Well I finally talked my ol' fishin' buddy from down south to come up here to AK this spring to head out to the Situk River for some world-class steelheading (so he can see what he's missing). I also have him convinced that I need to build him a new rod, as his current one is an ugly stick. Anyway, he is convinced that he wants a short rod spinning rod, say under 8 feet, for somewhere around 8-12 lb line. All the steelhead/salmon rods I have used are at the minimum length of 8'6'' and I cant remember any steelhead specific blanks being much shorter. For some reason he is convinced that the short rod will be more sensitive. He has also said in the past that he wanted a one piece rod for added sensitivity too......I know he has no idea what he's talking about, and even less of an idea about what makes a quality blank....but he's my best fishin' buddy (which are hard to come by), so I want to build something he likes, or rather, custom built for him....

So I was just hoping some of you guys might have some suggestions on a suitable blank. Maybe like a bass blank?? I only build flyrods for myself, so I don't know a whole lot about spinning blanks.

Thanks in advance,
Ray Vinzant
Juneau



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2005 10:10PM by Tom Kirkman.

Ray,
I think that if he wants a rod that he will be casting as opposed to some sort of boat rod I would consider some of the popping blanks. I build quite a few 1 piece Salmon and Steelhead rods out of both Lamiglas and Rainshadow popping blanks. For a rod for 8 to 12 lb. I would look at the IP or GP963s, for 10 to 20 lb. I would look at the IP or GP964s.

Hi Ray,

That's a great trip. I sure wish I were going! As an Ugly Stick officionado, your friend just might not be an authority on what makes a rod sensitive. Hehe. If you can get away with it, a one piece rod will be a little more sensitive and better at fighting fish, in many cases. (Keep in mind he is moving up from an Ugly Stick- my windshield wiper probably has more sensitivity!) You'll have to be very aware of traveling rod length though. Commercial airline to the Situk, then the type of fishing you're doing. Will you be wading or powered boat, or personal watercraft? For the former, a one piece works fine.. you don't have much call to break the rod down. If you are rowing a one man cataraft though, its mandatory that the rod be broken down into a two piece tube any time you are rowing. When approaching a sweeper or log jam, its hard enough pointing the raft through it, without worrying if a long rod is going to grab something and break or be lost. The guys I know that fish the Situk a lot (with fly gear) use a 14# stren Fluorocarbon line, run straight into the backing. They dont' use a fly line anymore- straight mono. I'd look for a blank in the 6-12, 8-14# range. Your average fish is around 10 lbs, with fish over 20# not uncommon. In Loomis blanks, the SJ783-2 is a 2 piece, fast action with med-heavy power, 6-6" comes in a one piece version as well. The S 843-2 GL3 is 7'0, rated 4-10#. Any of those rods should do well there. Another to consider is the HS9000 IMX (one piece) or HS9000-2 GL3 (2 piece). These are both 7'6" rods, with great tip feel and power. St. Croix also has a lot of great blanks for that river, I just have to run.. can't grab my catalog at the moment.

Take Care!
Steve Runyan

Ray,
I think the blank you might be looking for is the Lamiglas Model Number "GSH902MT" this is a two piece blank but is also available in a one piece model number "GSH901MT"
They are both 7'6" rated 6-15 lb.

Todd Vivian

Ray,
Steve and Todd's suggestions will make some fine steelhead rods for the Situk, also when he goes back south the will make fine walleye rigging rods and redfish/speck rods. The G Loomis HS 9000 is light tipped enough to be fun on trout and dollies also, and super sensitive. Loomis lists it in the steelhead/salmon and Greenwater sections of their rod catalog. I own the 3 piece HSR9000S in GLX and I wouldn't pack to go anywhere without it.

Ray,
You have gotten a couple of good suggestions from a couple of knowledgable people. Particularly if your buddy likes very fast action rods. However, from what you said about what he has been using and likes it does not sound like that is the case. The suggestions from Steve are all either bass rods or Hot Shots rods all of which have very fast actions, or high action angles, particularly a hot shot blank like the HS9000. They have very light tips and powerful butts. Todds suggestion is also a pretty fast action blank. If you are going to be fishing from a boat, pulling plugs they will work great. However, if you are going to be casting, particularly if you will be doing some drift fishing, I do not care for any of them. I think that you will be better off with a more moderate action rod that casts better. As far as the Loomis GLX Hot Shot rod is concerned I have no idea why Loomis would even build a Hot Shot rod in the high modulus graphite GLX. A high modulus boat rod especially a very fast action boat rod makes no sense to me at all. It seems to me that a GLX Hot Shot rod is just a very expensive break waiting to happen. A high modulus blank has lower toughness and a fast action blank is also more suseptable to being broken because all of the strain is focused into a smaller portion of the blank.
I am like your friend and prefer one piece rods but the points made above about getting an 8 foot one piece rod to Alaska and back on the air lines and not being able to take it down when things get tight in the boat are good points. The primary reason two or more piece blanks are made is due to the problems with transporting a one piece rod.

Thank you all for the suggestions and information!

The rod will be used for bank fishing only, so should I try to find a moderate action blank, or one in a lower modulus? Makes sense to me. He'll be using it for the same thing down in SW WA when he gets back. I really don't know much about spinning blanks. Maybe like a Forcast or RX7 popping rod or similar? (I really have no idea what the action would be w/o a catalog infront of me). I really don't think he knows the difference between a fast blank and a hole in the ground to be honest. He just has his mind set on a shorter rod....thats all. Also, whether he likes it or not, it is going to be at least two pieces if I build it because I don't want to deal with shipping an oversized rod.

The Situk, for those who don't know, hosts the largest run of steelhead in Alaska (usually around 8-10 thousand), and is what I would consider, basically, a creek. This is the kind of place that you sneak up to a hole and can see 50+ ironheads lurking in the shadows. Spinning tackle is usually very light....as light as you can get away with. I've only fished the river w/ a flyrod, and usually glo-bugs and fry patterns are the most productive, which is why many folks w/ spinning rods use them.

As for the mono as flyline, I personally prefer using cheap running line as a flyline on the Situk. I think its much easier to cast, and if, or rather when, you hook into a real monster that runs you into a logjam it won't cost you $60 (which has happened to me before).

Thanks again,
Ray

Hi Ray,

Feel free to email me about your trip. I work at a fly/tackle shop in Wasilla, one of my coworkers has been to the Situk 8 or 10 times, and we see a steady stream of guys heading to and returning from there. In response to Putter, you definitely have an advantage in a slower action rod, with conditions. Limiting you is the length of rod requested. A more moderate rod can use lighter line and not break as easily on the hookset, because it takes less force to bend, better shock absorption. For steelhead, you need some extra length though, because a short, slow-moderate action rod doesnt' set the hook very well. The fast action sets the hook better. As for the difference in GL3 and IMX, I prefer a GL3 for rough use, as it is a "tougher" graphite. Your limiting factor is blank availability. Loomis makes few 2 piece blanks, and many of the ones they do are only offered in one graphite or the other. Casting on the Situk isn't an issue.. like you said, its a creek. Consider using fireline or 30# powerpro as a main line, with a fluorocarbon leader. This will let you use heavier line and still be able to cast light gear. 30# so your diameter is up= a little easier to work with than a 10-20# spectra.

Tight LInes,.
Steve