I was recently looking through my blank inventory trying to decide who would be my next victim, I mean project, and after limiting down the selection to a half dozen or so a thought crossed my mind. Do all blank manufactures use the same rating system when determining the line and lure weight of each and every blank? If not, how would one truely know how well the rod is going to preform prior to completion? and if so, do they actually test each and every blank and how is the test preformed?
This is more then likely a repeat question, but would really enjoy some help on the topic

Thanks in Advance,
Phillip

No they don't, and therein lies one of the great dilemas for rod builders. This is the real value of the CCS (Common Cents System) as you can apply the same measurements to all rods across the board and arrive at figures that are truly relative in nature. But, most manufacturers don't use the CCS so that won't help you here (unless you can find those rods on the SuperBob site with the CCS data).

Most manufacturers assign a line and lure rating based on what criteria they have designed the blank around. Those ratings are relative within the respective manufacturer's models, although not from maker to maker. I think that with regard to casting and spinning blanks they do a pretty good job dialing in accurate figures. They would greatly benefit from the AA component of the CCS though, since you currently have no way to tell which is the fastest or how much difference may exist between two blanks both listed as being "fast action." Just not enough resolution to be extremely helpful when you only have 3 or perhaps 5 degrees of classification (Fast, Medium/Fast, Medium, Medium/Slow, Slow).

So you're back to the same problem that all rod builders face, playing a bit of a guessing game. One great thing about the internet is that you can at least get on this or other sites and spit out the blanks you're thinking of using for a particular type of fishing and get some feedback from others who have used those same blanks. You might as well exploit that to the fullest.

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