Scumliner's Blue Halo Build Notes

John Arnold, a.k.a. "scumliner", of Headhunters Fly Shop in Craig, Montana recently built up a couple of the 8' 5/6 weight Blue Halo glass blanks and sent along a few notes and photos on what he thinks of  his builds so far. 

John wrote...  "I saw one of the T.F.M. posts about the Blue Halo blanks and ordered a couple.  I built them for the two of our key employees, Sara Roholt and Julie Arnold.  Both were looking for a smooth but powerful 8’ rod that’s easy to cast.  I wanted the girls to try an 8’ six weight with a slower action.  I’ve always felt that is the perfect women’s stick, but a size that is now impossible to find in graphite.

On the Missouri River, we need rods that can defeat the wind and make long casts with a variety of rigs including heavy streamers and hoppers.  It sounded like these would fit the bill.

Nice blanks, though I am not a rod builder, and don’t have that much experience with glass blanks. They are a bit tip heavy and the feel very tough.  Not a delicate little glass rod.

As you guessed, they performed great as a streamer rod with both a Rio Grand six weight forward fly line and a Rio Streamertip F/I six weight line.  Powerful and quick little rods that generate good line speed and shooting a streamer to the bank is no problem with these guys.

We’ve tried them mymphing a bit and they’re fine.  I don’t think they will be great technical dry rods, but they’ll do fine with hoppers, etc.  They would be great wade fishing a medium sized freestone with a dry/dropper rig.

Hardware is H&H guides, Steve Jenkins Reel Seat, Fishhawk thread, FlexCoat Lite, and I turned the grips.  I did these pretty quick and the finish is not perfect by any means."

I am looking forward to seeing a few more photos...and maybe even a video...once the ladies get a pass from the shop and hit the river.

Check out the Blue Halo website for more information on these glass blanks and other offerings.