I've just had a request to build a crappie rod. Perimeters are deep jigging with 1/8 oz jigs in deep timber. Must be graphite for sensitivity. Light line, (4 lb test), I'm trying to get him to go a little higher to avoid breakoffs. I've pored through all of my catalogs to find a suitable blank, but I can't find anything that has a fast tip with a beefy butt section for pulling these fish up through the wood. I've looked at salmon blanks, and fly rod blanks. I know this guy doesn't want to spend megabucks on a crappie rod, so i'm looking for some suggestions for a reasonable blank that I can build this rod on. Any suggestions?

Bob,
What lenght of rod did you have in mind?

10ft.

Bob -- May look at the IST 1201 F - Rainshadow IM6.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply Site - www.customtackle.com

Bob, what are the specs,(no pun intended),on this blank? Thanks again. Bob Vasko

Click on our link, out to the left side of this web page, up towards the top -- Custom Tackle Supply. Rainshadow blanks are listed on the left side of our home page. They are lsited under the IM6 section. Thanks - Bob

This brings me to another question. When a flyrod will be used like in the above situation how do you know what size rod to buy compared to the pound test line you will be using?

Thanks,
Steve

That are other factors that I look at when determining which fly blank to use in this type application. Not to say that we don't need to take pound test into consideration, because we do want to look at that also. We don't want a fly blank that will snap the light line, but most fly blanks up to 8 or 9 wt. blanks, flex enough that they will not snap the lower pound test, especially if the drag is suppose to slip. You need to look at where the rod will be used and an average size of the crappie. Here in Tennessee on Kentucky Lake they fish a lot of willow bushes and you need to lift the fish out of the bushes or another example of a lake near me has standing timber which requires a rod with more butt lifting power. Some folks even use up to 10 weight blanks, if they are fishing in heavy cover, such as standing timber, willow bushes, sunken brush tops or weed beads. They have a fly blank with lifting power in the butt. If you were fishing more open water, you could go on down to a 5 or 6 wt. I probably sell more 8 or 9 wt. blanks for this type fishing. Usually you can find some of the medium type action fly blanks, that have a nice soft tip, with some butt strength. I find they will handle from 4 to 10 lb. test easily, but make sure the drag does slip. I amy have not answered you question entirely, as to what fly blanks will handle certain lb. test, but maybe have shed some light of other factors that also need to be taken into consideration. We are fortunate to have lakes with nice size crappie and a larger line wieght blank is used to lift these delightful tasting critters into the boat. Can't lift those 2 and 3 pounders with a 5 wt.!!!

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

Hey Bob,
I am always looking for a good crappie blank. Is your customer planning on using this by feeling the bite? Or by watching the tip?
If feeling the bite, will customer be putting finger on the blank in front of the foregrip or are you going to use a Tennesse grip?
You got me going here, think I'll build one too!!

Buzz Butters

Buzz, I'm thinking about using the Tennesee sensor grip that Bob Mc sells. I've built several rods with these grips, and have two more planned.The last one I built for a "stone hands" customer resulted in boating an 11 lb plus walleye last weekend on Green Bay during a walleye tourny. I love these grips! Bob Vasko