Does anyone know what is the lightest weight flipping stick blank. I have some problems with my wrists and would love to build myself the lightest weight flipping stick I can.

This rod would be used on 3/4 - 1.0oz bass jigs while mat crashing in the heaviest of weeds somewhere in the range of 7' - 7' 6". I wouldnt mind using tricks like cutting down longer rods.

I basically want a lightweight crane. I will be mounting a daiwa steez on it, this baitcaster weights 5.5 ozs. I wasnt kidding when I was trying to make it lightweight.

Thanks all.

-Henry

To me, I would think to look at St Croix in the SCV or SCIV, Shikari, Loomis or the new bass blanks from Rainshadow. I know the new Rainshadow bass blanks are extremely light weight, at least the one I built for drop shotting was. I know the GLX Loomis blanks are very light too. Have one guy in my bass clu that swears by Loomis.

I am kinda scared to use such high modulus blank for such a technique. Surely there are less brittle rods that are also lightweight?

The rods that can take more abuse, it is because they have a thicker wall to them, which means they are going to be slightly heavier. If you use the lightest guides, a split rear grip and such, you can keep the weight down on the overall rod. The light blanks have a thinner wall, which makes them more likely to break if the blanks gets abused. If the blank doesn't get banged up at all, then it should have no problem in breaking then. I tend to use the thicker wall blanks for a couple of guys I build rods for, because I know they do not really take care of them. I do all I can with the rest of the components to keep the rod as light as possible.

Henry;
You mite also try balancing the rod by weighting the butt section. I do this to reduce the fatigue on my wrist. I have found that most of it comes from the weight forward aspect of a flipping stick. The lightest flipping stick I have built to date and absolutely love is on an Alstar IGBM-965 blank. The only problem is that they have stopped selling to builders. If you search enough you might find someone that still has one of those blanks available. I have managed to find another but took a couple month’s to do so. I have several flipping sticks, including a Loomis and the Alstar is by far my favorite This is an 8' blank so you might be able to find some in 7-7.5' lengths or cut one down. It is one piece instead of telescoping so that it weighs less. I also have it in IGBM-966 which is a heavier action, that I can not tell there is any weight difference. That if you could find would serve you well if you wanted it just a bit stiffer.

Henry,
Might think about it from a different way. Pick the blank you like, than do your best to make it as light as possible. One way would be Titanium or Recoil guides, minimum wraps and finish, minimum reelseat and cork. Light blanks are what they are because they minimalize everything they can, and use more expensive graphite scrim instead of fiberglass scrim.
Bass angler's are tough on rods, they throw them around, stomp on them, go into a brush pile with rods strapped down and tips hanging over the side of the boat, than use their rod tip to free their jig or lure. Setting the hook on a stump or limb with a high stick added I've seen all the time. You have to pick what's most important to you and live with the results. Personally, I seen little use in a high end graphite flipping stick, I've used a Fenglass Dee Thomas rebuilt rod for many years. You have to be pretty heavy handed not to know what's going on 15 ft away from you.

Henry,
Just as Mike mentioned above look at the G. Loomis GLX. I just built one for a customer, 7' 10-17 lb. split grip with titanium guides. Extremely light set-up yet the blank has plenty of backbone. I was so impressed with the blank that I'm ordering one for myself. Pricey but not too bad if you can get it at wholesale. Randy.

I don't know what type of matts you are "crashing", but down here in South Texas, the hydrilla gets pretty thick and deep. That being said, I just built a heavy jig rod for the very same purpose you mention on a Rainshadow RX7 7' extra heavy for fishing grass 20' tall in 20'-30' of water and I personaly wouldn't use anything less. The blank was a little tip heavy, but I off-set that by using a 13" burl handle which added just enough weight to the butt to make it a pleasure to fish. If you need some thing a little lighter and not quite as stiff, you might look into the Rainshadow RX8 7'2" heavy. It is rated to 1.25oz. It is about twice the money, but almost an ounce and a half lighter. I haven't used it personaly, but if what you describe is really what you need, it might work well for you. I am just a newbie at rodbuilding, but dropping jigs in heavy grass is what I do almost exclusively for about six months out of the year. Good luck.

TJ

My opinion, the Shikari SHII FS764, 7' 6" length or FS804 8' length would be a good choice. They are available as telescoping also. The SHII material is lower modulus but it is very durable. I have a telescoping FS764 that I built for myself and I built the 764 non-telescoping for another bass guy.

Thank you all for taking the time to look and help me out, I am very new to rod building and all the suggestions help and I learned so much from this one thread.

I have compiled a list of blanks I could get the weights for online and added some comments to them let me know if im making a mistake or you see something better that comes to mind.

Seems this is the only flipping stick loomis makes right now in GLX material. Its weight is good but the blank is very expensive. Im sure its a great blank but to expensive for a site unseen purchase and a rod Im gona beat the @#$%& out of for sure.


Loomis.

FS905X GLX 7'6" 1+ 14-25 1/4-1/2 MOD-FAST 6.5 .690 3.22 HEAVY $260.00


I felt the Loomis above was probably one of the lighter blanks and the defacto standard which all rods are judged by so for the money These Batsons arent bad at all. HMMMMMMM. I have 3 of these RX7 blanks and they are great BTW. I cant understand how batson does it at these price points. Incredible!

Batson


Flipp'n Stick Rod Blank Featuring RX7 Graphite

IFS904 Matte Clear 7'6" 1 10-20lb. 3/8 - 2oz. 0.600 7.0 Moderate-Fast Medium-Heavy 3.29 oz. $67.75
IFS906 Matte Clear 7'6" 1 15-25lb. 1/2 - 3oz. 0.620 8.0 Moderate-Fast Extra-Heavy 3.52 oz. $76.87
IFT904 Matte Clear 7'6" 1 T (Tel.) 10-20lb. 1/4 - 1oz. 0.620 7.5 Moderate-Fast Medium-Heavy 3.22 oz. $80.50
IFT905 Matte Clear 7'6" 1 T (Tel.) 10-25lb. 1/4 - 1 1/2oz. 0.630 8.0 Moderate-Fast Heavy 3.29 oz. $83.00

Again how do they do it and this RX6 blank is lighter?

Flipp'n Stick Rod Blank Featuring RX6 Graphite


FT905 Clear Gloss 7'6" 1 T (Tel.) 10-25lb. 1/4 - 1 1/2oz. 0.580 6.5 Moderate-Fast Medium-Heavy 3.12 oz. $45.59


Aha! This one is right up my alley price isnt bad and have seen some people here raving about this new line. How the heck is this thing so light? Typo? It must give up something for weight. Might not be strong enough or isnt as powerful as it looks on paper for a flipping stick? I have no clue how these model numbers refer to rod technique/power or if the number has anything to do with it at all.

Rod Blank Featuring RX8+ Graphite

RX8+C865 SB 7’2” 1 12-25 lb. 3/8-1 1/4 oz. 0.580 6.5 fast H 2.52 oz. $ 180.00


St. Croix


Bah this would be a great choice but doesnt even come close to matching the color of the reel I would like to use on it.

SCV GRAPHITE CASTING ROD BLANKS (GLOSS BROWN PEARL FINISH)


5C70HF Bass/Pike EC70HF 7' 12-25lb. 3/8-1 1/2oz. 1 H FAST 0.575 7.5 112-019 2.6 9FCHTSIC CG-165 CS84 CRT85 180.00


Hmm these look good too.



The Allstars are very light but I dont know a thing about them.

All Star

* B826CX-IM10X Jigging-1 6'10 1T 3/8-3/4 12-25 Fast Med-Hvy 5.5 0.610 2 7/16 $87.00
* B827CX-IM10X Jigging-2 6'10 1T 1/2-11/2 15-30 Ex-Fast Heavy 6.0 0.610 2 1/2 $88.00
* B908CX-IM10X Flipping 7'6 1T 3/8-2 12-30 Fast Ex-Hvy 6.0 0.830 2 15/16 $95.00
B908CF-IM10X Big Flipping 7'6 1 3/8-2 12-30 Fast Ex-Hvy 6.5 0.585 3 $73.00


Very light and cheap again I dont know a thing about them.

GUSA

UR76H 7'6 M-Fast Heavy 10-25 1/4-1 1/2 5.5 .535 2.85 $69.00

So now im leaning towards the Batson RX8+ so long as batson can answer a few questions for me. Other manufacturers blanks not listed here either were to heavy or didnt list the blank weights so I eliminated them straight off. I am very overwhelmed now and still some what lost as to how the expensive blanks perform against the more inexpensive. But im pretty sure I cant go wrong with batson.

One other thing Im just curious as to what builders do when they first start out just order up blanks and if they dont fit the bill send it back?

Once again thanks all!