Has anyone had any experience building a rod from a Pacific Bay blank? Are their blanks as good a quality as G.Loomis? Within their product line do they have a blank comparable to G. Loomis GL3?

Robert,

I saw your post sitting here unanswered and thus thought I would help as much as I can. I haven't built on their blanks but have seen quite a few. They look great! Nearly anyone you speak to who has used one will tell you about what a great value they are. Great performance at a sensible price.

Pac Bay now has about 5 different blank series so it's easy to find what you want.

I know that some of the guys here have and do use them. Hang on a few hours and maybe they'll chip in.

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

I've built a number of Pac Bay rods. Fit & finish is generally excellent.
In fact, my favorite Silver Salmon rod is a PAC Bay 4 piece 9wgt converted to a spinning rod. It's got great sensitivity and backbone for excellent control.
Check out their web site (On the left) for comparable blanks. Pac Bay doesn't list modulus numbers, at least I didn't see any, so I would suggest you compare blank weight to get a close approximation. Maybe someone else has a better comparison method.............

Robert,
My first rod is a Pac Bay. It is a heavy fly rod I was going to use on Northern Pike but i moved during the season and the only fishing I have done with it this year is in the yard, but is casts great. Maybe it is because it is my first rod but I like the product. Give them a try.
For what it is worth.

Clint

I've built a number of their heaiver weight (7wt+) and longer length 10' Traditional Series (Plum Colored) fly rod blanks, some converted to spinning application but this also voids the warrenty. I have built them for a number of years and they have recently under went a change in proportion. Butt and tip dimensions have changed. Not as much overall taper, and more material in the thicker tip section. The Traditional is a their lower end series and comperable to the old (circa 1980) G-loomis IM6 blanks also plum colored and an outstanding blank with a great reputation for durability. Retail priced for approx. $50.00-$60.00. I've seen some bends in the tip section. I personally beat a old dim. 10' 8wt senseless on Salmon/Steelhead and that was one of my favorite rods and it could take a beating. I lost it to a ferrule sesure, despite lube, and they replaced it with a 7wt. As for being comperable to G-Loomis's higher grade models, GL-3 and above, I'd say it falls short, as its leans more toward the GL-2. Pac Bay makes a couple of series above the Traditional Series that may be comperable with upper end G-Loomis but they get a bit pricey and when people start to plunk that much money down they want a recognizable NAMEBRAND. Pac Bay dosen't even supply you with a "PAC BAY" label. Now the old Traditional series was advertized as IM6, 43 mill mod. but this can be some what of a misnomer, as IM6 graphite is/was known to be of a specific 39 mill mod. graphite, so you have to take the naming of the older models that bandied about the IM6 moniker with a grain of salt. Component wise it was better than IM6 label infered. The Traditional Series blanks are now made overseas (once made in the USA) possibly with supplied mandrals, and spec's, but these blanks are farmed out and about and one country could make them this year and another country the next. Overall they are strong rods, not too heavy, and hit a price point most my customers can digest, but they don't keep you in the business of building rods as your main source of income in this range.

Pacific Bay Tradition series blanks are now supplied with a 'rub on' decal in metallic gold.
The 'decal' has the Pacific Bay logo, series and, model specs. You can use all or part of it.

Andy Snedden

Robert,

I have built the Pac Bay 9' 4 wt in the tradition. I have built the 9' 3 wt Rainshadow in the IM-6 (when it was IM6 and not RX7) and matte grey. I found the action to be nearly identical on them. The 8'6" 4 wt Rainshadow in green and the 9' 4 wt pac bay also had almost identical actions. I figure that the 9' 4 wt Pac Bay and the 9' 4 wt green Rainshadow would have the same action and feel. They are essentially the same price range. My point? Go with the rainshadow.

I'll use the rainshadow and the Pac Bay blanks interchangably, but only if the customer wants a plum colored blank. Rainshadow blanks are made in the USA and have a lifetime warranty. Why would I go to a Pac Bay?

Rick Koontz
rkoontz@andrew.cmu.edu

Rick,

Although the Pacific Bay Tradition blanks are not made in the USA they carry the same transferable limited lifetime warranty as the Rainshadow blanks from Batson Enterprises (which are made in the USA).

Andy Snedden