I am trying to determine how far up from the butt to put the reel seat on a split grip baitcasting rod that I'm building. It is a 7' popping rod for redfish and seatrout.

I seem to remember Rich Forhan saying in Charlotte that the butt should hit you in the forearm to give you the needed leverage. I think he said it shouldn't be longer than your forearm. It would seem to me that you would want the butt to hit somewhere just beyond the fattest part of the muscle on the side of your arm to get the most leverage. On my arm, that works out to be somewhere between 9 and 10 inches.

Does this sound correct? I checked out an All-Star Coastal split grip rod at Bass Pro Shops in Atlanta this weekend and it seemed too short. If I remember correctly, it only came down about 1/3 of the length of my forearm.

Thanks for the help.

-John

It's all about personal preference and what style of fishing you're gonna do. I know that wade fishermen usually want a shorter butt so they can work lures without it hitting their body, clothes, etc. You may want a longer grip for distance casting. It's up to you. 9 to 10 inches sounds like a good starting point. If you can, dry fit the seat after you install the rear portion (without the front part of the split grip) with tape arbors, and move it to where is comfortable for you. Simulate casting and aggressively working, say, a fast noisy topwater.

grab the blank and align the butt up with your elbow. the seat should mount where
you are holding it at. Adjust from there.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

It's a custom rod! Don't worry how anyone else makes it. Make it comfortable for you (or whoever you're making it for) There is NO right, wrong or better way than what works for you.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I would suggest, taking a rod that you already have. That you like the length of the rear grip section on. then build the one your working on to the same length with a piece out of the middle creating your split grip



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2006 07:05AM by Steve Gardner.

Length is up to you and what you like. I rarely go past my elbow, and a few inches short of my elbow is common.


....................

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Mike is right -- it is a *custom* rod and more importantly, it's my custom rod. Raymond and Ted also had some very good suggestions on how to find the correct length for me.

Again, thanks.

-John

John,
I would not go longer than 10 inches on a 7 foot rod. If I am going to use the rod as a popping rod, live bait under a popping cork, I prefer a 10 inch handle. However, for working lures, I prefer a shorter handle. I am building a rod now for use with soft plastics and the handle is 8 1/2 inches long. It is not a split handle because personally I don't like them on my casting rods. I did do the trial and error thing by placing cork handles of different lengths on the rod, the reel seat, reel, and taping guides on the blank.
This way I could tell where the rod will better balance out. I have several old cork grips of various lengths that I use for this purpose.

I wish we would get away from calling every inshore rod a popping rod. I certainly don't pop MirroLures, Corkies, Johnson Sprites, etc.

Rich Forhan stated at the show that when he builds a 7' rod he makes the handle 9" long. As stated in all other replies do what feels right to you.

8.5" to 10" is a good, sensible range. Anything more than that, and you hit yourself with the rod butt all the time. Anything less than that, and you end up with an incredibly tip-heavy rod and a very sore wrist. My 6'6" rods are 9" from butt to reel seat. My 7' rods are 9.5" from butt to reel seat.

Whatever you choose, you'll adjust to it fine. While there's something to be said for finding the "perfect" length for you, I think we focus on it a little too much. I guess what I'm saying is do your best to figure out the right length, then go with it and don't second-guess yourself. It'll be great.

I would mount the intended reel(s) on the seat and slide it up and down the butt of the blank to look for a good balance spot first, then figure out what to do from there. The reel has much more influence on balance than does the weight of the components, especially on a split grip. I don't build a lot of spinning rods, but thats usually the approach I take.

Ray Vinzant
Juneau, AK