Anyone have a suggestion for a walleye jigging blank, i'm talking big rivers, 1/2oz jigs, 8lb leader....? I know several of you are well versed in detroit river walleye fishing, and may have a more than informed suggestion. I've mostly built fly rods and steelhead spinning rods, so this area is a little foreign as far as selection.I'm lookin at a GFW 72 1M Lamiglas blank (Freshwater & Light Saltwater Spinning Rod Blank 6ft BUTT:.440 TIP:4-1/2 WT(oz.):1-1/4 LINE WT.(lbs):6-12 LURE WT.(oz.):1/4-3/4). Does that sound right to you? Anyone familiar with this blank, and maybe using it for this purpose? I don't want anything over 6'6", as its vertical jigging and shorter rods usually lead to less fatigue jigging to me, that i do know.

Sorry to throw out a question like this, but i just am sorta out of my element.

Steve Daley

Hi Steve. a lot of the walleye pro.s favor the St. croix 5 or legend elite, same blank.6'6" med fast. I have a s.c. 111 and a s.c. 5 in that configuration and they both get the job done. Lets pick Mike Barkleys brain on this one as this is his home stomping grounds. John

Steve, just came out of the fog here .you are from these parts too. John

I prefer 6' 6" but many use 6' on the Detroit River. Personal Preference is St Croix SCIII or up although I have done quite a few SCII's and can't fault them. You definatel want a fast or even extra fast "Spin Jig" blank. Vertical jigging for light biing walleye in fairly shallow 5+ mph current won't get it done with a moderate action rod.

Mike

A blank I've liked for many years and have made many walleye rods for the Columbia River on is the IMC721ML, 6 to 17 lb, mag bass type taper. I was put on this blank by Ron Boggs one of the best walleye anglers to came off the Columbia River. I use 1/2 oz Oddball jigs with one all the time. Mudhole has them on a 35% discount, so there won't be much difference in price on the higher modulus blank.

spencer I have built on mostly 6 ' blanks from Rainshadow, IC712.ML and IC722 M under 40 dollars, excellent blanks, SCIII 3S60mlf excellent, 60.00 Pac Bay Tradition series, T2SJ 721 Charcoal 2005 model, 40.00 good blank, Lamiglas GFW 721M good blank 65.00, glossy blank, all blanks under .500 butt and all in my opinion very good choices for walley blanks. Very budget minded, and good quality. Good luck

Thanks for the help fellas, i'll look into all of em and maybe make a few of em. I'm from Clinton Township, MI but the army has me down in TX right now. I'm scheduled to get back to MI in a few weeks, and i'm chomping at the bit. To this day I haven't done too much jigging in the Detroit river, but have done a lot of walleye fishing in the st. clair river whipping, drifting, casting, and some jigging; along with quite a bit of trolling for walleye in lake st. clair (along with perch fishing). If i'm not drifting a fly for trout or steelhead, i'm fishing for walleye or perch somewhere with any free time i have.

My fishing buddy's b-day is coming up and he fishes the detroit river quite a bit, so i was thinking about making a rod for him.

Once again, thanks for the advice.

Steven Daley