Converting spin rod to fly rod?

fishinbub · Post by **fishinbub** » 03/16/11 18:12

I got my hands on an old cane spinning rod. I believe it was made by H&I, but I'm not really sure. It's 7' 2/1. I'm thinking about converting it to a fly rod. I got the dimensions and put them through hex rod with a 6wt line and got this stress curve. Doesn't look too promising to me, but maybe someone with more experience can give me a better idea of how the rod would fish...
[img]file:///C:/Users/FISHIN%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png[/img][img]file:///C:/Users/FISHIN%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.png[/img][img]file:///C:/Users/FISHIN%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-4.png[/img]

waltryan1 · Post by **waltryan1** » 03/16/11 18:48

I have a 4 pc. LL Bean, and a 4 pc Orvis, both graphite that were marketed as fly/spin rods. They are both O.K. but nothing special. If you try it with several fly lines you can decide if you want to re-do it as a fly rod. Sometimes H-I 2 pc rods can be surprising.

RW · Post by RW » 03/16/11 19:20

I'd just string up a fly line through the spinning guides and just see what it does. What size is the ferrule? I remember reading somewhere of a conversion of recommended lure weights to line weights, but it's long gone from memory.

Rob

RonT1 · Post by **RonT1** » 03/17/11 04:24

I found this page and did all of my rods, found a couple surprises, and confirmed that the others were dead on.
R
*

How to Determine the Weight of a Fly Rod
Calculating Fly Rod Weight and Choosing the Proper Fly Line

fishinbub · Post by **fishinbub** » 03/17/11 07:35

RWHoffhines wrote:I'd just string up a fly line through the spinning guides and just see what it does. What size is the ferrule? I remember reading somewhere of a conversion of recommended lure weights to line weights, but it's long gone from memory.

Rob

The rod didn't have any guides when I got it, but I'll tape some guides on and see how it casts.

brucetc · Post by **brucetc** » 04/02/21 19:22

Hi fishinbub,

I am in the starting stages of redoing an ORVIS three piece 6 1/2' bamboo spinning to a fly rod. Greg with the ORVIS database sent me images of all the fly rods in their various stages of development from the 40's to 70's. Exhaustive database. This spinning rod I have is #18305 (November 1955). The ORVIS spinning rod has raised looped guides. It is not a spin/fly combo.

The flyrod ferrules for the Rocky Mountain 3 piece are 13/64 and 9/64 until 1954 when they changed to 13/64 and 10/64. But the spinning rod has a different taper with 15/64 and 11/64 ferrules. Do you have any knowledge of how to find the components to convert to fly rod:
(MILDRUFF stripping guide, blued tungsten steel snakes and tip guides, 11/64 ferrules)?

Do you have any experience with evening the tone of the bamboo after the old wraps are removed? Can ammonia be used to remove shadows of
previous wraps? Is there a way to remove enough of the impregnated surface to remove shadows and then re-impregnate before gluing & wraps?

warmest,
Bruce

JMQ4 · Post by **JMQ4** » 04/05/21 21:02

Bruce - sent you a PM

NewUtahCaneAngler · Post by **NewUtahCaneAngler** » 04/05/21 21:23

here is my well researched answer. Spinning and fly rods HAVE DIFFERENT TAPERS. Fly and Spin rods often - ALWAYS - with Orvis, have the same taper as the fly only version. Changing a fly and spin model that is based upon the same taper as the fly model will result in a fine fly rod.
On the other hand, changing a spinning rod to a fly rod configuration and presenting it as a fly rod is fraud. Changing a spinning rod to a fly rod configuration and using it as such is bound to lead to a big disappointment.

FWIIW, I've converted an Orvis Rocky Mountain Fly and Spin to a fly Rod and have also owned an Orvis is 6 1/2' Fly and Spin and it was/is a Fly rod taper.

Cheers,
Joe

cutthroatkid · Post by **cutthroatkid** » 04/05/21 21:54

I didn't see where the OP was going to try to sell the converted HI spinning rod as a fly rod. I got the impression it was just for fishing. I'd like to hear the results of his experience of taping guides onto the rod and trying out different lines. It might also be fun to see the measurements of the taper.

NewUtahCaneAngler · Post by **NewUtahCaneAngler** » 04/05/21 22:17

I did not suggest that the OP was going through the process just to sell a spinning rod as a fly rod, but did point out - as the OP himself/herself - that the results would most likely...probably 100% be disappointing.

Don Andersen · Post by **Don Andersen** » 04/07/21 08:21

Spin rods have a steeper taper. Fly rods 0.014” spin rods 0.021”/5” of travel on the ones I’ve measured.

oddsnrods · Post by **oddsnrods** » 04/09/21 18:50

2 top sections from a 12' spey rod (Warra taper) which I found, after I made it, was a noodle- although made a very fine 8' spinning rod, albeit stiffened under the handle.

To my mind, spinning tapers would not make good fly rods- of any description..

Malcolm

The Classic Fly Rod Forum