Hi Peter,
I've 3 similar rods, featuring.....................A Berkley Phazer 7 wt tip (less 3"), a Leeda Dragonfly 6 wt tip and a Diawa Whisker 6wt tip. Half wells handle on the first 2 and a full wells on the third.
Originaly I used the Berkley Phazer tip when worming a wee burn, with a spool of mono lying at my feet. this was workable until I hooked a 1 1/4" Brownie and got in a pickle so I added a half wells cork handle and a reel seat - this coupled with a £2.50 fixed spool reel from GAC (only reel that the feet would fit the seat) was the dogs and many small fish were taken in style.
Shortly after, I received a tip of a whisker to which I added the full wells handle and a reel seat - here's where the fun began. After numerous small browns to 1/2 lb fishing the worm in the small burn I moved on to worming a small river where I continued to catch lots of wee trout and even had a memorable day catching 2 x 2lb & 1 x 1lb+ Browns. I was hooked on these 3 1/2 - 4 1/2' rods. I fished Midmar years ago with the whisker and although it could be hard going casting a fly for long periods with this rod , it was awsome playing a decent rainbow on it.
Best fish so far on the Whisker was out at Aboyne Loch when I gave it a real going over - I fished a strip of mackerel under a float - which was surprisingly easy to cast. The long and short of it was that I hooked and landed a 4lb Pike with minimal fuss.
These are very hardy & versatile rods and I'm sure you'll make one that gives you untold pleasure - hopefully not with rapalas
The third rod I made (fitted a hadle to really) was for my loons 1st birthday & I can't wait for him to put a bend in it.
I would post pictures of these rods but as there are a hard core or expert builders on here I'll save the ridicule.
Iain
