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I've always offered the foam grips. You're seeing more and more on production rods because cork is so expensive.

You're not going to see this on production rods though! I'm now offering inlays in Foam grips. No added weight (other than what would already be there), totally unique, match your favorite team, your boat, etc.

Base handle color can be green, light blue, red, dark blue or black. I can do colored inlays anywhere in the handle and in any combination of 22 other colors.

Foam grips are very durable and a great option for people seeking softer handles, those who really don't care about the handle because they palm the reel, or looking for a way to have a little more money to spend on the actual rod blank or guides.

Give me a call or drop me an email/IM for more information. Have a great new year!

I have some questions? You do a bunch with rods and questions are around floatation? We all would like to just reach over and pick the rod & reel up just like you do your cap when it blows out.

Would this type handle help with floating a rod if dropped over or blown out of the boat? Those floatation things that are sold do they really work? Plus if you put one of those on the rods, does it hurt or help it float? During the hook-up on a fish would it or does it cause a problem located in front of the reel? These new rods being made with the gap on the handle, could that be filled with some form of floatation and not hurt the rod?

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Joey

Keep It Wet! Take One Make One! Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs! In God We Trust! Happy Trails To You Until we Meet Again!

Personally, I have no experience and I don't know anyone who uses a "life jacket" on a rod, so I really can't say.

Anytime you add weight to a rod, you are going to decrease sensitivity and alter performance. Also the larger the foam poured/slipped around the rod, the more in the way it's going to be.

The biggest thing with pouring some type of handle is that the bouyancy would have to be higher than the weight of the rod.

One solution is a tether. They make these for ball caps that clip from you to the hat. One from the rod to you is probably going to get in the way at some point.

Another solution is a Rod Rescue device built into the butt of the rod. Basically you remove the butt cap. Inside you have a spring loaded float, with an ample amount of string that is anchored inside the rod (use braid - thin for more line and strong), a butt cap with a hole and a water soluable cover. It's not going to be instant, but once your rod sinks to the bottom, the water soluable cover dissolves, the spring shoots the float out and when it surfaces, you grab the float and pull your rig back up to the boat. Not cheap to build, but insurance never is. It's hidden, out of the way, adds a small amount of weight in the butt (best place to add weight if you have to), and and gets your rig back. Main problem is keeping the cover from degrading on a rainy day and depending on what you use, you could be waiting a bit before the cover degrades enough that the float shoots out.

And yes this is real, I'm not making this up!