How do you like your butts?

[daniel]

Whats everyones thoughts on fighting butts and full wells on 9' 6wt fly rods. Paul tells me about 1 in 10 HT6's are ordered this way.

I think when I throw for distance I use the butt on the back cast, tucked into the forearm below the wrist and levered over with late rotation. Apart from this i'm not sure i see any benefit on a 6wt. Maybe keep the Rimfly slightly better protected from the ground/boat??

On the same blank does it change rod action or feel? I read on one review site how someone preferred the feel of a 691 Sage X over the 690 but i'm slightly skeptical of this unless anyone here thinks the same.

Cheers
Dan

[Paul Arden]

I don’t think it makes any difference to action. I suppose the only difference is the feel of the grip in your hand. It’s good for the two reasons you mention. Incidentally we have two sizes of Full Wells cork grips - standard and giant, which might suit you.

Cheers, Paul

[George C]

For saltwater, even with a 6wt, I find a fighting butt helpful for long running fish……particularly if there is lifting involved. As for casting, an integrated butt shortens the rod length above the grip by an inch but a removable butt obviously doesn’t add any length relative to a rod without a butt. I suspect an extra inch in the stiffest section of the rod could indeed make a small but noticeable difference. As for tucking, I think a full wells grip and a bit longer fighting butt would be easier for me than the HT6 setup pictured below.

[Paul Arden]

That’s an excellent point there George, with regards to the position where the cork finishes. I will need to try a couple side by side when I next get the chance. The Full Wells handle set up in this way also “shortens” the lever slightly because it naturally puts your hand closer to the rod tip. That also has the potential to make a difference in feel as well.

I’ve never had a preference but I might form one now!

Thanks,
Paul

[Bendix]

Hi

Here in Denmark, where I’m from, it seems that most 6wts that are sold, are sold with fighting butts. People here mainly use them for Seatrout in the salt. And I think, that people prefer the butts mostly due to esthetics, and to protect the reel, when you place the rod on the ground.

The butts can also be nice when fighting a big and strong Seatrout. Personally I think the butt is nice for this situation. But the funny thing is (and this brings us back to the esthetics) that many of the Scandinavian brands that develop 6wt rods for Seatrout fishing (and have the rods made in China or Korea), seem to make the butts so tiny, that they basically can’t be used properly during a long fight… But the average Danish angler seem to find a fighting butt to be cool.

Personally I use 6wt rods for Trout and Seatrout both with and without a fighting butt. So I really don’t have a preference.

As for the casting goes, I don’t know enough about the subject, so I won’t give an opinion on that…

/Bendix

[daniel]

Yeah it may come down to aesthetics for me. On rods without fighting butts and half wells grips I prefer wooden seat inserts. With metal/carbon inserts on fighting butts and full wells.

Actually I may want to use it for light salt occasionally so fighting butt and metal seat might be the way to go.

[tomo]

Hi,
9ft 6wts are my primary rods. I can't say I have a preference. Although, the fighting butt is useful for delivering on the back cast - I find it can just help firm and straighten things up ( I can really dial up the force) which otherwise can be an awkward movement.
Cheers!