Spey Lower Handle

At my start of learning to spey, I was in instructed to change my lower grip to hold the butt (and not the lower handle) to help me rotate the rod. In keeping with concept, I see lower handles that are longer than needed, and recently came across a discussion from Ian Gordon “to hold the handle”; which requires a rod’s lower handle to 5 to 7″ long, depending on the reel seat and transition (flare) and the butt.

But if I look at Klaus Frimer’s training video’s and zoom in, I can see he is holding the lower 2″ and allowing the rod to rotate in his group, as I was taught many season ago.

We can see some different spey rod manufacturer’s try to accommodate both with “ONE” a long lower handle, and “TWO” a feature at the bottom. This bottom feature may be pronounced and a few are round.

Shape Survey

If we do a survey today, who supports the lower round socket (by default) include Bruce & Walker, Loomis Asquith (small), Meiser, Scott Swing (small) and Winston Spey Air (small).

Where the majority replicate a small (mostly) flat butt cap: Burkheimer 7134, Gaelforce Destination, Guideline NT11, Loop 7x, NAM Ren, Sage X, Scott Swing, and Thomas DNA.

Thus, I conclude my preference for a sizable round butt, it is not reflect in your standard spey rod.

It should be recognized, some manufacturer’s such Meiser and RJC will built to suit.

and length

And unless we got to switch rods, all rods had a long lower handle. 

If we recognizing my preference (and style) over 10 years of pivoting the base, a rounded butt is good, but a a long lower handle serves no benefit and has a cost of requiring a heavier reel to balance in the swing.

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My design and build

The advantage of building one own rod, you can create a feature to one’s taste.

For single hand rods, for a relax grip, I like a simple large cylinder. My hand can shift and to grip the rod, my muscle contraction is not extreme and my fingers are not pushing into the palm. Yes, a fine and small grip looks sleek, but it is not the most comfortable.

When I built and tested different handles with the Quantum Rod,

• I kept a ball socket butt, with a small taper to the butt.
• No other flairs, so the transition from reel seat to the lower and upper handles

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And with my latest build, a Meiser 1507S

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I kept the same principles, but the transition from the lower handle to the ball socket is not as extreme. I did want a “slightly” more rounded transition, but the black rubberized cork was tearing out, irrespective of the tools I was using (carbide, HSS steel in skew or gouge) (the remainder of the black cork again, where I need to turn it to shape).

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Even when wet, I find my hand registers the change in cork, size and-or type, so on the upper handle, the transition to burl cork or rubber cork supports a subtle feedback loop.

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So yes, I am “holding” the socket.

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and there is a lot of room to move my hand.
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And I am not holding the rear handle, but I can

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and if you notice, I have shorten the lower grip, such that my thumb rides onto the reel seat and I can use my index finger to touch-feel the reel.

With the slightly longer lower handle on the Quantum

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Compare to a standard build, a Walker 9wt

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And given my style, there is no gain-advantage to longer lower handle, but there is a cost that I need a heavier reel to help the balance in the swing.

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Comparison

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With the Walker 9wt (right)with the reel hood at just over 6.5″, where as the Quantum (middle) close to 5 1/2″ and the Meiser 1507S (on the left), with an inset reel seat at 4 3/4″.

And though the Meiser 1507S is fine as shown above, it is tight.

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So what is the right feature for me?

• Ball Socket butt
• 5″ from butt to the emergence the reel seat, out of the reel seat (the Quantum).

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This all nice to know, but I do not need another rod (other than maybe a 5pc Meiser Trout Rod), so unless I am building my own Spey Bamboo Rod, I am not likely to use this knowledge. Never-the-less, it is worth to document where I finished off at.

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NAM Product Page

I usually do not reference another page, as links break with time, but I thought this image was worth capturing and sharing. From NAM USA’s homepage, you can clearly see the caster is holding the butt, and with NAM who already has a small lower handle you can see substantial clearance between reel and hand.

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Handles look good, but the butt is a large swell with a flat bottom.

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🙂

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