Chapman's 550

[Luga00]

I use mine for trotting. Works perfectly on my small stream.
~Russ

[PershoreHarrier]

I have often wondered about the action you get from a rod with a seperate handle to one with an integral handle. It has always seemed to me that a rod with a seperate handle has action that effectively ends at the junction with the handle whilst a rod with an integral handle has an action through to the button stop in theory at least.

The design of the Milwards 'versa' rods for example would suggest the action over the whole length of the rod and I think some of the rods with seperate handles had a core of an aluminium or metal tube over which the corks were then fitted.

However, I know very little about rod construction and therefore the development of the action but perhaps those with more knowledge might care to advise.

[Tweed]

Yes of course the action will be different. Didn't walker advocate a solid handle on the MkIVs too?

Anyway, I recently had a rod made (11 foot three piece), with cork on the split cane, and, as you say, it flexed right through the handle. A very flexible rod.

Many split cane fly rods are made with a swelled butt - ie a swelling above the cork to kill off the through action, thereby focussing power towards the tip.

The Chapman 500 is indeed a fine rod.

All fascinating stuff.

[Wallys-Cast]

I am not a lover of rods with flexible handles and find the 500 and 550 rods much nicer to use and easier to transport.

I owned a couple of Sharpes Carp Rods and one of the reasons I sold them was the way the handles flexed so much with a big fish on. It was so bad it made the reel rings constantly move away from the reel foot, I actually dropped one of my favourite centre pins once while playing a carp.
A lot of glass rods used aluminium tube under the cork butts too and I think it was because of this reason.

The 500 is a wonderful all-rounder of a rod and I have fitted quite a few with High Bells Life rings to aid trotting with wet line.

Wal.

[Olly]

Speaking from mostly building with glass (then c****n) and not cane the use of a very strong parallel butt (ie aluminum/duralium/thick walled glass/etc) for a handle was easier than tapering the corks internally for the cork handle. Although the use of masking tape was useful!

Many fibreglass match rods used the above including Shakespeare, Milbro and others to save costs. In fact I have seen a handle bent like a "U" when an angler was casting whilst carping! Conoflex rods if I remember correctly had parallel glass handles.

I have had c------ rods bend under the corks, one reason why a screw-winch fitting was/is used so at least it was less likely for the reel to come loose.