Also known as "specks". Ok, Ive bought and built a few rods and here are my findings. I primarily throw 1/8-3/8 lead heads and norton bull minnows, 3/8-1/2 oz topwaters and 1/6-3/8 spoons. Oh, and I also bought the cheapest rods to find out if there was something that would work and not cost alot. This is also just my opinion. First off:

Cascade HS9000C This rod is stiff as a 2x4. Power is right, but if I'm in the 1/4-3/8 range it is just too stiff.

Cascade ISB841 Broke the tip swinging a 17" trout into the boat. I've only done that before with larger reds. It was a little looser than the HS9000C at the tip, but still a little too stiff to my liking.

Gloomis P841GL2 I like this rod. Good power and a tip loose enough to accurately throw those 1/16oz gold spoons at the reds. More $ than the others, but worth it.

Seeker SBS701 The biggest suprise of all. E-glass is a product I'm not used to, but soon that could change. Heavier than the others, but not too bad, and a large butt section. It is by far the most limber, aiding in the casting of lightweight lures. I was skeptical of the power being so limber, but after landing a few 23-28" reds, my skepticism was gone. Who would've thunk?

Lamigas CS84-ML Not bad. Stiffer than the above mentioned loomis, but not by much. At $30, nobody should have an off the shelf rod. I didn't catch many when I went with this rod so that is all I can say.

So the journey for inexpensive but good rods continues. What do you guys recommend from Graphite USA or St. Croix? I'm hooked on this!

Robert,
I know just what you are looking for. All of my salt spin rods are 3 piece as I have to travel with them to fish the brine. I have a St. Croix Tidemaster medium and found it to be a little too stiff for the light lures. Just this last week I took a Tidemaster 3 pc (7 ft medium light power, moderate action) to FLA for some inshore wade fishing.
This is THE rod for small lures/live bait for inshore fishing. I could cast a shrimp and small split shot way into the mangroves. I could rocket small to 2 1/2" spoons out on the flats into a headwind.

And in a pinch I used this rod to cast a large stick bait to "walk the dog" It casts the small to medium sized lures just fine. It also set the hook and had enough guts to bring to hand a number of reds, snook and small sharks in the 22 to 28 inch range. I would have like to have caught some trout but they were scrace where I was (red tide just left). This blank is rated for a lure range of 1/8 to 1/2 ounces.

The three piece blank retails for $80.00. The one piece in same power and action retails for $50.00. I would send you mine to try out but my fishing partner liked it so much he bought it from me and then wouldn't let me use it the rest of the trip. Rest assured I will be building myself another soon.

Good luck,

Buzz Butters

I build a lot of the Rainshadow popping blanks for inshore trout and red rods. The mag bass blanks also make good inshore blanks if you want a little more backbone.

Nathan

Thanks. I'm going to check out that St. Croix. Nathan, I'm under the impression that these Cascades are Rainshadow.

Yeah, the Cascade Composites blanks are pretty much the old Rainshadow blanks. The finish on the new ones are better. Try the Rainshadow IP843. If you like fishing light then the IP842 may be more your style. I have an IP842 built with a Quantum Kinetic 20 spinner and 10# power pro that is my favorite combo. Going to put 8# power pro on it next time I have to respool. It would would perfect with 6-8# mono as well though.

Nathan

The two Cascades that I bought both have lighter ratings than the rods you mention. Is the material on the IP blanks different?

The popping blanks have a lighter tip than the ISB blanks. I fish my IP842 twice a week for trout and never have a problem tearing fish off. I use it throwing a lot of soft jerkbaits with no weight, or 1/16oz. jigs and grub tails with no problem. I don't know where you are looking but the published weight rating on the IP842(6-12) is the same as the ISB841(6-12) you mentioned and is much lighter than the HS9000(8-17). It is made out of the RX7 graphite, which I believe is the same graphite that the two you bought were made out of.

Nathan

If it were me, I'd build 2 rods. One (popping) for the lighter baits and then build the 2nd for working the heavier top water and spoons.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

Robert,
CTS makes the finest popping blanks.... period. I have fished every brand of popping blank over the last 20 years on the Texas coast, with Live Bait, Jerkworms, Shrimptails, Spoons, Spooks, Corkys, just about every artifical bait there is, and the CTS is the best. I ain't just saying that because I am distributor either. The brands you mention are all good rods, I know as I won quite a few of them, but the CTS is really something special. Next year I'll be working on a dedicated of technique specific popping rods for CTS as well.
The CTS blanks are not cheap, but they are truly a standout amongst the clones.


Andy Dear
Lamar Mfg.
210-845-7456

They come in some great colors also!

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

Hey Nathan, I certainly wasn't doubting your advice. The rating I was going by was action and power, not line wt. I thank you and welcome your opinion. And yeah, the tip is where my concern is. It is confusing to me that manufacturers would list a rod as light and fast and yet that rod would have less action than one of their rods that is med/lt-mod/fast. Doug, I think I got the second rods covered with this last build, but am still looking for the ultimate light rods. And Andy, I've been reading your CTS posts. You know we had this cold front come through and I would expect that boat traffic on the bays this weekend will be extreme, however Monday and Tuesday the wind is going to lay down again. I don't have a boat available to me right now, but sure would like to go. How bout I pay for gas and you give me a demo on one of those. LOL (serious too though!)

Andy, do you have a showroom or stock those things over there in Pipe Creek? I'm in San Antone from time to time.

Mr. Dear - I just looked on the CTS site for a listing of popping rods. I could find nothing rated for bait weight 1/4 to 5/8 oz or anything in that range. All the blanks I see are rated 12 to 15 # line and weights a great deal heavier. I do not use any jig heads that weigh 2 1/4 oz when I am fishing trout. Which blanks are you referring to?

Which popping rods in the CTS line compare to the Rainshadow IP842, 843 and 844 or the Lamiglas 843 and 844 poppin rods. As far as breaking them when swinging fish into the boat - I just watched a local fisherman on TV swing some trout into a boat on a TV show and he slid his hand way up on the blank before he made his motion - he was using about the top two feet of the blank when guess what - his rod broke!!! Moral of this story use a net or catch smaller fish!

Gon

Bill,
The CTS Line/Lure ratings are not accurately represented for many of their blanks in the inshore series. I am re-working the entire inshore baitcast and spinning catolog for Stephen so that the line ratings and lure ratings are in a more even ratio.

The blanks you need to be looking at are the inshore baitcast in the fast and extra fast tapers, as well as the spinning series in the fast and extra fast tapers. Take a look at my website as many of the blanks ratings are already revised. Look under the heading of "current inventory" at the bottom of the rod blanks page.
The blanks are awesome! I will tell you though that they are not a traditional popping rod action, which is somewhat more moderate than fast. These blank are more "hotshot" like in that they are quite fast.....light tip with a hinged lock-up point about 20" from the tip. Casts a 1/4oz spoon like a friggin' bullett, and weighs next to nothin'

I'll have a CTS fully built in Charlotte for all you to ooogle over.

Robert,
I'd be happy to pole you around the flats anytime. I already have a client coming in to fish for Bass this coming Monday, and another next monday to flyfish for Redfish in Port Aransas. Where are you located at? Yes, I have a 300 square foot shop with currently over 1000 blanks, many of which are CTS. Youre welcome to stop by anytime....I'll even buy you lunch.

Bring a rod, as I live 1 mile from the Medina river as well.


Andy

"I'd be happy to pole you around the flats anytime" I say, thats a good one I'll remember. I'm in Cypress, just outside of Houston. I lived in Bay City for a few years, so I fish Matagorda quite a bit. Bill, you're right, a net is a good idea. One thing I always say though is the only thing they are good for catching is lures! I had the rod by the butt and foregrip when I swung that fish though. I broke an All-Star right after setting the hook on a jack in the surf awhile back, I'm not saying either were poor quality, it just happened.

Bill,
You asked "Which popping rods in the CTS line **COMPARE** to the Rainshadow IP842, 843 and 844 or the Lamiglas 843 and 844 poppin rods."

Well, let's see...the popping rod blanks that everyone is currently making are based on the same designs that have been around for many years. Most of which were pironeered by anglers along the Gulf Coast over 40 years ago. For the most part they are in my opinion, they are subtle variations on a basic theme, and are not all that distinguishable from one another. Most are characterized by a mod/fast action, and no real distinct lock-up point.
About 10 or so years ago, there were a lot of guys (me included) who grew very fond of the Loomis HS9000 HotShot rod for a light salt application. However to this day, the HotShot taper goes extremely underutilized as a light tackle inshore blank. Many people aren't even aware that they exist because they are marketed as a Salmon/Steelhead blank. Some folks don't care for the added length of a HotShot as the shortest they were made in was the 7'6" config, but those who have used one usually NEVER go back to a Poppin' rod.
Let me tell you this. I took about 40 HotShot blanks to Charlotte with me last year from 7'6" to 8'6". I sold most of them the first day to guys looking for light surf blanks to throw spoons. jerkbaits etc....most of whom didn't know a HotShot from a slingshot. BUT, those who purchased called me back within a week and purchased everything I had left....they liked them that much. One guy got three blanks at the show, and later ordered 10 more.
As Gary Loomis once told me. "Yeah...the HS9000...that is a neat blank aint it?"

Neat aint the word for it Gary.

Robert, you said the Cascade/RainShadow HS9000 is stiff is a 2x4. If this is the case then it's not the original Loomis inspired HS9000 HotShot action everyone has grown to love. A true HotShot is characterized by a light tip, and a stiff mid and butt, not unified stiffness throughout the length of the blank...a la a 2x4.
Well, when I spoke with Stephen at CTS initially we discussed the idea of a 6'6" and 7' HotShot blanks, which is what the CTS rod philosophy is sort of based around anyway. Powerful butts, and mids with light tips. They are simply superior light tackle lure rods for the salt, unless you just like the traditional moderate popping moderate action.
I am in the process of designing some technique specific rods for the Gulf Coast anglers. AllStar did some of this in their now defunct blank lineup with the Shrimptail Special, Tops & Tails, and Craoker Special and I'd like to take this to the next level, by utilizing CTS unique construction process. I don't want to let on anymore, but suffice it to say they are going to raise some eyebrows, and hopefully raise the bar a little bit, if not a lot.

So, long answer to your original question Billy Boy Stevens.....THERE AINT NO COMPARISON!


Andy

You hit the nail on the head. I own a Loomis greenwater9000c Loomis built rod (7'6" you guessed it). Actually, that purchase is partly what started my rod building hobby, and inspired my purchase of the HS9000. I did not know Loomis pioneered this HotShot thing, nor do I even know what HotShot is. I also don't know that is what Cascade or whatever (not saying anything bad) was trying to do. I do know however that the HS9000 doesn't even resemble my Loomis in terms of performance for this type of fishing and my personal style of fishing. With AllStar I found the Croaker Specials to be alright, but a little too stiff. I did use it though, and this is the one I speak of breaking. The shrimptail special (PRL) was more of my kind of rod. It, however, lacked backbone. Just my opinion.

One more thing, that Seeker most resembles the action on my Loomis "HotShot" although it has a lighter rating and is lighter. I'm wondering what the heavier rating Seeker feels like. They're E-glass though, and a little bulky. Sounds like you know what I'm after as have a few others here, next stop CTS.

If you're looking for a ShrimpTail Special with more backbone.....I've got your rod.


Andy

FYI,
The AllStar PRL, PRM and Croaker Special, are still the old traditional popping rod action. More mod/fast than fast, and not all that different from my dads fiberglass Berkley TriSport and Jet-Sport made in the late 60's/early 70's. Of course that's not necessarily a bad thing. It goes to show that if it ain't broke don't fix it.....a good design is timeless!
Does anyone know who had the first dedicated popping rod or blank? I have read that Silaflex had a 7' popping action back in the 1950's, but I don't know that to be true.


Andy Dear