Don't like to be a show off but thought, because it has some nice components and a bit of a story why i build this one the way i did, i post some pics.

I finished this rod up about a month or two ago, actually it was assembled to accompany me on a Grayling trip to the Glomma. Sadly the trip had to be cancelled due to some problems within the family.

Well as the title said it is a 8,6 ft #5 Winston BIIt, i finished this one up with a Shamburg all titanium reelseat, the spacer is amboyna. The guides are REC single legged recoils and the cork is again of very high quality. The windingcheck is by Struble and the thread is Gudebrod nylon A dark green without CP.









First the obvious, the seat is from a great craftsman named Mark Shamburg. It really makes this rod shine and is as light as a feather.

When i first handled this rod (factory) it feld without a line on it that the tip was quite sloppy, but with a line on it you couldn't notice that sloppy feeling at all. I managed to solve that sloppy feeling with the Rec recoils single foot guides and i think its a better rod because of it. Ussually i don't like the recoils they make noise and they are hard to wrap and because i don't like the looks of them, but they just made this rod more responsive. The noise is still there but is growing on me and strangely enough also the looks of those things.

Tell me what you think,

Jerry

Nice build Jerry.

The reelseat is a bit like one on an orvis rod I had - whole buttcap screws up. If you like unusual hardware some of the Lemke concepts stuff might interest you -
The lemke Concept - What's New on the Market - Active Discussions - fiberglassflyrodders - Message Board

I've never cast boron, but plenty of glass and carbon. How would you describe its characteristics compared to either?

Mark

Very nice Winnie.
The wraps look a bit like their special rods series, like their Anniversary rods, and the Elite series back in the early 2000s.
That's the Mark Shamburg who posts on the Clark's forum and did that great post about a bench made Spey Reel, right? Destined I think to be one on the next bunch (though dwindling) of great reelmakers.
I don't think snakes would have made all that much of a difference, I think it's just the taper of the rod, semi-parabolic. Most hate the taper of this rod, declaring it "too bloody soft", but I think it is one of their finest.
Still can't work out that UL seat how does it work, screwing the whole bottom section to tighten?
Cheers,
Steve

Mark,

Its the same as the orvis only its a heck of a lot lighter due to the titanium it absolutely weights nothing.
About the Boron i have three of the Winston Boron line up and i don't think they use a lot of it in there. Its quite a heavy (but very strong) material, and since winston BIIx's MX's and IIt's are among the lightest in the industry tells me that they just use it to use less other stuff and still keep the strength up.
Well i like the IIt a lot i don't think it deserves the bad press (yellowstone) it got. Sure you won't be able to throw it into a strong head wind, also not that suited for small bushy streamers, and you sure won't impress any of the parking lot guys. But i think a medium actioned rod isn't about that, its all about delicacy and smoothness that is where this rod shines.
If you want to impress the parkinglot guys and this one is also Boron try the MX in a six weight, that is about the best casting fast #6 i know (and own). The five is also lovely but not as special as the six.
To answer your question i think its about the same in feel of a good graphite rod.
I know about the Lemkes THEY ARE SWEET.

Jerry

Steve,

Thanks for the flowers.................
Yeah thats the same guy he is a true artist if you ask me. He also makes some TI slide band seats and ferrules for Boo rods.
You where right just screw up the end cap to tighten.

I think if he lets go of his day job he can be like Leen Huisman or Ari 't Hart and make a pretty good living out of it, well if this econemy gets a boost he will.

Don't tell me i fitted those RECOILS for no good reason LOL. When you do a side by side comparison you notice a difference but if you give me the rod with snakes and two days later the rod with the coils i won't, thats for shure.

Jerry

Jerry,

Credit where credit due! Fab work..

RECs were standard on the B2Xs until the complaints about noise got them discontinued (plus some reports of spontaneous breakages). I have a 6wt with them on.

The Ts have almost the same flex pattern as the DL4 that love em (boo and glass boys) or hate-em (go faster crowd) discontinued model from the 2000s, but the recovery on the T is much quicker, probably due to the boron. It flexes immediately to the middle, making it really sweet for casts up to 40'. But then you start opening up your cast, letting it drift right back, then BOOINGGGG! That "spring" kicks in, and out flies 80' of line without a sweat.
So you see, no need to make it more "responsive"!

You can haul it, cast heavy flies, handle wind - this one can do it all! Whether it'll stand the test of time like a TMF is another question, especially when you have knockers like George Anderson, and when 90% of modern day fishermen don't like a rod flexing past the top third of a rod!

Cheers

Sounds just like some of my glass heavy artillery!

Yes, but this is a 8' 4wt!!

I won't jump into the discussion if there is a big difference between the rec and snake brands, mainly because this isn't my first language.
But i'm with you on the casting of this thing and the fact that some distance guys can not appreciate a rod like this, well thats their loss.
For myself i love casting the fast stuff like the MX's but i will not leave home without one of my lighter rods to fish.

The rumor that the guides broke and slipped from under the wraps is something that i never have seen confirmed. They are a pain in the butt to wrap though so i can see why major companies avoid them. I don't even use a Forhan wrap and i never had any issues with them, except they don't like a sand covered fly line and some sinking lines.

Jerry