[Hamish Young]

Harrison salmon rod blanks - anyone built one up or got an opinion on the blanks 

[Rob Brownfield]

Hamish,
I build 90% of my rods on Harrison blanks. Unfortuantly I don't have any fly rods sitting at home just now, but i do have a specialist Barbel rod i am building for someone. You are more than welcome to come and have a look at the blank to get an idea of the quality. Its Chimera blank.

The last fly rod was a 4 piece 5 weight for someones Christmas present. They are now autoclaving on the Lorhic range of fly blanks which has thinned them down and lightened them, but i have not seen these yet. They do a 14 and a 15 foot salmon blank in this range. However, there other blanks are high quality and have a very good reputation.

Lots and lots of rod builders are using these as there own "Britsh Blanks" because you can get custom finishes and blanks built. For example, I have all my fly rods tinted with a deep blue finish for an extra £5. They will do this with any blank, the colours being black, matt, red, brown, blue and green. Its very subtle and nice

The Salmon blanks are very nice, but don't expect super modern tapers etc. They are more of a traditional blank with a very easy casting action and fish playing ability. However, they do do a "faster" 10/11 weight. I use Lathkill for ordering the blanks but you can go direct to Harrison but i found they charged more postage.

Hope thats helped a bit.

[Hamish Young]

I might wander down someday soon for a nosey Rob - I've been hearing good stuff about their blanks 

[Rob Brownfield]

Hamish, you wont be disappointed....and they are British, using British cloth, in a british factory designing rods for British anglers...pity they are liverpudlian!

[Hamish Young]

...pity they are liverpudlian!

Well, you can't have everything 

[Sandy Nelson]

Hopefully the Lo-resin/ Hi-carbon blanks they are currently producing are a bit more up to date in action compared to the rather dated products they have been producing.
I know some of their stuff they do specifically for people to particular deigns are very good indeed and of a superb quality, but up till now the fly rod blanks are rather old fashioned IMHO despite being very well made.

I've heard good things about the Lorhic blanks but have yet to try them.

Sounds like an interesting Winter project

Let us know how you get on.

Sandy

[Rob Brownfield]

Sandy,
agreed, the original range were of a slowish action, but they also have a fast action range which can be compared to the Loomis IMX for action and the new lorhics.

[Sandy Nelson]

Loomis IMX

Now theres a rod that trancends modernisation.The original design is about 15 years old now (if not older ) And i know its still many top anglers benchmark. There was nothing old fashioned about it then and the action is still current, the only thing is the swing weight is a little high compared to the current crop. But this wont affect many folk.

If you can get an original they are miles better than the new Loomis rods as far as build quality goes. After all it's the rod that built the loomis reputation.

I'm still looking forward to seeing a Lorhic blank in action to see how close they get.
Who has been doing the development work? this will affect the outcome, if its a caster then it could end up being too stiff like lots of the current Yank rods, however if its an angler then hopefully they get it spot on , and it becomes a sweet fishing tool.
(I could lend them a B11x to copy if they want perfection)

Sandy

[Hamish Young]

Oddly enough, on a couple of recommendatons, I am trying to track down a price on a Winston B11x 15' #10 spey blank - just as a matter of interest you understand  I did look at the Vapor spey but the B11x sounds more promising and more 'my cup of tea' 

Next to no details of the Harrison Lohrics to be had anywhere the Harrison site still quotes 2005 models and emails go unanswered Which is a shame really, must be doing well enough that mere blank enquiries are too mundane to answer.

I hadn't considered David Norwich until suggested to me on another forum, but whilst I do like his rods hugely I think even the blank will be out of the range I'm happy to pay - same for Meiser 

[Graham Ritchie]

Try contacting Steve Parton for the Harrison blanks.

[Hamish Young]

Have you tried the new Lohric blank at all Graeme  I'm not wanting to spend spondoolies on a dud 

[Graham Ritchie]

I know someone who has, I will see if he has tried it out yet.

[Rob Brownfield]

Hamish,
Give Harrissons a ring. The Doc is very helpful and may even send you a blank on approval or put you in contact with someone up here that has one. I think they were a little late in comming out, I seem to recall early 2006 before the first ones where released.

Another company worth looking at are Carbotec. I have used a couple of there Saltwater blanks for building Pike fly rods and the quality is fantastic. They do quite a large range of Salmon fly blanks. Not the cheapest but not the most expensive by a long way.

There is also the Hardy Sirrus available at £300 for the blank and the Sage at £345.

Sandy,
The IMX was the first "American" rod i ever used. Richard Walker lent me a 10 foot 7 weight for an afternoon and i fell in love with it! Have to agree with you regarding the quality of finish. I could not afford a Loomis so bought a Norboron 10 foot 8 weight instead..and I still use it to this day 

As for the Lohric design, I am not sure who has had input but the Doc prides himself on producing fishing rods rather than casting sticks. the Barbel and Carp ranges for example are all fishing rods that cast well rather than casting sticks that are a comprimise.

[goosander]

Would recomend Carbotec blanks to any one. I use a 15ft and in high water a 17ft the last few years. You can cast all day with them without getting tired even with sunk lines. They weigh a bit more than Looms/Sage and hardy but cast them selfs?, just hold on.