Looking to build a heavy, short stand-up bent butt rod for bluefin tuna. Rod to be paired with a 50 wide Tiagra reel with about 28 to 30 lbs. of drag at strike, using 100lb battle line(braided). Anybody built a similiar rod? Any suggestions on blank, guides, or spiral wrapping. Also, has anybody seen the upper grips on the "Braid Powerplay" rods (they have grooves molded in them for your fingers.) I know you cannot purchase just the grips from Braid, so does anyone make similiar ones?
Thanks

i dont know if anybody sells those grips but i have a bunch of them laying around.here..i was going to make a seeker 6455XXH blank for that. i may go with the all american guides.

Paul; What is the I.D and Length also $$$$ if you are interested in selling any

barry shoot me a e-mail and i will look for the sizes

Go to the Allcoast web site and look at the pictures on the "spiral wrapped short stroker" post.

[www.allcoastsportfishing.com]

Ben if you aren't going to use a harness, then those Braid grips work well. If you intend to use a harness, then the forward grip is only there for looks...you never touch it. Stand-up fishing with drag pressures over 30# (and sometimes well upward of 50#) really necesitates the use of a good harness.

I actually fish one of those Braid rods (4'8" 100-130#) with the long rubber grips. I touch it every time I put the rod in the gunnel mount holder when setting out the spread and every time I take it out of the holder to go home or put it in the harness. While actually fighting a fish I'm strapped into a Braid Power Play bucket harness and never touch the grip...only the reel frame and of course the reel handle!

Jay