14_yr_old_bass_pro Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Ok, so here's the deal. For my b-day, I'm getting all custom rapped rods for my freshwater bass arsenal. I've got my spinnerbait blank lined up, but i need recomendations for the following: 1. Drop shot blank; mostly for 4-6 pound test 2. Crank bait blank; nice moderate bend for throw Shad Raps and Speed Traps. 3. Flipping stick blank; for 20 pound. Thanks in advance and tight lines. Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 Hey 14 Y O. I have been using St Croix for all of my Custom builds for myself. Very well made blanks. I have not received one that is anything but straight. I have built on the SCV,SCIV fly), SCIII, and SCI (discontinued) blanks. The SCV is their top of the line and I would put it on the scale between an IMX and GLX blank. This is the blank I would recomend for your Dropshot and Flip blanks. For the Dropshot I would recomend the 5S70MLF (7ft) or the 5S66MLF(6.6ft). Very light, very sensitive fast tip with lots of backbone. For your Flip Stick I would go with the 5C76MHF (7.5ft) or 5C70HF (7ft). These are expensive blanks. If price is a problem I would go with the same blanks in the SCIII series. For you crankbait blank (for smaller baits) I like the 3C66MM (6.6ft med-mod) or the 3C70MM (7ft med-mod). I hope this helps you going in the right direction. Im sure others will post their favorites too. Mr B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tm Customs Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 I dont know about what brand blanks to use but I can tell you what actions are best for your purpose. 1. Drop Shot rod this may be your most expensive rod I would suggest buying the most sensitive rod you can find. A light exfast or a medlight exfast are best if you dont have a very sensitive rod you will end up missing a ton of fish and killing a buch when they swallow the hook. 2. Crankbait rod a glass rod is great for cranks medium-slow or a medlight-slow for shallow cranks go for a medlight 3. Flipping Stick a 7'6'' is the standar stick you will find in everyones boat heavy action. NOte: find the lightest possible flipping rod you will become very tired if you use a heavyer one all day. Belive me I know this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 St. Croix and Shikari have some excellent choices here 1) St. Croix Avid or LE S63MXF. The XF's make great dropshot rods. If you feel that the M power rating is a bit too high then I'd drop down to the 66 or 70 MLF Shikari P7000 or P702. Although possibly rated too high for you. 2) St. Croix's M action blanks. The 66MM in either Avid or Premier. 3) Shikari SHX graphite PFS764. Or the 804. You've got the same, plus a few more options, if you step down to their SHIII graphite. St. Croix 5C76MHF. I am not much of a glass fan. I've tried some good ones including Seeker's stuff, but they just don't do it for me. Graphite only please. Sorry this is so short but I've got to get to work. Feel free to email me if you'd like to discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celticav Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 I have a serious addiction to Berkley Series One rods but have aquired some experience with other manufacturers this year and while the Series One will always be special I am becoming all about Shikari and St Croix. I have a Shikari spinning rod, a St Croix jig stik, and the only one that I had a preconcieved opinion on and the only one that let me down: a G Loomis Obsidian that I have yet to find what fishing, lure, or condition it really shines at, it is always too long, too limber, too stiff, or so on and is getting traded soon. I love the Shikari spinning rod, it is a 7 foot medium action, I started to go with a 6 or 6'6 medium light but the the 7 footer's longer length makes the action perfect for what I need and is versatile enough to pull double duty if need be. The action is wonderful; not too stiff and not too limber. Just enough whip in it to give a solid 35% tip-65% backbone feel that gives me plenty of forgiveness but still has enough ass to get down and dirty. I don't drop-shot much. Drop-shoting is not as popular or as effective in my area, the almighty alabama rig is my finesse rig of choice but is similiar to the drop-shot and I use this rod more to alabama-rig than anything I have ever used mostly using 3/16 size heads with some 1/8 and 1/4 mixed and the same baits (at least bait sizes) and it handles all of these very satisfactiory. Go St Croix for flippin'/pitching, I never owned a St Croix before and am amazed at the performance of what has become a steady and trusted friend for me. It is a custom avid 6'6" heavy action that in ways is the opposite of the shikari's "extra length adds limberness" and probably also defies the norm for what most use for flipping...but it works great for me. The handle is long like you would expect but with the reel seat way up the reel is sitting almost 2' up making the rod seem stubby when the reel is palmed, certainly not the perfect flipping rod choice for many, but I can get a back swing when I drop the tip down that most flip-stiks can't because of their long length. It makes flipping very easy for me, plus the st croix blank to be heavy action but is surprisingly very versatile. Plus I can pitch alot more accuratly and much further than with the 7'6" telescopic that I had before...I figure I am overall around 70% better than I was before, I don't know what would work for anyone else but this rig is the best jig stick I have ever owned and I have to tell the story behind it because IMO it is a true testament to this site and the community that all of you guys have created here. The rod was given to me by a fellow TU member after my soon to be "EX-wife" absconded with all of my rods, tackle, and such...a fair trade that I would make again if I had too. Anyway the next thing I know he built and sent me the St Croix. All he would say is, "I got no use for it maybe you can use it. Its just an old beat-up rod. Its to stiff for the way I fish and has the action of a broom handle but maybe could work for catfish or stripers". The rod was exactly what I had asked him about in a conversation we had had a couple of months before in almost every detail, it was brand new and had my name on the side. He wouldn't take money or anything on trade for it, just said it was mine and that I had to get used to the fact. I have no idea what it cost to build...I don't know anything about guides, seats and such; but everything he uses except the blank is Fugi. It has: 10 alconite guides with a titanium tip with cermet ring...it has one of those funky collapsible eyes but I have never used it...anyone know what these are for :oops: , a black collapsible hook keeper and a crazy fugi reel seat called the "palm system" which is the best innovation to a fishing rod in my opinion since graphite. I have no idea what a rod like this is worth in dollars and I have probably paid him back for it twice over in custom work and in my "goody" packages but that doesn't really matter because the value of some stff in this life just can't be "payed back" with money or trade goods. I will never forget him for helping me around the beginning of this year when my rod/reel count numbered a fat zero. I am sorry to be long-winded but love a good background story and am always amazed by the levels of co-operation and help offered between us tackle-maker/fisherman that you will be hard pressed to see among the regular everyday fisherman. JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14_yr_old_bass_pro Posted June 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 Thanks alot guys. I've got my stuff pretty much narrowed down thanks to your helpful advice. I have one more question though: what blank would you guys recommend for using with a small bait caster and 8 pound for fishing soft jerkbaits and light texas rigging? Thanks. Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tm Customs Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 If you are fishing a jerkbait you want alot of hook setting power so go with a fast action fast taper m to mh 6'6''-7' you can probably find a thin blank that would be nice. I fish tons of fluke type baits 3''-6'' I like a 7' medium fast taper ex. fast action Daiwa Heartland Z Japan Model to me I have never used a better rod, no g-looims or st. croix matches there quality or sensitvity and they are the lightest rods ever and they are also pretty tough, I have 9 haven't broke one yet. Look on ebay you may be able to find one for under 200- otherwise good luck finging one for under 450- Tm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celticav Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 I have considered this question myself lately and the conclusion I have come to is that I am gonna try a long spinning blank, probably St. Croix again or Shikari SHX in the 6'6" range. I want the action to be somewhere between a medium and a medium light slow action so the road will load on the cast and lauch the bait out there and give the right "twitch" working the bait, I want it to have the spiral line guide placement or "Robert's wrap" for less torque and added stability, and a skeletal seat with split grip with no foregrip to maximize contact with blank. Oh well, someday...JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 Shikari SHX MB662, SB662, SJ663. Possibly the 7' versions of those blanks if you'd like some extra length. St. Croix 5S66MF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 I have to agree with the StCroix blank that Matt offered. The 5C66MF for casting and 5S66MF for spinning. The casting blank will be alittle more stout. Somewhat larger butt and tip. If you do plan on fishing mostly 8lb test I would stick with the Med power. Mr B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattman Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 If you like the ratings better go ahead and build that spinning blank as a baitcaster, it won't know the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celticav Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 A friend of mine built one like that a couple of years ago and I have wanted one ever since...he used an spinning blank made for inshore fishing and is amazingly versatile. Like most of us what works for me don't work for you and vise versa so I have been tuning and tweaking it for sometime now, I thought I had it all down but after using st criox and shikari I got knocked back to the drawing board, LOL. JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maze Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 You have some very good advice here. If you'd like to look up some more info. and get a few more ideas from builders, check out www.rodbuilding.org You can do a search on any topic, I would suggest you do one on each rod type. You can also post any question as long as you use your true name and a valid email address. I'm sure you'll get answers and advice. Best of luck to you!!! Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
