TH Custom Rods - take a look!

I don't often post about a product, but for whatever it's worth I'd like to give my take on these rods; for a couple reasons. First, Travis made a real nice, yet unnecessary, jesture to donate a second rod to the story contest (details elsewhere). Cool! Secondly, these are great rods! ...

They are some of the nicest beautiful custom made rods I've ever seen. Great workmanship shows. I've used Bigstew's TH rod with the Rainbow Shadow blank and it has the right action and balance for what it was designed to do - just an excellant rod. I've got more rods than I need, but I want one anyway - if I can convince my wife I need to buy yet another rod [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] ...

By the way Travis, pretend my wife wrote to you and wanted to suprise me with a new TH Custom rod for my birthday. She tells you she thinks I have most every kind of salmon and steelhead rod; both casting and spinning. What rod would you recommend that would be both unique from the standard array of rods and still be useful enough? Tough Q for sure! Give us some ideas about that here, when you get the chance. Thanks. ...

BTW, I think I have one possible idea. What blank would be good for specifically a plugging rod that is a proper compromise strength and action for both chinooks and steelhead? Maybe a 9.5' rod rated 8 to 17 lb., or would a light action tipped rod rated 10 to 20 lb. be a better compromise dual purpose choice? Do they make a good blank rated 8 to 20 lb. that would fit this described usage? Seems this would also make for a good bobber and jig/worm rod for both species too. What do you think?

RT

[TH]

RT, thanks for the kind words.
Now to answer your questions. (or stump the rod builder)
In order to design a rod for someone we need to know exactly what they fish for and how they fish.
If you wanted a great all around salmon/steelie rod, you will have to give up something to get something.. a 9' 8-17# is what I would look at first.
As for being unique, we may need to look into a nice two color inlay, w/ RT "The Reel Truth" inscribed on the side, and a weibe oak insert reel seat!
Its hard to pick a plug rod/drift rod...
I would go a little shorter, 8' 10-20# TH 981
This is probably the most verstile rod on the market..
It has a wonderful tip, yet w/ its mag. taper, it is the best plug rod for both salmon/steelies and as I found out Saturday, a great donwrigger rod as well. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Let me know if this helps, and again thanks for the nice words.

The 9' rated 8 to 17 lb. the way you described it with all those goodies is making me drool on myself! And having "The Reel Truth" inscribed on it is a nice idea. I want one like that. Since I have so many more casting rods than spinning rods, I would get it in a spinning version - preferably in a 9.5' version to use for floatfishing for a combo of steelies and chinooks when both are in the river. Maybe use 14 or 15 lb. Izorline Platimun on a new Okuma spinning reel. ... More drooling! ... I will ease the idea to my wife. E-mail me what the 9.5 - 8/17 spinning rod would cost. Thanks much Travis. - Steve

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

I haven't seen the Izor Platinum in 14lb., but I use the 15lb. Dude, you spool that on your spinning reel, and you change the term "reel" to Warn Wench. muh ha ha ha ha Tie the double cinch knot on this line as I've found this to be the best/strongest knot.

Well, I just had to have one. So I ordered the following rod from TH rods:

I'm buying the TH 1164s (9'6" 8-17#)
wood insert weibe handle kit
14" rear cork, 2" fore
wrapped in my choice of color plus trim
and RT - "The Reel Truth" inscribed on the side.

Thanks Travis! I will put a 4000 series spinning reel on it with 12 lb. (15 lb. when the water is up some) Izorline Platinum on it to fish rivers when both chinooks and steelhead are in - and I will be targeting both species with the same 1/4 oz. jig tipped with a sandshrimp tail. And of course floatfishing the pink worm and egg clusters too, with this new custom dual purpose rod. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Yeeehaaaw!

RT [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ 07-03-2001: Message edited by: RT ]

I would think Steve would be looking for a rod that would survive a tumble down a streambank! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] and of course everyone knows that "RT" stands for Rolling and Tumbling.
Stew