I will be building a spinning rod for my son and need some assistance with a blank selection. He will be using the rod almost exclusively for LM bass and primarily fishes plastic worms using 8 - 10 lbs test line. I've built several fly rods and this is my first spinning rod and any recommendations are appreciated. I'd like to keep the blank in the $60-80 dollar range. Thanks in advance.

Jim Smith

I'm not an expert in this area, but there are quite a few blanks to choose from.
St. Crois blanks rated 4-10# should work just fine, all you have to do is decide which length, and if you want an XF action. Forgive me if I give you the wrong blank model, I have I think a 3S66MLF-2 which I used for throwing unweighted 4.5" Slug Go's and I did like it. The other blank recommended to me were the 68XF & I think 63XF models, these have a true XF action, I'm told.

Another blank I picked up for someone else, and they LOVE it, is a GUSA 70MXFDHX. Problem is this blank is a bit more pricey & GUSA is in teh process of mocing right now.

I'm looking foward to seeing some of the answers you recieve.

one of my choices is Lamiglas CS78ML or M we sell them and they are cheaper than the range you have up here and they are IM6 graphite blank. very nice blank for the money
The next choice would be Rainshadow ISB782 which would still be under your budget range.

Neal's Fishing Products
www.nealsfishingtackle.com

I second the St. Croix 4-10lb models. The SCIII and SCII are both excellent, with the SCII being a great economically priced blank that has 95% of the performance of the SCIII. They are my most used spinning rods, and are versatile to go after pike and trout as well.

Mark Janeck
Custom Rods, Campbellville, Ontario

Jim,

Shikari makes a few nice spinning blanks for what your application.

I would suggest the SHX SJ602 but after having an issue with breakage I would suggest you drop down to the
SHIII which is ISJ 602. If you want a little more power then go with the 603.

You would be hard pressed to miss with the St Croix blanks that were mentioned above also......
My personal favorite is the 3or4 S66MLF or if a little more power is required the MF.

Another really good one is the GUSA DHX 70MXF.

Good Luck!


Russ

i havent built on many diffrent models but i do alot of weight less tiki sticks and i dont think you can beat a g loomis SJ782IMX blank should cost ya around $ 79 DEFINETLY WORTH THE MONEY but all the above mention blanks are great blanks too alot has to do with the builders prefrence

Lots of great suggestions for blanks. Something else to keep in mind if your son is mostly worming is to keep as much of the blank's starting sensitivity as you can - keep everything as light as possible. When I build spinning rods for hard-core bassers (is there any other type?), I usually use a 6'6" medium power/fast action "casting" (or mag taper) blank (3C66MF is a favorite for my tourney guys), NPS reel seat (or TN), split grip, no foregrip (just one shaped ring for a finished look), New Concept guide system with smallest "right-sized" guides (e.g., size 6 fly guides from the intersection out )and depending on the angler's budget, in the lightest material he/she can afford (often alconites). For these guys, there are no butt wraps or other adornmants. They like them as close to just fishing the blank as possible.

I agree that the St. Croix SCII and SCIII blanks are excellent choices. I personally use an SCIII 6'6" MF spinning rod for plastics, mainly weightless Senko-type worms, for LM bass. I have both an MF and an MXF, but prefer the MF for that application, it is plenty sensitive enough, and handles the fish better close to hand, fewer lost fish.

Another nice blank is the Lamiglas IMS 781.