Saturday, February 10, 2018

Clutch Archipelago 7

Do you like streamer fishing? With those big things flying in the end of the line. I gave it a shot  a while back but soon figured out it's not my ting. To me, flyfishing stands for a refined and laid back approach on the water. You know! like that old lady making chi gong moves somewhere in the kingdom of the sun. I couldn't get that feeling with those big patterns and flylines in odd dark colors. But I couldn't help myself building a rod that many flyfishermen like when it comes to this kind of activity. A Clutch Archipelago!



Well! The fact this blank are made by in the US doesn't come as surprise.  Actually, the action are about the same as many US spin and jig rods. Just beef up the butt section a tad and tame the tip a notch or two and there you are. To make a long story short, I surprisingly got the hang of this fast action bullet after some time and find myself longing for bad weather and howling winds. I praised that strong backbone and soft tip when the weather conditions where at it's worst. But then with a normal size fly not a big fluffy streamer creation.


The finish of the blank where nice in plain matt carbon. It's a really light blank but yet feelt robust and the rods joint where nice and tight. The Clutch Archipelago are a great blank if you like fast action, stiff butt section and a relativ soft tip. Streamer fishing in grand rapids and big windy waters are just right. But if your seeking a sensitive tool down by the troutstreams and lakes and want a rod that produce a lot of feel and chi gong this one are probably not for you.


Blank: Clutch Archipelago, 7-weight
Handle: Supreme cork and rubbercork
Reelseat: Struble U-15HG
Guides: Fuji LNAG, H&H snakes
Thread: Prowrap, 850
Finish: Flexcoat
Rod Weight:105 g
Tipsize:1,6 mm (4.0)
Windingcheck size: 9 mm ( app. 30 cm from the butt)


Tings don't always turn out the way you want. One day fishing for big browns in fast rapids I got hooked up by a really big fish and it all ended with a broken rod and no catch. That's life!
What makes me disappointed though are the way Clutch company handled my request for a new rod piece. They promised to get me a replacement but never followed through. After a lot of mails and 6 months later I gave it up and my local dealer SNÄJK refunded the cost for the blank. Great goodwill! But as for the clutch rod company I urge customers to think twice dealing with them. At least if your outside the US.


Go for the big ones!
Pirate fishing!