My first rod of 2014, The Blue Heron

Here is the Blue Heron, first rod of 2014:

The rod was built on an Epic 990 "So Blue"  unidirectional fiberglass blank.

The wood is stabilized fiddleback maple, dyed with a subtle blue color. The reel seat insert, the grip trim and the fighting butt pieces are turned from it.

The reel seat is a Lemke seat which was anodized blue. The full wells grip is topped off with a matching blue anodized winding check.

The stripping guides are American Tackle BTRLS TiCh with blue Nanolite rings. The black nickel snake guides are Snake Brand Universals with a tip top from Snake Brands as well.

I used YLI silk 212 with two turns of YLI silk 209 for trim wraps.
This rod will be seeing lots of saltwater from the back of a kayak.
This is the reason I call this rod Blue Heron. Do you see it?

That's a beauty! Dig the eye!

Nice work

very pretty!

great job!

Sweet, I love fiddleback maple. I have a 75 caliber flintlock made with that wood for the stock. And love the heron, that eye looks wicked.

Nice work, freaky eye.

Thanks everyone for the compliments.
I broke my Sage 8 wt. twice last year so I am thinking this will be just what I need for flying off the kayak.

Very nice work.

Sweet build, great work.  What's the weight and action like on that glass? What lines/shooting heads you gonna throw on it? I'm looking for a new 990 for the delta and big luis...

What color was that rod?? 
Looking forward to the first fish caught post.

Someone likes blue!  What reel are you going to use? 

  Will you be able to see the eye with your reel on?

I am using a Lamson ARX spooled with a Rio outbound short 9I/S6. I placed the eye opposite of the reel foot so it will be visible with the reel mounted.
Maybe it will keep an eye out for the Landlord while I'm fishing! 

Nice!

I think that's the first completed Epic 990 I've seen in the States. How was the transaction? Shipping time from NZ?

Scott