First and foremost, I am a die-hard and loyal University of South Carolina Gamecock!! But I am not perfect and do consort with the enemy. For those that do not know, USC and clemson are bitter rivals in everything from football to....well...any sport you can imagine. I have a lot of friends who have graduated from that school in the northern part of the state and William is one of them. He is a huge clemson fan, loves to fish and I was very happy when he wanted a rod. I love theme rods and this is clearly a clemson theme.
Here are the specs:
Blank: Batson IP903 7'6" 6-14 lbs
Guides: Fuji Stainless with Alconite Inserts
Reel Seat: Fuji DNPSD Deluxe
Grip: Bamboo Burl Cork
Thread: Orange with purple and white...of course!
Insert: Clemson Pendant in handle
William really wanted something that no one else has or can get. So, I had to get creative. You can not buy bamboo burl cork rings so I got two bamboo burl full wells fly grips and cut them down to build both front and rear grips. I love the look of this cork. It has a lot of grain and character.
My second creative feature is the clemson pendant in the butt. I cored out the bottom of the rear grip and epoxied in the pendant.
The third feature is the "tiger wrap" just above the front grip. This was a real challenge. I made it with orange, purple and white thread. Not only is working with the three threads difficult but finishing a long wrap like this is tough. I think I did it at least 5 times before I was happy with it. I would either screw up the wrap or the epoxy. This was definitely a learning experience.
This rod will be used for stalking the tailing reds on the flats and I think it is a great blank for that purpose. It has a nice soft tip to cast small lures but plenty of backbone when you need it. I love this Fuji reel seat. It is very comfortable as it fits in the palm of your hand. My only problem now is that I don't have one!! Of course, I will have to choose a different theme.
Thanks for looking....Chris
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