All the builders, I'm curious what brand rods you yourself own and fish with the most/like the best. And what do you sell/build the most of?

I have several and some of my favorites are SCV-SCIV, older All Stars, and Baston

DR

I sell the Tiger Eye blanks and I have been building on them for about four years now with excellent results. I get excellent reviews from the rod builders who buy the Tiger Eye blanks and build on them as well. Clients who buy the rods I build like the Tiger Eye blanks and the way they handle so I can't complain at all. Most of my graphite personal fishing gear is built on the Tiger Eye blanks.

Having said that, I also build on any blank specified by the client and have done so on many occasions. I've had good luck with Batson and Lamiglas blanks recently.

Joe Douglas

I used t build a lot of AllStar's and a few St. Croix's and Lamiglas', but the CTS blanks are by far the most enjoyable "fishable" blanks I own. I'd be using them exclusively even if I wasn't a distributor.


Andy Dear
Lamar Fishing Products

I like St. Croix and am a HUGE fan of CTS. Only have 2 but love them!!

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've been using more and more of the Lamiglas XMG for the walleye rods I predominantly build. I've still got my own CTS blank here; just haven't yet had time to build it up. Feels nice to my hand.

Putter
Williston, ND

G-USA for inshore and freshwater and Calstar Grafighters for big water. I will still use other blanks but if these two have what I need then that's what I go with.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/2006 07:33PM by Steve Parks.

Duane,

I use Seeker Composite's for everything up to 40 lb test, Then I use Original Sabres.

Paul Panzer

allstars / Pac-bay / Lami / Iwill be trying those CTS Blanks

Been building on alot of Rainshadow. a few Loomis,St. Croix and Matrix . These I have built for customers and used myself. That being said, I want to try a CTS Soooo BAD. I am drooling at the thought. Have to wait for the bonus check to come first. Want to try one myself first, befor trying to sell it to customers.

Right now there are personal rods in my boat & rod rack built on blanks by AmTackle (matrix), PacBay (Rainforest & TraditionII), St Croix (SCII, SCIII and SCV), Baston (RX7), Shikari (SHX), some 80s era Lamiglass & Fenwicks and probably a couple I have forgotten to mention. With so many great blanks available today, I have no desire to limit myself to just one company, or one lineup from a single company.

My most used fly rods are built on Dan Craft blanks but the spinning and casting rods I use are Lamiglas, Pac Bay, and Rainshadow. This leaves out some very good blanks but these suit my needs very well. It is hard to go wrong with todays choices if you find the blank characteristics you are looking for.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Rainshadow, almost exclusively.

All my Inshore SW rods are now build on Graphite USA's. From the 702DHX, up thorugh the 80 Mega Mag, Monster Mag, and even a few SW70MH's & H's. There are no other grahite blanks like them that I've fished with.

I am a fan of Calstar's for heavier fishing, but the GUSA Predator & Wahoo are unique blanks and pretty much indestructable.

I have several Loomis but I find myself using Batson more and more...........Don't really know why except I like the way they feel........My bigger rods seeker all the way........Yall have a nice day.

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

Rainshadow/Lami/old All Star. The Rainshadow blanks have been very good and they catch fish. I think they are the best blank for the dollar. I have replaced my St. C with Rainshadow, I like the sensitivity better.

rhr

Almost without exception, all my personal bass rods are St. Croix SCIIIs. I'm sure that there are other blanks just as good, if not better. However, I'm extremely fond of St. Croix's XF models and their crankbait models. That being said, if all my favorite SCIII models were offered in that gorgeous SCV brown, I would definitely start building those for myself.

For fly rods, I've been really impressed with Lamiglass, especially the Perigrees. Love those rods. I also have some SCIIIs, SCIVs, Rainshadows, and the old Pac Bay Plum IM6s that I like a lot, too.

Lamiglas, Seeker and Calstar

Want to GUSA for a striper/Bluefish rod.

Will build some kids rods on some Batson blanks probably.

Ernie

Dan Craft for my fly rods! Delicious!

My steelhead casting rod is on a Rainshadow.

I have a Rainshadow fly rod, as well. 2nd team to my Dan Crafts.

Keith

I am an equal opportunity type guy. Name isn't as important as the blank itself for the application.

Love Dan Craft's fly blanks and Sages OO blank (is this sold out?). Calstar's and Seekers in the grafiter/black steel models, Like the action on G-USA's, Kencor's magna-glas blanks (pulled on Zebra's but wasn't impressed for the price), Amtack Matrix, Loomis, St. Croix (although not so impressed by the UL SC-IIIs). My ultra-light stuff I like to find really thin diameter blanks that are still strong. Even Cabela's IM7 one piece blanks were pretty nice.

The only ones I don't really like anymore is the glass Calstars and Seekers. And I can't explain why. I think it's more due to the fact they are usually heavier than the graphite models and a bit thicker diameter. Andy's CTS blanks were interesting, but haven't been home to build it to see how I like it yet. I really look forward to seeing the bass blanks one day. And the only ones I wouldn't have bought again if I were to do it all over was a bunch of Lamiglas seconds that I bought off the internet, they came in strange actions for the pound test rated.

Phil

I am strictly a fly guy,but my favorite blanks are by far the Dan Craft SIG V and FT's,especially in the 4wt and up range).Absolutely nothing can touch them when it comes to performance for the buck IMHO.They can hold their own against the best high end blanks in the industry even though they are a fraction of the cost.

For small stream rods(4wt and under),I have been very impressed with both the Tiger Eye and Rainshadow RX7 blanks,as well as the Forecast brand.You can build a great little rod for very little money on these blanks.I think the shorter 6ft6 - 8ft 2-4wt(I especially love the little 4pc 7ft6 4wt) Forecasts especially are a FANTASTIC little blank for the dollar.