I'm about to build a couple of wireline trolling poles. Use will be primarily umbrella rigs in 25-60 feet of water for striped bass (10-50 lb. fish), 40Lb. Monel. Someone suggested a Seeker IGFA 20. I plan on using an Aftco Unibutt, total length about 6' 8". Any other ideas for blanks? Guides possibly, Fuji Nitride II, Perfection Carbaloy? Any others that people like or suggestions?
Thanks for any advice......I've built quite a few poles, but nothing like these.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2005 05:49PM by Jim Pizzale.

For the rod blank, depending on the typical size of the bluefish or bass etc he plans on catching, the rod's line rating should probably be more like 25-40#, or 30-50# than a mere 20# rod. An umbrella rig, run on wire has a LOT of resistance before the first bluefish jumps on board. And if you get 10#s of bluefish hooked up, a rod that's too soft will fold. Usually the boat is still running during the fight, to keep the rig from snagging the bottom, or to keep your even spacing in the conga line of boats dragging thru the same school of blues or bass.

Pick a heavier rod blank. Carbaloy / Carbide guides are good, but generally no less expensive than Hardloys BLRLG. Either are about the same, price and performance wise, IMO. Remember that the Cabaloys came along when all guide rings were chromed wire, which fell to grooving under the pressure of the Monel wire. That indeed was an improvement. BUT, nowadays, any Aluminum Oxide ceramic ring (Hardloy, Alconite) is harder than the Monel wire by far, so that concern of the wire grooving the ceramic is not necessary.

-Cliff Hall+++, Gainesville, FL-USA
(former fisher in NYC and on NYC party boats. If this rig is gonna drag near the Verazanno Bridge, like Norton's Point, and then the underwater city gorrillas are expected. 8#ers are the small fish over there, so a heavier rod and guides are better, IMO. A snagged rig is expen$$ive. And in such shallow water as 25 feet, you DEFINITELY want a heavier rod to yank that umbrella rig up if it catches some bottom weeds or shake off some tidal lechuga [lettuce, salad, weeds]).

Entering the Vivona-Zona over here.
What say ye, BV40? Or Capt. Neil Faulkner? ...

The Lami BT857S is a nice wire line rod, but might be a tad meek for large umbrellas. Lami discountinued a BT859S??(something like that) that alot of "umbrella trollers" loved....if you can find one.

Nitride II's are a good choice...I don't trust the welds on the carbaloys. I saw a rod that got severely abused by the owner(commercial wireliner), and the Nitrides still looked good as new.

I just finished a Lami CGBT 964 M with BHNNG guides..BHNNT tip..we used the 12" slick butt,.

I also like the Lami BT857S, a bit light in the tip ( #14) , but this blank works great with Bunker Spoons.
Any 7' Boat or Trolling Blank with a #14 or better tip will work for Rigs. The rods I build have Braced Carbide guides and a carbide tip, The smallest guide I use is a #14, this way most swivles will get through with no problems. If you used braced guides, this lessens the possibilities of the weld breaking. I usually use Pac Bay guides but Perfections also work well. Only had a few welds let go and they were unbraced guides.

Tight Lines

Rich

THE LAMIGLAS BT857S WORK WELL ON WIRE. THE CGBT841MH IN THE TRI-FLEX LINE MAKES A NICE ROD WITH THE SIC II GUIDES. BUT MAY BE A LITTLE TOO FRAGILE FOR THE LESS EXPEIRIENCED. FOR ONE ON A BUDGET PAC BAY MAKES AN INEXPENSIVE WIRE WORKHORSE IN THE WT70.