# CTS Affinity X?



## Capra (Oct 1, 2020)

I have built several of the Affinity X and I like them. It will be an unpopular statement here but the CTS blanks are significantly nicer than the NFC blanks if you ask me the finish is better the straightness is night and day. I have an 8 wt that I ordered painted but every blank since that one is in the polished finish.

Overall I like the SA Grandslam as a starting point for lines they work great on the CTS blanks.on my 7 wt that I have not spent a lot of time with I tried the Rio flats pro..... Not the biggest fan of that combo. The X is a reasonably fast blank.

Im considering ordering an M so that I can see if that action is slower say similar to a scott action...


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## brokeoff (Sep 2, 2016)

A few guys on stripersonline.com use them. Make sure stripers is spelled with one p. Might find some info there.


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## WC53 (Dec 2, 2015)

Think Herb still posts regularly at stripers and for sure at rodbuilding.org. $$ high quality blanks.


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## numbskull (Jan 30, 2019)

Tailer said:


> Curious if any of you have built or fished the Affinity X blanks? I've talked to the US rep here and he said that some people feel the X has a pretty soft tip, but looking at CTS's blank specs they grain weight range for the saltwater weight rods are all pretty heavy, for instance the 908-4 recommendation is 220-270gr and a standard 8wt line is about 210gr.
> 
> Thanks!


Hi Tailer

A 'soft tip' could easily refer to a very powerful fast action rod. Power reflects how much a rod bends, action reflects how it bends. 

You might ask CTS if their grain weight recommendation reflects the total head weight being cast or is it the AFTMA standard of just the first 30'. To confuse things further, any 8wt rod will throw way more than 270gr....particularly if that weight is distributed in a long head instead of a short one (you'd think this wouldn't matter but it does). Indeed, almost ALL 8wt lines have heads that weigh more than 210 gr. The first 30' may or may not be 210gr, but the total head will likely be closer to 300-400gr. If the line is sold as an 8wt and only has a 30' head (RIO OB for example) then the head will weigh substantially more than 210gr. Likewise, 30' shooting heads are typically 2 AFTMA sizes heavy. 

Another trap is buying blanks based on a random guy's advice. Without knowing how well he/she casts you can't make much of their opinion of a blank and how it will translate to your ability level.


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## WC53 (Dec 2, 2015)

Do they fish more sink and intermediate down under? It could explain the line weights


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

WC53 said:


> Think Herb still posts regularly at stripers and for sure at rodbuilding.org. $$ high quality blanks.


I spoke with Herb last year when I was looking for a few blanks and he was very helpful, but his (and most of the SOL crew's) use case is difficult to translate into our sight-fishing down here. I've read pretty much everything I can find about the Affinity X blanks on robduilding and stripersonline and I've found some useful tidbits.



numbskull said:


> You might ask CTS if their grain weight recommendation reflects the total head weight being cast or is it the AFTMA standard of just the first 30'.


That's a good point, I'll reach out to CTS, thanks.


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## Flies&StripesForever (10 mo ago)

I have an Affinty X 8 wt and I can tell you that it casts a Bermuda Triangle taper very well. I also use a Cortland compact intermediate in 275 grains for sight fishing stripers and blind casting the surf.


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

Appreciate the input, I have a 2 piece 10wt Affinity X blank on the way to build and test. I'll update this thread once I build it for anyone interested.


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

Just received the Affinity X blank today, great service from CTS and incredible finish quality. First impression is it feels very stiff compared to the other #10's I have here, but will have more to add once I tape some guides on.


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## Capra (Oct 1, 2020)

Did you special order it in 8'10" ....... mine is 9.0'


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

Capra said:


> Did you special order it in 8'10" ....... mine is 9.0'


Yes, custom order 8'10" 2pc un-sanded finish.


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

Updating this thread for those interested in the Affinity X. I tested it alongside a 1pc NFC #10 and my CC Pro1 #10 using a Cortland Tarpon WF10F, 14' fluorocarbon leader, and a #2 permit crab. The CTS is much faster than either the NFC or the Pro1 but the tip is fairly soft. It's ok out to about 40' though it could really use a slightly heavier head in close with a 14' leader. Past 40' it blows the doors off the other two rods. At 60' it's easy to cast and very accurate. At 80' its much more controlled than any other #10 I've fished. I was prepared to not like this blank after talking to a few folks that fished one with heavy shooting heads, I assumed it was going to be too stiff for sight fishing, but I am definitely reconsidering trying a few of the other Affinity X blanks.

If you're interested in the Affinity X I would highly recommend trying one out. Most of the feedback I've found online as well as CTS's own grain weight window recommendations suggest you need to overline this blank but I would disagree, the performance with a WF10F is excellent. It's possible that the changes made to the taper to build to 8'10" rather than 9' make a difference though. 

Affinity X is on the right.


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

I picked up a Cortland Guide WF10F line last week and tested it with the CTS Affinity X yesterday. Very pleased with the performance of the rod both up close and at distance with the Guide, even with a 16' leader. I prefer the Tropic Plus coating on the Tarpon line but the Guide at 305gr is a perfect match for this rod. Would highly recommend if you're a rod builder and you want to build on a blank that competes with the best of the factory rods.


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## WC53 (Dec 2, 2015)

Just tacking on to the CTS thread.

I was looking for a shorter 7 weight for short distances in the marsh. Talking to Herb, someone had already paid the design fee for a 7-6” 7wt in the Affinity MX. It is a very nice blank and with the shorter length and the thinness of the blank, the swing weight is amazing. I will weigh it once I find the scale (boxed somewhere in hurricane prep stuff).

It actually will cast from a 5.5 to and 8.5 very nicely and for a mod-fast it holds up well to applied power. 50 and under is effortless. Longer distances I need to get the timing right with the shorter rod.


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## Fergal (3 mo ago)

I have them from 7-10wts. They are very nice rods. I will say I think that their ratings are off by 1 line wt though, they s/b rated one higher. IMHO, you want a 9, you should buy the 8wt blank, etc. 

Definitely fast action, takes some effort to load them further down the blank though. They are light, crisp, and relatively inexpensive vs other options. Also, when it comes to blanks, not much else out there right now.


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## Goodtimes (11 mo ago)

I built a couple 8s, 9, 10 on the affinity x last year, really like them. Like any rod it takes a little bit to find the sweet spot. I paired them all with airflo Tropic punch and they all feel pretty good at midrange and at 70-80' distance. I had a casting instructor cast one of them without knowing the brand or it being a custom rod and he was really impressed by the feel and just how effortless it was too push line. I built a 11wt on a NFC gamma beta blank last year and love it. Just feels right to me, not cumbersome and good feel for a 11wt. Probably will build a few more this winter.


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

I’ve caught a mild case of the custom rod bug, and I’m considering have a CTS blank built up. Happy to find this feedback on them here. I’m deciding on which one as it might be glass (I’ve caught that bug too), but really may be an 8 or 9 wt carbon rod. With the price of the high end rods these days I feel like I can get as good of components at a better price by going custom. And I get to put personal touches on them as well.


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

Surffshr said:


> I’ve caught a mild case of the custom rod bug, and I’m considering have a CTS blank built up. Happy to find this feedback on them here. I’m deciding on which one as it might be glass (I’ve caught that bug too), but really may be an 8 or 9 wt carbon rod. With the price of the high end rods these days I feel like I can get as good of components at a better price by going custom. And I get to put personal touches on them as well.


I'm very, very happy with my 2pc 8'10" CTS Affinity X #8 and #9. I have the standard Affinity X #8 9' 4pc as well and the custom blank I had built is a little softer in the tip. Both are very well matched with a Cortland Guide WF8F.


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## RaspberryPatch (Dec 17, 2016)

I concur with the positives stated, but I found my 7wt rod needs a heavy-aggresive 8wt line.

I wish thy bring back their option to get the blank in 5pc.


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

RaspberryPatch said:


> I concur with the positives stated, but I found my 7wt rod needs a heavy-aggresive 8wt line.
> 
> I wish thy bring back their option to get the blank in 5pc.


They'll build anything you want within reason for a $130 design fee. I'd suggest contacting CTS if you're looking for something out of the ordinary because if someone else has had the same idea and already paid the fee you can get it for the same price as the standard blank.


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## RaspberryPatch (Dec 17, 2016)

@Tailer - Thank you, actually the 5 piece was a standard option (for a small fee).

As I travel for work, sometimes it is nice to include a 5 piece rod in the checked luggage. Right now, I have a 4piece 3wt from James Green (there is trout in rural Ethiopia), a Scott G 5wt 5pc and a Winston 9wt BL5. I have hope the Affinity 7wt 5pc would be the "7", but it has turned out to be a fast 8wt. Though disappointed, the Affinity turned out to be a 8wt, it is a fine bonefish rod (using a RIO Bonefish 8wt Quickshooter). At this point. and given how much more painful airline travel is, I am not sure I need another 5pc for checked luggage.


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## Snakesurf (Jun 18, 2019)

Nice job Tailer. Thanks for the comparisons. Why did you use single foot snake guides and what kind of tip top did you use?


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

Snakesurf said:


> Nice job Tailer. Thanks for the comparisons. Why did you use single foot snake guides and what kind of tip top did you use?


I use single foot runners purely out of personal preference. I think snakes probably clear knots better and might be slightly more durable but single foot runners are lighter and there's less finish on the blank. I had the opportunity to build two identical blanks last year when I started this process and I built one with snakes and one with single foots and preferred the single foot blank and I've just stuck with it. I fished GLX's for many years so they don't look out of place to me like they do to others.

I use REC Recoil tip tops. I know some folks don't like them because they're not attractive but they're very light and just like Recoil runners they will not corrode.


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