Back to work and rods in stock
(11th April 2021)

I'm taking orders again. But don't expect rapid turnaround times!

Two rods added to in stock page. The 12ft 1.25lb Torrix was originally built with a tip to take Drennan push in quivers. Unfortunately nobody told me that these tips are prone to breaking. That's exactly what the tip did before my customer even got a line in the water. I made a replacement tip which lasted a little longer. One cast I think. Naturally the customer didn't want the rod as he was after a quiver tip rod. So I built a new, straight, tip which I know isn't one that breaks for no good reason as I use one myself.

I tell this story so you know the rod is essentially as new (the tip section is), and to warn everyone about the quiver tip version of the rod should they see one for sale anywhere!

Lead and feeder mould clearout sale
(3rd April 2021)

I'm making space and clearing out some stock to do it.

All my bomb and feeder moulds are on sale. Check them out here. When they're gone, they're gone!

Taking a break
(8th March 2021)

I've had enough!

Being unable to give people any clue at all as to when their rods might be completed because I have no idea when I might get the blanks back in stock has got beyond a joke.

If you have rods on order please don't ask me when they'll be ready because I haven't got a f*****g clue!!!

It's reached the stage where I've decided to stop taking rod orders until I have had delivery of the majority of blanks I require to keep customers happy and cleared some of the backlog as both I and Harrison's are losing track of where things stand.

I have been told that I'll be getting some blanks through soon, but no indication of what they'll be.

Expect rod ordering to return to normal next month, but possibly limited to pike, lure and selected specialist rods, and with no non-standard blank finishes, until blank supply gets back up to speed.

Tackle orders are still being fulfilled on my twice weekly posting plan - Tuesdays and Fridays.

Webshop glitch
(19th February 2021)

A customer kindly made me aware that he was unable to pay for an on-line order using a card without having a PayPal account. I had a dig around backstage and think I have sorted the issue out. I can only imagine that some PayPal upgrade or other altered a setting because I hadn't touched anything!

In other news I've built a couple of rods using the new-look Fuji reel seats and rings and have to say they look smart together. Pictures to appear on my blog (which went AWOL for a while - this time entirely down to me messing about behind the scenes but appears to have returned...) when I've completed some other rod work worth showing. I might even get some fishing news on it as I have some new tackle to try out!

A few things
(4th February 2021)

That's the last of the DPS reel seats in black. No more available, so anyone wanting to match up an existing rod which has a black DPS 18 is out of luck. The closest I'll be able to get is an American Tackle version which I'll probably keep a few of in stock. Otherwise it's the new finish (see update below for link) on all DPS seats as standard. I'm also on my last batch of BSVOG rings, when they are gone it'll be the new rings as standard.

Blanks are still slow in coming through, still with now clue as to what will arrive next but it does seem to be a case of my main bait rod blanks arriving before lure rod or specialist blanks. Anything involving special treatment, such as spigots on Tricksters, is pretty much on permanent hold!

Finally, I apologise for not replying to e-mails as quickly as usual. I read some business expert say this is the most time efficient way to deal with a heavy e-mail load. So that's my excuse sorted out!

Thanks again to everyone who is patiently waiting for their rods to be built. I'm making some headway but no sooner do I get some blanks in than they are assigned to the building queue meaning I still have no spare stock!

Transition Period
(6th January 2021)

The new Fuji finishes are starting to arrive. Read all about it on Lumbland.

New Year, New Changes
(25th December 2020)

It's been a while coming but Fuji have now discontinued their black and gunsmoke finishes to both rings and reel seats, and my standard BSVOG ring has gone too. This means that I will only be able to match rods built in the past while my stocks of these fittings last. Which won't be long.

The word is that the change is due to the new finish is more protective when it comes to stopping rusting, and there was some health and safety issue with the old finishes. There is probably some truth in this but it's been noticeable for a few years that when the black finish went from a semi-matt to a gloss it was more easily scratched. I wonder if the new finishes are more scratch-resistant?

The black finish is replaced with what Fuji call 'Frosted Dark-Grey, and the gunsmoke with ''Shiny Gray'. The BSVOG is replaced by the BCLSVOG which features the wraparound design already in use with the existing SiC and Alconite frames, which will remain the same but in the new finishes.

If those changes isn't enough I've been told to expect Harrison's to drop some of their older blanks next year. The carbon supply problems the industry has experienced this year being the primary driver behind this rationalisation.

All in all, if anyone is thinking of having any rods built to match existing ones, especially older carp or specialist rods, it would be wise to get them ordered sooner rather than later. Although the slow supply situation is continuing it might mean a good match will be possible.

On that cheery note it's time to thank all my customers who have outstanding rod orders with me for their patience, there really is nothing I can do to speed up the blank supply chain, and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I'm hanging up my varnish brushes until January now!

I do still have a few rods In Stock!

Covid and Christmas
(23rd November 2020)

The blank situation hasn't improved any, so I still have a backlog of orders which is growing by the day. It's looking unlikely that most will be completed before Christmas, and any placed after today will have no prospect of completion until some time in the New Year.

Blanks are arriving now and then, but I'm completely at the mercy of Harrison's as to what turns up and when. There's no guarantee blanks I ordered weeks ago will turn up before blanks ordered yesterday! 'Unusual' blanks are taking the longest, so there's a better chance of getting one of my predator rods built than something like an Avon with a spliced in quivertip.

However, I do still have a few rods In Stock!

Covid hold ups
(9th October 2020)

A short note to apologise to anyone who is waiting on their rods. I'm not in the worst situation regarding deliveries from Harrison's as I only have a back log of a couple of months, but they are struggling to keep up at the moment. Angling experienced a boom earlier this year after lockdown was eased which created a demand for tackle. Added to that there have been staff shortages due to periods of isolation.

Blanks have been coming through in dribs and drabs, but not always everything I need to complete some orders of mixed rods.

I haven't been to the factory for six months but I envisage everyone there running around like the proverbial headless chicken!

Please believe me when I say I'm as frustrated as anyone who is waiting on their rods. Thank you for your patience.

In the meantime I do have some rods In Stock!

Rods in stock added
(30th September 2020)

Beat the wait for the new pike season! Ready to fish rods added to my In Stock page.

Old articles added
(11th July 2020)

I've added a link to my articles for The Pike Pool to my Articles page. Or just click this link.

Nice Words Belatedly Updated
(10th July 2020)

I've been a bit slack at blowing my own trumpet or the last few years, but I've added some recent words of appreciation which I've received to my Nice Words page.

As much as these give me a fuzzy glow I get an even warmer glow from hearing that people have caught big fish and personal bests using my rods.

Fuji supply Update
(12th May 2020)

BSVOGs are back in stock in sizes 30 and smaller, but no 40s. So now I can fit them to anything other than BB350s and X-1s. It's madness.

RBC 19s are back too, so that's straighforward.

Fuji supply woes
(3rd May 2020)

The situation regarding the BSVOG rings which are standard on most of my rods has not improved. I am lacking one crucial size. For a limited period I will be able to fit them to BB350s but no other rods. Worse still the BMNAG Alconite rings I use are also of limited avilability so they're not a viable alternative. I think MNSG SiCs might be a possibilty, at much greater expense, as an option.

With the above in mind I am now using Seymo 247S rings as my standard - they are almost identical to the BSVOG, and offering Kigan's as an upgrade.

The Fuji RBC butt caps I fit to Axioms and specialist rods are also on long back order, so I'll be fnishing all cork butts with a nylon button. At least retrofitting an RBC butt cap isn't a big job should they ever reappear.

Ring News
(15th March 2020)

I've put a post on Lumbland which has pics and info about the new Fuji rings and some other ring news. CLICK HERE to read it.

Changes ahead
(20th February 2020)

As customers with recent or pending rod orders will know the supply of BSVOG rings has been nonexistent in some sizes since early December. While Fuji is a Japanese company, like most firms these days, it has manufacturing plants in China. Every business getting stock from China is suffering supply problems at the moment due to factory closures caused by the Coronavirus mess. This is compounding the problems. Things are not much better right now, but improvement is promised...

However, there are big changes coming to all Fuji's black framed rings. For environmental reasons (I don't know what) the current black coating is being stopped and replaced with a new finish. I'm expecting a sample of this shortly.

This means that if anyone wants a rod building to match one they already have with black framed Fuji rings it would be a good idea to get an order in now. Or certainly within the next couple of months because at some point this year I expect making a match to be difficult at best or impossible at worst. I've not determined if this also applies to reel seats, but I suspect it does.

As Fuji's gunsmoke finish is also changing (although apparently not to the naked eye) it might be safest to opt for Kigan rings if you are ordering a rod soon with the intention of having one or more matched to it in the future. Maybe also go for plain steel hoods on Fuji reel seats - just in case.

This is as much as I know right now.

Torrix addition
(29th September 2019)

Over the last two or three years I've been asked to build an increasing number of floodwater barbel rods, mostly for Trent anglers, on the 2.5lb Torrix blank. As a result I've added this to my Torrix Specialist Rods page.

Torrix rods for sale.
(15th April 2019)

I'm selling my three 11ft 2lb Torrixes as I have no plans for tench or bream fishing this spring. Details on my blog here.

Torrix rods for Predators added.
(8th April 2019)

I know that Torrix blanks are designed for c*rp fishing, but they don't know that! While I wouldn't recommend the twelve footers for predator fishing some of the shorter blanks are actually pretty useful tools. The three I prefer and my thoughts about them can be found here.

Rebuilds.
(30th March 2019)

That's it. Absolutely NO MORE REBUILDS. If it's not a DLST rod don't even ask. Sorry if that sounds blunt but I simply don't have the time to undertake this work. I will still replace broken or damaged individual rings but that's about it.

FXH now available.
(1st June 2018)

At long last I have the reel seats to allow me to turn the blanks I got ages ago into FXH lure rods. Details of this rod which was previewed at last September's PAC Convention can be found on it's dedicated page.

Blank Colours
(8th May 2017)

Painted blanks are now only available in a choice of burgundy and clear coat.

Contact Details
(30th June 2016)

As of July 1st my virgin.net e-mail address will be discontinued. If you have that in your address book please change it to my dlst.co.uk address.

Rebuild service
(23rd March 2015)

After the recent breakage of a pair of rods in transit I have reconsidered my rebuild/refurb service as no amount of insurance can replace a much loved rod that is no longer in production.

As a result I am now only willing to undertake rebuilds/refurbs on rods which I have built or on rods delivered to and collected from me in person.

I hope the reasoning for this is understood.