How to Find the Seam on Fly Rod Blanks

Most fly rod blanks manufactured today are made by wrapping graphite or fiberglass cloth, known as "scrim", around a steel mandrel. The process causes the scrim to have a bias in direction which causes a slight unevenness in the blank. This unevenness results in both a soft and a stiff side of the rod blank. The stiff side is known as the seam, or spine, which has been determined by rod builders to be the best place to place the guides for optimum rod performance.

Things You'll Need

  • Fly Rod Blank
  • Hard, smooth surface, such as a table or floor
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Instructions

  1. Finding the Spine on a Fly Rod Blank

    • 1

      To locate the spine, carefully place the first few inches of the tip of the blank on a smooth hard surface (the floor)with the butt end up near seventy degrees.

    • 2

      Next, apply enough pressure to slightly bend the blank by placing one or two fingers near the butt of the rod blank. The blank will always naturally roll to the soft side of the rod with the spine facing up. Use a piece of masking tape or a felt pen on the rod blank end to indicate the side of the spine on which you want to place the guides and reel seat. For a fly rod, the spine side is generally preferred.

    • 3

      If you have a multiple piece rod, locate the spine on each individual rod blank section. Starting with the tip section, repeat the above process with each succeeding section, and mark each section accordingly.