I have only built flyrods, so I would need some tips/thoughts

Got great help from Batson crew with blank and components.

Blank:IMU757 that I will shorten to 6’
Catsing reealseat(GTC) and guides(BUDLG). I can specify the reelseat/guides to night, don’t have the sizes here.

Now I want to make this rod something special. The range of jerkbait rods here in Sweden is quite limited, and my customer isen’t happy with what he has today, and his biggest wish is to have a great performing rod.

I want too know if spiral wrapping this rod would give it that “special” feel and performance.

Good Or bad?

Splitgrip or not?

Anything else ?


Thanks in advance / Marko

The spiral wrap makes any casting rod perform a bit better when fighting fish. Whether or not it will give it that "special" feel I have no idea. It will certainly make it different from what your customers are used to seeing and using.

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Marko,
Whether you wrap the rod using the conventional approach or spiral wrap it should not have any effect on the feel. The feel is going to be mainly a function of the rod's efficiency(stiffness/weight) which will be affected mainly by the weight that you add particularly the weight that is added toward the tip of the rod. If you use as few guides as possible, use as small and light weight guides as you can, take care in not adding any more weight than necessary with the wraps and epoxy on the wraps, that will give you the rod with the best feel.

Marko - I've built Jerkbait rods for a customer who is a tournament bass angler. His definition of performance focused on how well the rod helped him work the bait and "keep in touch" with it's action. His favorite blank is the St Croix 368MFX. He very much likes the the XF action for the line control and contact with the bait as he works it on the retrieve. He also likes no fore grip and a short split rear grip because he uses his wrist a lot to "flick" cast the bait under cover and uses his wrist to work the bait. The lighter weight helps hand fatique. Not sure if this is at all applicable to the way your customer intends to fish jerk baits, but hope it helps.

Thanks for the input!

Performanse is the main thing so a spiral wrap it will be and i will also keep down the wight on the handle.

Steve R My customer mention just that part of a shorter rear grip.

forget the frase "special"feel diden't come out right.

I have your book Tom and this site so this should be a piece of cake ;-)

Marko