I've got an opportunity to build a rod for targeting heavy weight 50 lb plus blue and flathead catfish on the Ohio River.

The customer fishes large live and cut bait plus lead. In all he needs to be able to cast 12-16 ounces in weight. He fishes mostly out of a boat but still needs the rod to cast reasonably well. Because he needs to cast it he has asked for a rod 8 feet in length, in E-glass. No composites.

I'm thinking something in a 50 lb class, X. Heavy, Fast Action would be in order but I am unfamiliar with what kind of weight this type of blank can handle. Can a blank of this nature reasonably handle 12-16 oz? Or should I look to step up in power a little bit?

I've also found that choices diminish once beyond 7' for an e-glass blank in this range and cost goes up a little bit.

I'm looking at a Calstar 670-8. Can anybody offer any opinions on this blank given my requirements. Is there anything available with a slightly smaller price tag? Say in the $30 to $40 range - retail?

I appreciate any assistance you guys can offer.

/Scott

I would suggest M to M/H for casting distance.
X Heavy will shorten casting ability

You may want to compare the GATOR GLASS rod blanks:
(per Mud-Hole 2006, page 29)

U6-96-XH 8-ft 1-pc MOD.FAST 0.965" 10/64ths 20-50# $30.

T-80-XH 8-ft 1-pc MEDIUM 0.965" 18/64ths 20-50# $25.


with your Cal*Star "E" Glass (M-H '06, p.31):

670-8 8-ft 1-pc FAST 1.050" 9/64THS 20-50# $60.


At tip-top TUBE sizes ABOVE ~ (14-18) / 64ths inches, the selection of rod tips diminishes pretty rapidly. Make sure you can find a tube size in a style that you like before committing to the rod blank or committing to that style of tip-top.

Also, TRIMMING the rod blank (from the tip) is an option that can give you more control of things once you get the rod blank in your hand. If you go with that GATOR GLASS U6-96-XH ($30), you have a small enough rod tip and a fast enough taper that you can trim off an inch or two and start rapidly altering the action and increasing the low-end lure rating to suit your preference and customer's intent. ...

If you start with a lighter stick, you can stiffen it by trimming the tip, but there is no easy way to soften the tip action. ... Just think and test long and hard before you cut off too much. ... See [www.rodbuilding.org] for a table of "Effects of Trimming" a rod blank, to keep it straight in your head.

Good luck & Merry Christmas, -Cliff Hall+++



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2005 10:28PM by Cliff Hall.

Scott , take a look at the Rainshadow SWB blanks , I think you will find what you are looking for , weight and price range . They are on our website Fishsticks 4u.com .Click on blanks , then on Rainshadow, and then on E-glass salt water blanks . We are also on the sponsor list . I hope this helps. Robert

Robert, I'm trying to work out my sked this week so I can get up and see you some time this week. Talk to you soon.

Thanks/Scott

Regarding castability, the type of reel and the length of the expected cast will have a big effect on the rod taper to prefer and the way you configure the rod. For 12-16 oz baits, with ~ 30# line, this gets a little tricky right away.

There may be a big difference between a 20 foot cast and a 50+ foot cast for this fisherman. Is it just a lob, side-arm cast? A sort of overhead, pendulum swing on the back-swing and a lever & swing on the forward stroke? How long is the leader? Do knots have to run thru the guides? Does he use a swivel that he keeps outside the tip-top during the cast? How secure is the bait on the hook?

It is easier & cheaper for this client to keep overall rod & reel costs down with a spinning outfit. A suitable spinning reel may only cost $40 if he buys an import. But a conventional revolving spool or casting reel for this job is more likely to cost at least $75. Maybe twice that if he was willing to pay for it.

Getting the spool to move on a big reel like a Penn 113H (4/0) is a bit of a trick, and, it seems, can only be done from a standing position. And that depends on the water, the boat and the angler. If the rod is slow enough to cast like a dream, it may be too soft to get that 50+ lb catfish into the boat. ... Balance of design is tricky on this project. Talk more to the customer, if needed - so much depends on exactly how he intends to fish this rig. (It's actually a lot like some near-shore, shallow water, big bait (whole mullet) fishing for tarpon / shark in the Gulf of Mexico, as far as the rod & reel and the casting issues go. ... I'm sure Robert Tignor at "FishSticks4U" can help you put your hands on the right blank for the job, ...

IMO, -Cliff Hall+++ Merry Christmas

All, thank your for your replies. They helped me put this project in perspective.

Ultimately I gave the customer a few component & blank choices (listed below) and explained what this rod will be capable of and what it will not. The ball's in his court and I am awaiting a reply from him now.

Rainshadow SWB80XH 8' E-glass, Moderate Fast, 25-50 lb
GatorGlass U696XH 8' E-glass (unsanded), Moderate Fast, 20-50 lb
Calstar 670-8 8' E-glass, Fast Action, 20-50 lb


Thanks again!
/Scott