Looking to build my first stand-up tuna rod around a 50-80lb blank.

I am thinking of either Aftco or Stuart roller guides. Any recommendations? How do you size the guides? I was figuring a 2-roller stripper and then progressively smaller guides to the ttop.

Does anyone have a recommendation for grip/seat? I was thinking an Unibutt was overkill and was thinking of an anodized seat, foam fore and rear grips and an anodized gimbal. If so, how do people shim the seat to fit the blank? I would imagine that you want a bulletproof bond there.

Any tips appreciated.

Joe.

RodMaker Volume 5 #6 had a very in-depth article on all facets of stand-up rod design and construction. I certainly couldn't go into that much detail here.

I will say that before you decide on a butt style and type, spend time considering the type and height fighting harness you'll be using so you can make a good decision as to how long the butt needs to be. If the rod doesn't fit the fighting harness or the angler using it, it will be a real pain to use. This is extremely important in stand-up fishing.

.......

I think I would opt for Hypolon rear and fore grips and ceramic guides. I would also spiral wrap the guides. If you really want the roller guides use the @#$%& Acid Roller Guides. You need to decide if you intend to use the rod on the rail (West Coast style) also. If you do you may want a little longer fore grip. As Tom stated the fit when you are using a harness is important so you need to have that to set the rod up properly. Any of the anodized reel seats and gimbals are fine ie: Channel lock, Aftco, Perfection, PacBay etc. You just want the heavy Salt water set.

I use fiberglass drywall tape to shim the seat to the blank. Just be sure to prep the inside of the reel seat as well as the outside of the blank.

I too will be building my first stand up rods soon..

I love the aftco Unibutt as I do troll and at strike I had problems getting EVA and Hypolon out of the rod holders. I am concerned that I have the cut the blank so much to fit the Unibutt..

I will be making two rods one with a Hypolon and the other with a Unibutt. The one I don't like I will give to one of my buddies...

Ernie

I would use a unibutt or slickbutt for ease of removal from a rod holder, esp. when hooked up with a fish fish. Also, hypalon or eva tend to deform from the hours the rod spends in the rod holder - eva is the worst for this. For foregrips both are ok, but I side with the hypalon because of its toughness.

The Aftco UB-2 is a nice butt for a 50-80lb class blank.

Then there is the ease of building - a unibutt simplifies the build greatly - all you have to worry about is bonding the ferrule onto the blank, align it, and you're done with the butt end.

Finally, on my personal 50lb class trolling rods I stopped using rollers a long time ago. I went with standard fuji boat guides (LRLG type), avoiding the tri-legged BRHG type - they are a pain to wrap. From the standpoint of functionality, simplicity, and ease of mainteance, the setups work very well for me. Never more do I have to worry about maintenance or knot clearance.

Of course I still build them with rollers for anyone who wants them built that way. I like the clearance regular All American rollers provide, and though I have never built a spiral roller rod, their @#$%& Spiral Rollers also have a very large knot clearance.

Lou

A word of caution on the @#$%& rollers: 80lb spectra can and will enter the tip-top between the roller and the side of the guide. The roller then pinches the line tight enough to lock up the line. Happened to me twice three weeks ago, fortunately, not when I was fighting a fish.

I like the slickbutts for 80lb rods and under. The are designed to come out of the rod holder well, are over $100 cheaper than the Unibutts and are easy to install. The part that he left out on installing the Unibutt is having to measure and cut the blank, then install the ferrel. I find installing a slickbutt easier.

Steve, Where are you buying your unibutts? Retail they sell for 60-70 dollars for 50lb and below. Jesse

This is straight off one of the sponsor's sites. Aftco UB2:

UB2 Regular/Curved - 30-50 lbs.
Weight - 25 oz.
Length - 26.76"
Ferrule I.D. - .875"
Ferrule O.D. - .970"
Silver - $127.59
Black/Black & Gold - $135.49

If you got the $ definatly use Winthrop Tool guides. These things are amazing. 2 ball bearings in each roller, 4 in the stripper. Come in black, gold, platinum and titanium. They look great and are the best on the market, retail for about 300 a set though. I am going to use them on my heavy standup rods soon. I would also suggest a UB2 unibutt also. go to www.winthroptool.com to check out the guides. they sell them at Mudhole.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/2005 08:22AM by Tom Kirkman.

Those prices are for the curved Unibutt. The price for the straight Unibutt is listed as $68.85 for the silver, $73.14 for black or black/gold.

UB2 Regular/Straight - 30-50 lbs.
Weight - 16 oz.
Length - 19.76"
Ferrule I.D. - .875"
Ferrule O.D. - .970"
Silver - $68.85
Black/Black & Gold - $73.14

Ed

Steve Purcell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is straight off one of the sponsor's sites.
> Aftco UB2:
>
> UB2 Regular/Curved - 30-50 lbs.
> Weight - 25 oz.
> Length - 26.76"
> Ferrule I.D. - .875"
> Ferrule O.D. - .970"
> Silver - $127.59
> Black/Black & Gold - $135.49
>
>

When joining blank to the ferrule. Does the ferrule fit inside the blank or the blank inside the ferrule? Or doesn't matter which?

Might be dumb question, but I've never built a rod with a unibut.

Also what are the advantages of a unibut over a slickbut? The slick but might be a bit more work, but even with gimble and reel seat works out cheaper.

Thanks

Andy



Cheers

Andy Woodford