Seasons Greetings Guys,
I am still setting myself up to build my first rod and am studying like mad to enhance my prospects of success, for when i finally do get round to wrapping that rod.

So my Query is as follows, I see so many off the rack rods with butt lengths and fore grip lengths that are obviously suited to fishing styles or fish species.
I bought an off the rack G Loomis SJR 720 GL2 to fish for an Australian species called Southern Black Bream, now the handle before the reelseat is about 8-9 inches long. A lot of Aussie guys take to their rods with hack saws and shorten the butts to around 4-5inches.

Is there a formula for or a specific spot you should place a reel seat
on a spinning or casting blank?, I want to build a 7 foot rod to catch 1-3lb fish, using a line weight of 4lb (such as Berkley Fireline) to cast 1/32th-1/16th ounce jigs with soft plastic baits. I was thinking of putting the reel seat only 5 inches from the butt end, similar off the rack rods have butt lengths in excess of 8 or 9 inches.

I look forward to your responses
Regards
Geoff Roberts

That's why you're a custom rod builder: so you can have the shorter rear grip you want.

Your reel seat ID will be a little closer to the blank's butt diameter.
Your rod may tend to be a bit tip-heavy, just because the your fulcrum is aft. Do watch / reduce the weight of the guides accordingly. And you may need one more guide than a rod with the reel seat more foward. But the rest should be as usual.

Before you mount the reel seat permanently, just think about how you fish, and how your reel hangs off the rod. I don't like a rear grip that is so short that my little spinning reel is dragging in the dirt if I put the butt cap down, or rest the rod at angle. But 4 inches should be enough.

Merry Xmas & H.N.Y. -Cliff Hall-

Just a thought, sounds like a light tackle outfit, think about a Tennessee style handle, maybe 10"in length, then you can move the reel up and down the length of the cork to suit the reel and lure weight needs.