Restigouche....Jim
376176
 
#3 ·
It would have been nice to see some photos :)

Those 15M EESH's are like crack!! Very addicting!! They are shooting heads for rods that are +15ft ... shoot forever. Really fun when you feel the need to shoot line out :)
Personally, I would get the line for those fun times. They also roll out before touchdown and excel for delicate presentations. Although you have cast Gaelforce Equalizers before, so you know what I'm talking about, don't you?? ;)


Mike
 
#5 ·
First a little background. The first rod that Steve Built for me was a 14' ARE UHM 7/8. I had asked Johnny at ARE if he had any custom builds as I was not to crazy about the colors used in his standard build. I have and still love this 14' 7/8. I am able to dance with this rod and understand her every move. I also love a 12' 3/4 ARE UHM that I built for lighter work. I really didn't need anything else to cover everything I fish for but I have since added a 5 wt. and a 3 wt. quantum to the quiver and have no explanation for why I thought I needed these rods. I love them all. Before the WDFW again closed the Columbia River near where I live to steelhead fishing, I had a frustrating day fishing for two reasons, 1. I grew tired of chipping ice out of the guides and 2. with more pressure on the fish recently they seemed to have move a bit further out. I would continually see fish jump about 15' further out than I could reach with my current set up.

My Mom lives in Kooskia Idaho and I like to fish the clearwater when I to see her I had been thinking about getting a longer stick so I could cover more water with each cast so more fish get to see my fly each time I cast. Because of my recent frustration combined with liking to fish the CW and had been considering a longer rod anyway I called Steve and talked to him about what I wanted to accomplish and that I was thinking about picking up a 16' rod that would be easy to cast and help me obtain that extra 15-20 feet when casting without having to strip in more line. The result of the conversation was Steve developing a 16'7" 7 wt. rod with the new generation graphite. Steve had built something similar on an older generation graphite but had not yet tried it with the newer-lighter graphite blanks. About a month later Steve had a proto-type that he had his tester(s) use before he finalized the design and built one for me to demo.

I tested the rod for a little over a week. This rod is amazingly easy to cast long lines with and liked the beauty of the demo rod I just bought it instead of getting one built to my requested color scheme.

I am one month away from turning 63, and am 6'3" tall and average build...definitely not a Hercules type individual.

In the two weeks that I have had this rod in my possession, I have tried the following lines on this rod and these are my impressions:

Ballistic Vector XL 8/9 (660 gr) . This is the line that Steve provided with the rod for demo. This line is buttery smooth and seems to be built for this rod. If you like very smooth and a light feeling line, you will love this combination. I have not had a lot of time with it yet, but it turns over a 23' leader very nicely and at this point I have not put all of the line out of the guides, but have the knot to the backing between the reel and the first guide. I am easily reaching water that I was not prior to getting this rod and line. This line I will be using for days when I want an easy day and long casts

Gaelforce Equalizer 54 9/10 (585 gr.) (I had acquired this line my 14' rod and thought I loved it on this rod until I tried the 73 so I recently sold the 54.) very good but not nearly as impressive as the other GF that I tried.

Gaelforce Equalizer 63 7/8 (662 gr.) thank you Poppy) a little light for this rod. I should have requested a 8/9 to test drive.

Gaelforce Equalizer 73 8/9 (756 gr) (thank you Poppy) this was a very nice fit and smooth casting line. It was so easy to cast on my 14' rod that I bought one for it and almost decided that I didn't need the longer rod!!!. I returned the 63 and 73 demos and in part because Bruce Kruk said that I could cast the 83' on a 16' rod, asked Poppy to send me the 83 and the 15 M to test drive.

Gaelforce Equalizer 83 8/9 (817 gr.) (thank you Poppy). I will be adding this line to my collection even though I have only cast it once for about 30 minutes. I cannot believe how easy it was to handle this longer line on this rod. It looks like my days of needing to chip ice out of my guides when trying to reach fish out 100' are over. The only tough decision for me now is to decide if I want to keep the integrated line or if I want to have it made into a head. I am getting about 10' further with this line than I am with the Vector XL. It does take more effort to cast this line than the Vector XL though---it is 157 grains heavier. If you like a deeply loading feeling this is the combination that you want should you pick up one of these rods from Steve.

Gaelforce EEx 15 M #8 (thank you Poppy)--Nice casting and great turn over with a 10' intermediate poly. Had I not test drove the 83 with rod, I would have picked up this head for this rod. Definitely worth testing this line, especially if you are using a 14' or longer rod.

Nextcast Fall Favorite Gen 2 6/7 was not a good fit for me with this rod. It was both too short and too light. It worked well with my 14' ARE.

Nextcast Steelhead Finder 45: FI-7 ; FF-8 32.5' 600 gr; FF-8/9? 650 gr. I love the Steelhead finders, just not on this rod. These heads are just too short for this rod. They were not fun to cast at all. They are fantastic with my 13 and 14' rods.

Bottom line is WOW!!! If you are considering moving up to a long line rod, contact Steve and get in line to demo this rod, but don't do it unless you are ready to have a lighter pocket book, but if you like the feel of an easy casting smooth long rod it is worth the lighter pocket book.

cal
Hi Cal, Thankyou for the great review. I have dappled in the ultimate Clear water rod over several years at the request of David Wang, my comp caster pro staff. I believe in the Chinese proverb, When the student is ready the teacher will appear. In this case I am the student, Cal prompted to take another shot a the clearwater stick with the newest graphite that I have been using for Meiser and Anderson engineering. The results are amazing. thank you Cal
 
#6 ·
It sort of sounds like this rod's grain window is similar to my Mesier Highlander 16ft 6/7/8-5pc ... ??
My Meiser has a grain window of 500 to 800 grains.

Steve, I am taken back with your humbleness and humility my friend. After many conversations with you regarding line/rod marriages and witnessing your efforts first hand, I can attest that you are the "teacher and the master". My hat is off to you my friend :)

I still would like to see some photos of this rod. I know first hand that Steve builds a finely crafted rod and really wanting to see more photos of his handy work :)


Mike
 
#7 ·
The only tough decision for me now is to decide if I want to keep the integrated line or if I want to have it made into a head. I am getting about 10' further with this line than I am with the Vector XL.

cal
You going to want to chop it. When I first tried the 73' on my 16 Meis I was at the backing knot and beyond within the first half dozen casts. It was so easy and pleasurable. Now you may not always be fishing out that far but it's nice to know you easily can. Don't forget you should be fishing these a steep angle but I'm sure you know that.

I also would like to see some shots of the new "weapon of mass destruction".
 
#8 ·
I went out and spent 3 hours getting better acquainted with this rod today. With the Vector XL, was hitting 140' 3 out of 5 casts. With my current skill level, I think that will be it for awhile. I took the Gaelforce Equalizer 73' head that I had poppy cut for me for my 14' rod. I was not nearly as happy with the cut line on this rod as I was with the integrated 83. I am going to have to get a smaller knot on the loop as the sweat spot with the line puts the running line inside the guides about 18". Once I get that dialed in I will decide on whether my next addition is an 83 and whether I keep the integrated head or get it cut or if I go with the 15M EESH. Bruce also likes them cut better, but so far I prefer the integrated line because I have an easier time getting to balance point without having to deal with the knot. I will post a photo of the rod tomorrow if I can get the phone to connect to the site.

How are you connecting your cut equalizer to the running line? I have tied a loop using a double surgeons know (overhand knot) and do not like having the knot inside the guides.
 
#11 ·
I’ll post this again. For optimal performance ( very important) cut up into the head from the color change 6 inches to a foot. The loop to loop should never have to come back inside the top eye till you either catch a fish or reel in to move or go home.
these pics should help 😎
376864
376865
376866
376867
Gadget Terrestrial plant Electronic device Audio equipment Wire
Automotive lighting Bicycle handlebar Bicycle part Eyewear Rim
Peripheral Gadget Audio equipment Cable Font
Twig Terrestrial plant Plant Gas Wire
 
#17 ·
I must have misread your first posting of this some time ago ...
Howeve, I seem to be getting along just fine with where I cut them, 4" from the colour change and then added my loop.
The heads have been casting fine ... I am reluctant to chop again.
Maybe on my next line I'll try it your way Bruce.


Mike
 
#19 ·
I must have misread your first posting of this some time ago ...
Howeve, I seem to be getting along just fine with where I cut them, 4" from the colour change and then added my loop.
The heads have been casting fine ... I am reluctant to chop again.
Maybe on my next line I'll try it your way Bruce.


Mike
You would be very very surprised how much better it is. Even with what you have going on or the full line the recommended magic SPOT is one inch of the green (head) inside the rod tip 🙃
This is from the genius himself James Chalmers
 
  • Like
Reactions: GR8LAKES FLYER
#18 ·
Thank you for the photos ... what an impressive rod build!!
Steve does immaculate work :cool:
What reel are you planning to strap to that stick??
It must be light in hand?? That Quantum graphite mix he has is impressively light. No comparison, but my 10ft 8wt Quantum is barely noticeable in my hand. I bet that 16'7" beast is just as light in hand.


Mike
 
#21 ·
Thank you for the photos ... what an impressive rod build!!
Steve does immaculate work :cool:
What reel are you planning to strap to that stick??
It must be light in hand?? That Quantum graphite mix he has is impressively light. No comparison, but my 10ft 8wt Quantum is barely noticeable in my hand. I bet that 16'7" beast is just as light in hand.


Mike
I am still trying to decide on the reel. So far I have been using an Echo Ion 10/12 and a Redington Surge 10/11/12. The Allen XLA is a little light and I should have gotten the largest instead of the #4. I am open to all suggestions. Although this rod is light in hand compared to my 14' loop Evotech 9 wt. compared to the 13'1" 5 wt that Steve built for me two years ago, it is heavy. Even so it is easy to cast for 3-4 hours non stop just trying to get acquainted with the rod. I am looking forward to this Chinook wind to stop and hopefully I can get up on the Snake or Clearwater one of the next two weekends and see how well it handles fish.
 
#25 · (Edited)
After having a couple of additional days to use this rod, I am loving it more each use. I am relearning that the best performance comes when I don't try to make a long cast. At this point with both the Vector and XL and the Galeforce 73 chopped as a head, casts in excess of 130' are possible for me about two out of five times. I am working on consistency. I have no idea what the top end will be, and really that should not matter. I just need to make each cast consistent and enjoy the ease of casting.

I must admit though, that I see a problem. When I first started on the spey journey, I wanted to reach about 10-15 feet further than I could with a single handed rod and not have to fuss with backcast room. I can now put the running line out further than I could place my fly with a single handed rod. Each time I improve a bit, I still want to touch another 10-15 feet further constantly trying to make my best cast my average cast. Simply put, this cannot continue. How do you put a stop to the desire for just a little further? I use excuses like, this way I don't have to aggressively wade to cover the same water. Just because Dan likes to swim one or two times a trip trying to get close to where he wants to fish doesn't mean I need to etc. Is there help for this addiction???
 
#29 ·
I wanted to improve my casting form, so although I'm using the 15' Meiser six piece, 8/9/10 Cx rod, I settled on getting the 83' gaelforce. So far it's working for me in the 8/9. I do have the 63' to fall back on, which yesterday worked well with a 12 1/2' bamboo splice joint "Denham" Farlow. Cal, I'm also 63 and I expect the end of the addiction will arrive at the appearance of the tunnel with a light at the far end.
Signed,
Another Mike
 
#33 ·
Make no mistake, the 15M EESH is an awesome shooting head for 16ft rods and longer. Like Bruce mentioned, it makes you feel like a rockstar shooting all that line!!
It still has that perfect balance that Gaelforce lines are known for.
If you want a "tips" line, don't chop the 15M EESH. Gaelforce has the EMT and the EEMT. The EEMT is a better option for tips for rods greater than 14ft in my opinion.


Mike
 
#34 ·
Make no mistake, the 15M EESH is an awesome shooting head for 16ft rods and longer. Like Bruce mentioned, it makes you feel like a rockstar shooting all that line!!
It still has that perfect balance that Gaelforce lines are known for.
If you want a "tips" line, don't chop the 15M EESH. Gaelforce has the EMT and the EEMT. The EEMT is a better option for tips for rods greater than 14ft in my opinion.


Mike
Yes please do not cut the 15M head for tips lol
 
#35 ·
After taking a break to fish shorter rods and lines for the past several months, I have spent some more time this past week learning to dance better with this new rod . The GF Equalizer 73 and 83 are both a good match. When I am on my game I like the 83 when not, it is a bit frustrating still but I am confident that with more time I will love that line as well. Both have been chopped per Bruce's instructions. I liked the 83 better prior to the chop, but I am certain that will change with time. For me and this rod the ideal holding point with the 83 was with some of the head inside the guides. The two color changes were really nice and helped me get the right holding point.

The Vector XL 8/9 (660grains) and a light touch with the rod is extremely smooth but for me it tops out at about 120' plus the leader. Perhaps we can get Dave Wang to comment on his experience with this rod and he can provide some pointers on how to get a little more distance with the Vector XL
 
#36 ·
I am also a recent owner of this amazing rod. Thanks to Cal for sharing experiences with lines for this rod. I also use the Ballistic Vector xl 660gr, 65' line. This is a great match for this rod. I was also given the Gaelforce Equilizer 63, 662gr along with the deal from the original owner. This line is also great match for this rod.

I've never owned a rod longer than 15', but after casting and fishing this rod, I am hooked on the long rod experience! Even on the modest sized rivers I fish, there is great utility in using this gigantic stick. I am able to reach distant lies with a better angle if desired.

Veteran long line casters have reminded me that casting left hand up is appropriate when needed, as opposed to resorting to cack handed casts which is what I been doing since about 2008. I previously learned to cast left hand up from about 2005 to 2008 & thankfully, my left hand up singles have been coming back.

This rod has been bringing lots of joy...

Todd
 
#38 ·
like this
 
  • Like
Reactions: SASQUATCH
#42 ·
Friday evening I had the opportunity to go do some casting practice after having cut an additional 16 inches off of the back of the line. I am amazed at the difference that made. I am very happy with the results and may grow to not regret having cut the line to start with this latest adjustment. I can clearly cast further than I need to to catch fish, but it is very nice to have a slow swing, and to not have to strip in so much line, but more important than that I love the feel of launching that much line and having it lay out so nicely. It will also be nice to not need to strip any line when it is cold, if we get the opportunity to fish for steelhead here this winter.
cal
 
#45 ·
I used this rod for a couple of hours on the Columbia where I originally wanted a rod that would reach a little farther. I am certainly getting the distance that I wanted.

Chinook and Choho are in the river, but none co-operated for me today nevertheless, I was very pleased with how the rod/line combination performed while fishing the big river conditions. I even got a "Wow!!!" from the fish checker when I made a cast as he was leaving to go up river. I did find that I can't cast a fly with a heavy tungsten bead with this line yet, but with a signal light in a 2/0 a cone headed muddler size 6 or a Tube fly about 3" long I don't have any problems. I am not ready for Bob (a.k.a. Spey Spaz) to make a 150' shooter for me yet, but they day could come in due time.
 
#44 ·
I've really enjoyed following this thread - a lot of good info here. I have inherited a Meiser 15' 7/8/9 HC from my cousin who passed away last year. I haven't had the rod out yet, too many ghosts. But I think I need to get that rod out for a session pretty soon. A 15 footer will be a new experience and am intrigued with all the different Gaelforce line choices for the long rods, especially the 15M ESH.
 
#46 ·
After using this rod for a little over a year with the Vector XL, the GF 73 and the GF 83, I find myself using the GF 73 the most followed by the Vector XL. The 83 is just a tad heavy and the cut line is not as much fun to cast as the 73. I could trim a little more of of the 83, but then I would only be 7-8 feet longer than the GF 73.

I am really enjoying using this long rod and longer lines. I just need to curb my appetite for longer casts and just enjoy the ease of fishing where I couldn't before and getting a slower swing as well.
 
#47 ·
I have come to similar conclusions with this amazing rod and line matches. I agree the GF 83 is more of a challenge to cast on this rod and I find needing "ideal" conditions to make it work. If wading deep, tight to backside brush, or in unfavorable winds, the GF83 can be a bear to cast. That being said, it is an amazing line when my technique and conditions can make it work.

Todd
 
#48 · (Edited)
@cmann886 - what casts are you trying?

I have been following this discussion, as I bought this blank from Steve. As I discussed this with Steve, I was very much interested in developing my skills-opinion on handle design and weighting. So at this moment, the top 4 sections are competed. After looking at the blank, I decided not to do anything fancy thread work and all guides are on black (dark grey) thread.

I am definitely not trying to out-do Steve or Bob on thread work or feather inlays. So blakck stealth is the theme.

What is not complete is the bottom section, but the reel seat is on (can still move it), so I am able to cast and experiment.

At this moment, I think I like the Vector XL and I believe this is because the core is stiffer and I think I am holding my loops better than the GF 73. Of course, the GL73 is heavier. To test, this out, I have a GL 63.

Right after I complete some needed upgrades in the "shop", I think I am going with the Top Hand grip to be natural cork on the top and the bottom third rubberized cork (which is dense (heavy)). I keep coming back to liking the ball joint from Bob as the best shape for me. While wood looks nice and heavy, I am like "holding" the rubberized cork, when it is wet. Probably more mental than reel.

The alternative design was natural cork to blackwood (like bagpipe blackwood), Meiser black metal reel seat, blackwood and then closing off with rubberized cork. Ideally, after my next business trip, I will finish making up my mind and finish off the bottom section.

In the end, I am also thinking about how to get a rod that is nicely weight below the top hand and keep to a 12oz or less reel (which may be unrealistic). I am definitely not built like Simon G, id est, I am more short and stout, with the arms to match.

I have not chopped the lines into heads.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top