MattZilliox wrote: ↑03/11/23 13:33
i want that dark flamed rod, wow! how do your Hoffhines perform? This maker has landed on my radar recently.
My apologies, just saw this -- the 8-footer (dark flamed) is based on a Payne 200L modified into 2-pc configuration and it casts like a dream. I have a couple trout camps a year with some good friends who are my bamboo muses with some significant collections, at sulphur camp last year they were eager to see it and I overhead one of them whisper "wow" when he lawn cast it. When he handed the rod back to me, he told me how lucky I was. The other said, "now I like my Jenkins (8' 4wt) 80% as much". Later he approached me and asked if I would consider a trade for his PHY (Summers) Perfectionist that I coveted even up! I've fished it with #12 March Browns through #26 olive patterns and it has delicacy and power, it's a wonderful dry rod. Plus it's pure eye-candy.
The 7' rod was an experimental prototype rod Rob made that's based on a Leonard taper and I use it mostly for tricos and olives. Rob made a second tip for me last year and it's a sweet, smooth rod that lays out a 16' 7X leader with pinpoint accuracy. It's the definition of a "lovely reed" in my mind...truly a wonderful wand.
Rob is currently making a 7'-6" FET taper for me, really looking forward to fishing that one. His work is impeccable as I stated in another thread and his interpretation of tapers are spot-on. Rob's an absolute delight to work with and I highly recommend him.