Rule

What is the favorite Ultralight spin taper?  I want to make a birthday present for my father who is an avowed bluegill fisherman.  (Joe West)

The Thomas and Thomas Classic Spin 5.5' UL taper is very nice.  I built a 2/2 version for my fiancé and I even enjoy it's action. It handles a 2-4 LB line with up to a 1/4 oz lure.  (Robert Sherrill)

Rule

I need an Ultralight spinning rod and I would rather build a nice bamboo one than buy an Ugly Stik.  Does anyone have a taper or an idea for a taper for a 5' or so Ultralight that they would be willing to share?  (Hal Manas)

6' - up to 1/4 oz. Lures   

Station  Measurement  Setting

1 1/4"        0.079         0.0395
5"             0.081         0.0405
10"           0.096         0.0480
15"           0.119         0.0595
20"           0.134         0.0670
25"           0.151         0.0755
30"           0.161         0.0805
34 1/2"      0.171         0.0855
38 1/4"      0.186         0.0930
40"           0.192         0.0960
44 3/4"      0.203         0.1015
50"           0.216         0.1080
55"           0.231         0.1155
60"           0.241         0.1205
62 1/2"      0.246         0.1230
65"           0.251         0.1255
70"           0.251         0.1255
72"           0.251         0.1255   

From Richard Tyree   

5' 6" - 2 piece - UL   

Station  Measurement  Setting

0"            0.070          0.0350
5"            0.920          0.4600
10"          0.104          0.0520
15"          0.110          0.0550
20"          0.124          0.0620
25"          0.144          0.0720
30"          0.166          0.0830
35"          0.182          0.0910
40"          0.188          0.0940
45"          0.206          0.1030
50"          0.236          0.1180
55"          0.250          0.1250
60"          0.250          0.1250
66"          0.250          0.1250

Ferrule:  #11   
Tip Top:  4 1/2   
From Richard Tyree   

7' - 2 piece - UL - 6 to 10# line   

Station  Measurement  Setting

1 1/2"       0.100          0.0500
4 1/2"       0.115          0.0575
6 1/2"       0.120          0.0600
10"           0.132          0.0660
15"           0.146          0.0730
19"           0.154          0.0770
21 1/2"      0.167          0.0835
25"           0.179          0.0895
30"           0.194          0.0970
35"           0.206          0.1030
40 1/2"      0.214          0.1070
44 1/2"      0.238          0.1190
50"           0.252          0.1260
55"           0.267          0.1335
60"           0.280          0.1400
65"           0.294          0.1470
70"           0.308          0.1540

Ferrule:  #15   
Tip Top:  6   
From Richard Tyree  

5' - 2 piece - UL   

Station  Measurement  Setting

0"              0.072        0.0360
5"              0.074        0.0370
10"            0.092        0.0460
15"            0.104        0.0520
20"            0.110        0.0550
25"            0.124        0.0620
30"            0.144        0.0720
35"            0.166        0.0830
40"            0.182        0.0910
45"            0.188        0.0940
50"            0.206        0.1030
55"            0.236        0.1180
60"            0.250        0.1250   

Ferrule:  #11   
Tip Top:  5       
From Richard Tyree   

Sharpes - 7' - 2 piece   

Station  Measurement  Setting

1"             0.114         0.0570
5"             0.126         0.0630
10"           0.147         0.0735
15"           0.169         0.0845
20"           0.178         0.0890
25"           0.197         0.0985
30"           0.210         0.1050
35"           0.233         0.1165
39"           0.244         0.1220

Ferrule      

45"           0.280         0.1400
50"           0.294         0.1470
55"           0.304         0.1520
60"           0.318         0.1590
65"           0.325         0.1625
70"           0.333         0.1665
72"           0.343         0.1715

Bernard Hills - 7'6"   

Station  Measurement  Setting

0"             0.103         0.0515
5"             0.136         0.0680
10"           0.136         0.0680
15"           0.154         0.0770
20"           0.172         0.0860
25"           0.184         0.0920
30"           0.196         0.0980
35"           0.216         0.1080
40"           0.229         0.1145
45"           0.239         0.1195
50"           0.254         0.1270
55"           0.269         0.1345
60"           0.271         0.1355
65"           0.284         0.1420
70"           0.312         0.1560
75"           0.327         0.1635
80"           0.327         0.1635
85"           0.327         0.1635
90"           0.327         0.1635

Guides: 

4 1/2"
10 1/2"
17 1/2"
25 1/4"
33 1/4"
42 1/8"
53 1/2"
63"    (Timothy Troester)

There are several in David Ray's Taper Library.

Here's the link.  (Ron Larsen)

Rule

I have dug around in the archives and came up the following ultra light taper for a spinning rod and have started to make it for my son:

Thomas & Thomas Classic spin  5'-6" 2/2 2-4 lbs line, lures to 1/4 oz (measured without varnish)

                  Butt                             Tip
    00        .181"                           .072"
    05        .192                             .079
    10        .209                             .103
    15        .215                             .115
    20        .233                             .125
    25        .241@ 23 1/2"           .133
    30        .241 ? under grip      .153
    33.5     .241 ? under grip      .159

Guide spacing from tip top: 6", 15", 26 3/8" ,39 1/2"  (all foul proof wire guides) 10" cork grip with 2 slide bands. If I made one I would allow 1 more guide. Also there is a .022" step at the ferrule stations (step down ferrule or adjustment in the taper). These rods were pretty neat. They came in an all aluminum locking type gun case with foam padding. They were very rare because nobody wanted to spend so much on a cane spinning rod. After  feeling it, I would rate the rod Light to Ultra Light action even though the T&T label  on the case said Ultra Light, 2-4 lbs line,  1/4 oz lures. Kind of sorry I sold them.

Marty DeSapio

Having no experience with spinning rods, can anyone tell me what size the guides and tip top should be. I have no idea what "foul proof" means. Double foot, single foot? REC sells spinning components, any others I should consider?  (Bill Bixler)

Foulproof was a term for snakes that did a full revolution before returning to the blank. I don't think they made much of a dent in the guide market. I have one English fly rod with them and have seen them on one or two others over the years. Check Anglers Workshop to see if they have them available.

If I'm not mistaken, the suggestion for sizing spinning guides is to put the reel and a tiptop on the rod and decide roughly where you want your "stripper". Spin the reel a turn or two and see what kind of circumference the line describes at that point of the rod. That's the size of your first guide. It's designed so as to not constrict the spinning of the line and create a choke point. Then find several other sizes that fit naturally between the first and tiptop guides. Your decision may look larger than store bought rods, but will probably work better.

Keep in mind that if you put a sudden "stopdown" on the running line as it goes down the length of the rod it will sort of "back up" and  balloon behind that guide and check your cast before you want it to.

Dale Clemens had a formula for how to space the guides out along the blank, but if you plan on one more than the length in ft of the rod and space them so they get closer together as they approach the tiptop, that should be good enough. You can try stringing the rod and seeing if the line (thru them) "follows" the blank as it goes down the length of it and that should space them "custom" to that rod. Lock the rod in some sort of vise (@ maybe a 45 degree angle) and pull down on the line beyond the tiptop, causing the rod to bend and see how well the line follows the curve of the rod.  If you want the Clemens formula and have Excel in Office 2000, I can forward it to you.  (Click here for the spreadsheet.) (Art Port)

Marty is referring to Aetna's Foul proof guides often seen on Orvis' SSS (saltwater rods). I was looking around for them and couldn't find any at the usual sources. REC does makes a nice spin cast recoil guide that would work. I will warn you they are pricey.

I just finished one and took the cheap way used some odd sections and stripped a graphite spinning rod that had a busted tip. Built it years ago for a nephew using pac bay seat and Fuji guides, even cut up as section off a St. Croix Fly Rod for a graphite ferrule. Though it doesn't look as nice as the classics should be fun to play with the bluegills when the Potomac is off color tossing small spinners. It will be interesting to see how the graphite ferrule holds up to the occasional 15-16" smallie that hits the spinner. (Tim Pembroke)

Rule

My brother and I will be heading up to Black Sturgeon Lake in Ontario this August. He has been several times, my first. Okay, I would love to make a spinning rod, ( Bamboo of course). I am looking for some input on what Tapers might work. They are pulling 2-3 ft Pike out of this lake, as well as Smallmouth and Walleye.   (Dan Weiman)

Ray Gould’s book has two pages of spinning rod tapers.  (Gordon Koppin)

Rule

If there are any spin rod builders out there on the list I'm looking for a taper that would be good for fishing bass ponds and pacific coast surf.  Please forward any recommendations.  (Tom Key)

I have not made this rod but it appears to have the length needed to get out in the surf and enough backbone to handle surf perch and fresh water bass. If you make it, please let me know what you think, I have been looking at it for some time. (Don Green)

P.H.Young Exp. 8'-9" x 2 piece. From "Cane Rod Tips & Tapers" by Ray Gould

Station
Dimension
0
.132
5
.14
10
.158
15
.188
20

.214

25
.232
30
.245
35
.26
40
.268
45
.276
50
.298
55
Ferrule
60
.325
65
.336
70
.342
75
.38
80
.403

Rule

A few months back I asked the list for spin rod tapers - thanks to those who responded.  The blank is finished and now it's time to start mounting the hardware, but first I have a question for those of you who are in the know.  Should I use double foot or single foot guides.  I appears that most graphite and glass spin rods use the single foot, but I'm thinking the double foot might be more traditional and what a cane spin rod should have.  (Tom Key)

I vote double foot.  I am a more traditional guy when it comes to Bamboo rods.  I would opt for an Agatine stripping guide and matching tip top (if you can find one).  But that's just me.

Pictures, don't forget pictures of the completed art work.  (Pete Emmel)

Rule

I'm finishing out a spinning rod bamboo blank for a guy, the first time I've worked on a spinning rig.  Need some help:

He wants a lock-down reelseat (as opposed to 2 rings over cork) - any suggestions on where to buy such a thing?

Any suggestions on where to go to buy guides and tip-top?

Finally, he asked if the 5-1/2 ft blank could be cut down and ferruled.  Anybody have experience doing that, and any comments on how it might change action?  (Lee Koch)

Golden Witch used to carry hardware like that but I looked recently and couldn't find any.  I'm thinking about making a casting or spin rod this winter.  (Larry Swearingen)

Go to www.mudhole.com

You can find the reel seats and guides, etc. Check out the Mudhole reel seats, they make a spinning reel seat with a wood filler.   (Dennis Higham)

You might try here:

http://www.hookhack.com/

http://www.anglersworkshop.com/

http://www.johnnyspond.com/petipco.html  (Joe E. Arguello)

REC does do spinning rod seats and guides.  I have used and can recommend the Trutrak seats.  Guides also from all other suppliers, Pac Bay H&H etc.  (Gary Marshall)

Rule

I am looking for an ultra light spinning rod taper and was wondering if anyone has one to share.  (Larry Tusoni)

5 foot Ultra Light Spinning rod for 2-4# line

.072
.074
.092
.104
.110
.124
.144
.166
.182
.188
.206
.236
.250  (Jeff Fultz)

I just feel that I should warn you that there is some serious risk here, that after you have made a spinning rod on your forms, and using your tools, you will not be able again to use them for building real rods: at least, not until they have been thoroughly sterilized in an autoclave  and have had an exorcism performed to banish the demons!

I think that those people who use a mill to finish their rods are OK, though, on the assumption that you are able to build anything on them without compromising their insubstantial integrity.

I am currently building a spinning rod (but a Baginski, not an ultralight, I am sorry) and believe me, it is a real worry!  (Peter McKean)

Peter is absolutely right! There are some serious risks here.

I have an old medical textbook that mentions "Mono" as a serious affliction, causing a blank, "open-faced" expression in its victims and often associated with a neuromuscular disorder known as "Dervish Syndrome, which causes folk to twirl their whole body, making strange clicking and whirring noises all the while.

"Graphite elbow" is also commonly seen in this condition and is likely caused by the excessive flicking movement at this joint often observed in victims.

I'm not sure autoclaving will be that effective at preventing these disorders. It could be worse though; my great-uncle John died soon after making a fish spear shaft from bamboo. I guess that's even worse than making a spinning rod.

While I do not have any doubts about Harry's abilities,  I must say it did seem a trifle more elegant when we gave by donation for banishment ceremonies, instead of being asked for payment up front.

On an unrelated note, I'd appreciate any feedback from anyone who has fished or cast the Payne 204, as I am thinking of trying that taper but have no firsthand knowledge of the rod's performance.  (George Deagle)

I'm here to debunk those ideas straight away!  I built a light bamboo spinning rod for Steelhead fishing.  It performed marvelously the first outing.  13 steelies and 7 browns, some going 10 plus pounds.  This was on a steel form, using hand planes.

Subsequently I've built a number of fly rods which have all performed very well.  I'm proud to say one even won an accuracy competition this fall at CRG!

So my tools STILL  work and  the product  of my  tools as well !!!

Let's not circulate these wives tales :)  (Al Baldauski)

Rule

Do any of you have or know of where I can find some spin rod tapers in the 4 1/2 to 5 foot range? I have the Gould book, but nothing in there is of any interest. (Zac Denton)

You can find some here, but you may have to convert them to 5" stations.  (Ken Paterson)

I think they're all long heavy weights. In George Leonard Herter's book, he said you could make a good spinning rod by chopping off both ends of a good fly rod. DON'T TRY IT!!! IT DOESN'T WORK!! My very first rod ever was made from a Tiki yard torch. I thought it was too short to make a fly rod so I followed George's suggestion. Tip section isn't too bad, but the whole thing is real floppy and there's a lot of flex in the handle. I used slip rings for the reel seat and can't hardly keep the reel tight. And NO, HELL NO, I'm not going to tape them on!!!  (David Dziadosz)

IMHO, a fast dry fly action makes a pretty fair spinning rod.  My 20-year-old Walleye live bait rod is a 7-foot Loomis rated for 1/4 oz. lures, and I had often toyed with the idea of getting a blank to build a fly rod.  Then . . . I woke up!

But, seriously, look at something like a PY Martha Marie, or a Payne 98, or . . . (????).  A well-respected full-time maker once advised me that the tip should be close to 0.100", but I'm famous for ignoring good advice.  So, there are two opinions for you.  (Steve Yasgur)

Rule

Have had an approach from a bloke who wants me to build him a spinning rod in the 6'0" to 7'0" class, to fidh for trout up to about 2 kg.

Anybody got a good taper they would share with me, please?  I have never built a spinning rod before.

Do you have to destroy all your tools after building a non-fly rod, or can you just sterilize them and they'll be OK?  (Peter McKean)

On page 236 of Rolf Baginski's book (Split-Cane Rods -- Bamboo Treasures) are three spinning rod tapers.  A number of people in Australia have bought a copy.  Perhaps you know somebody you can borrow it from.

Rolf 's tools don't seem to mind!  (Tim Anderson)

Just a reminder that David Ray's library has spinning rod tapers in it. Find it here.  (Ron Elder)

Here are some tapers I have saved from the old list. I personally made the first one (the T&T) for my son to give to his father in law as a gift. I have not ever fished it nor have I ever fished a bamboo spinner so I can't tell you how they are. I can tell you that my son says he loves the rod and many of the guys he fishes with covet it. Mark Wendt could probaly tell you more about the last one.   (Bill Bixler)
        
Thomas & Thomas Classic spin 5'-6" 2/2 2-4 lbs. line, lures to 1/4oz (measured without varnish)

              Butt                      Tip
00        .181"                        .072"
05        .192                         .079
10        .209                         .103
15        .215                         .115
20        .233                         .125
25        .241@ 23 1/2"         .133
30        .241? under grip      .153
33.5     .241? under grip      .159

Guide spacing from tip top: 6", 15", 26 3/8" ,39 1/2” (all foul proof wire guides) 10" cork grip with 2 slide bands. If I made one I would allow 1 more guide. Also there is a .022" step at the ferrule stations (step down ferrule or adjustment in the taper)

These rods were pretty neat. They came in an all-aluminum locking type gun case with foam padding. They were very rare because nobody wanted to spend so much on a cane spinning rod. After feeling it , I would rate the rod Light to Ultra-Light action even though the T&T lable on the case said Ultra-Light, 2-4 lbs line,  1/4 oz lures. Kind of sorry I sold them. Marty DeSapio

J.D. Fultz wrote:

Thank you everyone for the tapers. I will file some of these away for further use. I think I will go with the T&T Classic and just extend the taper another 6 inches.

Once again the list has not let me down, I asked for an inch and you've given me a mile!

Jeff

----- Original Message -----

From: Danny Twang
To: platte_river_rods at msn.com; Rodmakers
Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2003 10:34 AM
Subject: Re: 6' 6" UL Spinning Rod taper

This tapers taken from PHY rods, was posted to the List a couple of years ago... .

enjoy,
danny

Spin-Caster, 63, 3.00oz., medium flamed, made for Lewis Pyle in Apr 53, black wraps, 10 sliding ring handle, 16/64 Super Z ferrule.
Guide spacing from tip:  6 3/16, 13 15/16, 24 5/16, 35 1/8; 46 5/8 (butt)
Taper:
0 - .096
5 - .098
10 - .115
15 - .142
20 - .158
25 - .174
30 - .191
35 - .219
ferrule
40 - .216 (yes, I double checked the 35 and 40 measurements)
45 - .224
50 - .241
55 - .250
60 - .266
64 - .274

Special, 64, 3.40oz., 1955, lightly flamed, 17/64 ferrule, 8 sliding ring handle
Guide spacing from tip:  7 7/16, 16 5/16, 25 5/8, 35 5/16; 49 (butt)
Taper:
0 - .098
5 - .101
10 - .122
15 - .148
20 - .158
24 - .170
30 - .194
35 - .224
ferrule
41 - .226
45 - .238
50 - .240
55 - .257
60 - .268
65 - .285

I made a 7' medium/heavy action spinning rod for a customer last year who wanted to try it out as a "novelty" rod on his annual trip to northern Canadian waters. He fished the rod the first day and never put it down. He told me how everyone in the fish camp started drooling over this rod as he caught more and more fish every day. He now wants a 6 foot or 6 1/2-foot ultralight. I don't have a taper for such a rod. Can anyone help?

Jeff - Platte River Rods

There's been a few requests lately for spinning rod tapers, and since I made one up this year and field tested it in the wilds of Northern Ontario, I figgered I'd share the taper.   It was derived from an old Montague, and a few other "un-named" rods from the 30's and 40's.   Un-named, because I have no idea who made them, or what company distributed them.   The rod is a 6' -2-piece rod, with an offset 16/64's ferrule.   The grip length is 11", and utilizes sliding rings to hold the reel in place.   The rod is beefy enough to throw medium sized pike lures a goodly distance, yet has a nice "feel" to it for strikes.   It has plenty of backbone to bring in hefty sized pike and walleye also.   I made the rod up for my Dad, so that he could enjoy fishing again with a cane spinning rod.   He fell in love with it.   Caught quite a few fish on it, too...Here's the taper, building notes, and guide sizing and spacing:

Tip

0   - .120
5   - .136
10 - .151
15 - .161
20 - .182
25 - .192
30 - .223
35 - .244
40 - .256

(cut section length based on the measurement from the tip down, same for the butt section)

Butt

0   - .256
5   - .264
10 - .278
15 - .310
20 - .340
25 - .350
30 - .350
35 - .350

The tip section cut off length is 39 3/4", and the butt section cut off length is 31 3/8".   The ferrule is offset towards the handle from the center of the rod, based I guess on the original design's stress curve.   Seems to be in an appropriate location, because the rod felt very good casting and reeling in fish.   Does make it a pain in the arse to sew up a rod bag though...

Guide sizes and spacing: tip-top - #8, #12 - 9 1/16", #16 - 18 5/8", #20 - 29 1/16", #25 - 43 7/8"

NB - these guides and spacing were "borrowed" from the original Monty spinning rod and reflect the guide sizing and spacing of the time.   Feel free to change the sizes, number of guides, and spacing to utilize modern techniques if you so desire.

Enjoy,

Mark

I made a 6' one-piece spinning rod using this taper:

0     0.070
5     0.072
10    0.078
15    0.094
20    0.110
25    0.128
30    0.144
35    0.158
40    0.172
45    0.182
50    0.192
55    0.200
60    0.204
65    0.250
70    0.250
72    0.250

It's a lousy spinning rod, but a terrific little fly rod.  It handles a short 4 wt line quite well.   (Ron Larsen)

Rule

Does anyone have any spinning rod tapers that they might recommend?  I'm looking for a taper for a medium to medium/heavy rod.  

I see a lot tapers in the archives and old Herters manuals, but it would be great if someone has built a taper they really like. (Mike Biondo)

I have built spinning rods from two tapers. the Paul Young Spinmaster 7'2" 2 piece and the Paul Young Special 6'4" 2 piece. The Special is a nice medium rod and I have build three on this taper. (Mark Heskett)

I have not built a spinning rod for quite a few years and unfortunately a recent Knee replacement means I cannot access my workshop at the moment. I do remember some early advice on spinning tappers and that is that there is a different taper style for using with an open face spinning reel (the standard egg beater) and with a revolving spool reel. For the open face spinning reel you need a rod that loads fast with a fast tip action, and most of the action in the top third of the rod. For a revolving spool reel you need a much slower loading rod that will gradually take up the load of the reel. The principal is very much the same as a fly rod with a thicker butt and faster taper up the rod versus a slower action with a thinner butt and a slower rate of reduction up the rod.

The point being that the type of spinning reel has a significant influence on preferred rod taper.  (Ian Kearney)

Thanks Ian, I never thought about it like that, but that kinda makes sense.  I think I also heard at some point that most spinning rod tapers were mostly straight tapers.  The few tapers I've come across; I was going to load into Hexrod or RodDNA to take a look at the graphs to see if this bears out.

I often wondered if the straight taper thing was true, and if so, the reason.  Could it be that the taper is less important when the casting distance is achieved by the weight on the end of a light line, as opposed to a flyrod where the weight is the line itself???

Has anyone else heard anything similar? (Mike Biondo)

I have made 2 casting and 2 spinning rods. All are medium heavy to heavy bass rods. All are almost straight taper. I used .024 taper for the first few stations down from the tip then went .022 per station to the grip. Depending on how stout u want the rod, use .085 to about .110 at the tip and work back from there. .110 is good for 1-ounce salt water jigs. Scale back from there. Kinda trial and error on the tip size to get the action u want, wish I could be more precise. If u can, hollow the butt section as u have reel behind your hand to balance the weight of the blank. I really think that a taper rate of .022 and .020 wold work fine also and give u a little softer action. Don't go much slower though as a too soft an action will mess up the casting accuracy. (David Atchison)

I do know, from experience, that when trying to cast with a light spinning outfit, say 4 lb line, light lure size 2- 4 veltic style lure, the tip needs to come down to closer to .075 to enable a lick casting action using an open face spinning reel. It could be that most of the spinning tapers around have been for bass fishing in the USA, or heavy lure fishing with a revolving drum reel in England.  I tried a couple of older spinning rods and found them totally unsuitable for casting a light trout lure, they felt very much like a club with no ability to cast a light lure with any accuracy.  My research at that time then lead to a comment, I think in an old Hardys annual, about the importance of matching the reel and lure weight to the rod taper.  (Ian Kearney)

Rule

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