I want to build a spinning rod for throwing small jigs, 1/8oz, as far as possible.

I think a long rod and GsP line is the way to go, perhaps as long as 9 foot, matched with a 2500 sized reel with a good drag.

Can anyone recommend a suitable blank?

Should I use a fly rod blank? A 4 piece would be an advantage for ease of travel.

What about guides, fuji concept?

This rod would be used in the salt for species like bonefish so I need some strength in the butt section.

Don't use the fly rod blank as it's too slow to be a casting rocket, though it's sweet for tossing stuff out close in the suds.

I did something like this with a Forecast SH1084 and a Shimano Sahara 2000 a couple of years ago and I love it. If you want the fastest, and I assume farthest casting, thing possible, look at the Rainshadow RX8 line of steelhead rods. I would also set it up NC using BYAG/YSG/TYSG 20, 12, then running guides on out.

Thanks Marty, but don't I need a slower blank to toss 1/8 oz jigs?

No, you want a fast action/taper blank with light tip but more power in the mid and butt so you can toss light lures but still retain power for fighing decent sized fish.

I'd look for a very light popping rod and consider extending it a bit to make the action even faster. If you can stand a one-piece rod, go with a 7 or 7 and half footer and perhaps extend it to about 8 feet. Or... find the lightest possible hot shot blank and try that. You'll love it.

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

I would highly encourage you to look at the G Loomis HS9000-2-GL3 with Fuji SiC Guides with Titanium frames. Pair that with a Team Daiwa Advantage -A 2500 or a Shimano Saros 3000F and it doesn't get any better. That will give you the portability, the strong butt, an extra fast tip and a long cast spool. Load the reel with 10# braid - either Stren Super Braid, Spiderwire Ultracast or Sufix and you will be able to cast much farther than you need to.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2008 09:31AM by Jim Gamble.

I built a similar rod on a GUSA B70LXF: cork grip, Fuji alconites 20-12-7-6 all the way out. It's rated 2-10#, and has been a ton of fun. You can even cast a clauser minnow with it! If you wanted to go longer you might consider the B83L, but it's a heavier rod (5-12#).

Only downside is it's a 1-piece blank, but with a size 20 butt guide it slips into 1.5" PVC, which I used to make a long case for traveling.

I would recommend taking a look at the XST1141F-TC from the Rainshadow line. Or as Tom mentioned taking a popping Blanks say an IP840 and extending it a foot to make it an 8 ft rod. I am sur you can find something in the Rainshadow/Forecast blanks line that wil fit this appplication. What are you fishing for and where, its always nice to know. Take a good look at the ALPS guides and the Forecast guides for all your builds, I know you will not be dissapoited in your Choice of these Quality Rodbuilding Components .If you have any questions please feel free to contact us.
Thank you

Bill Batson
CEO
Batson Enterprises
Rainshadow/Forecast/ALPS product lines
877-875-2381
www.batsonenterprises.com
batson@batsoenenterprises.com

I've heard that the IST993 by Rainshadow is also a fast, light rod. Mudhole also has some Lamiglas mag-taper steelhead blanks on clearance. Those look really cool. There are also some fast action popping rod's from Lami in that mix. Tom is right though - you don't need slow to throw light; you need light tip to throw light.

I will echo the others comments.
Go with a long steel head rod, that has lots of beef in the butt and up to about the 2/3's point. Then, a fast tip for sensitivity.

To get casting distance, you need to get maximum speed on the tip. This happens, if all of the energey of the cast can be transferred to the tip. If you have a slow fly rod style rod, much of the casting energy is absorbed in the blank and not transferred to the tip.

Accelerate the tip as fast as possible, and you will maximize your casting distance. I recently built a rod like you wanted on a 10 foot rain shadow steel head blank. It outcasts any similar rods by a very large amount.

Make sure that your first stripper guide is at least a size 30 to avoid any line slap or curl.

Take care
Roger

G Loomis IMX ST1084-2

This rod is a rocket. Be sure and check it out.

Thanks to you all for the great advice

For the guides I plan to use Alconites. BYAGs to the intersection point then BLAGs from there to the tip. Is that OK for #10 light braid?

10# braid is 4~6# mono diameter, plus it doesn't form the "coils" that mono does, so I think a BYAG20 is plenty big given that it gives you the proper line path. I have two rods that I use with a Sahara 2000 and 10lb fireline and this is my observation on both:

Forecast SH1084, BVS3 in 25 or 30 (can't remember which), 16, 10, then BFLG7s to tip. I love the rod, but I used too many different guide sizes. It has a fast action and will rocket stuff out there, though 1/8oz would be a little light. Dissatisfaction with the guides and a bit much weight, along with a little horse trading, prompted me to build the following...

Amtak AMF908-4, 4 piece 8wt fly blank using BYAG 20, 12, then BLAG6s out to the tip. Much "sweeter" rod that I love for fishing in the suds for whiting and pompano; but nowhere near the stiffness in the butt that the steelhead blank has.

All that is to say that you can shoot braid through really small guides.

Some of the fastest fly blanks out there in a multi-piece is the Dan Craft FT fly blanks. If I remember right Dan has a steelhead drift rod built on one. Seem to be durable also.

Hi George,

Probably a bit late on this but I want to plug our stuff here anyway. I have done a lot of distance casting from shore with spoons and light rubber in salt and fresh water for a variety of speicies from salmon/trout in the NW, halibut/bass in So Cal, also in Baja and Hawaii. The best blank I have found for 4-8# (which is what I use) range and for fighting large fish is our Matrix AMSH1141-2. It is 9 1/2' and 2 pc. it will cast the lightest jigs a mile and has the back bone to land large fish on light line. I have tried many other steelhead and fly blanks in the past and this is my absolute favorite for a SW "ultralite".

And, believe it or not I use American Tackle guides. On my newest 1141, I am using our A-frame Titans graduating into our new Titan Ringlock Fly guides. Lighter then any stainless guides, they will never corrode and the Nanolite inserts are particularly well suited for light lines. Much harder then Alconite and almost as hard as SIC means its the most durable performance ring at a reduced cost.

I hope you give our products a try sometime.

Best Regards,

Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company

Thanks Darren

What type of joint is on your Matrix AMSH1141-2 blank, spiggot or overslide? I need to make it a 4 piece travel rod.

Regards, George

Hi George,

The ferrules are tip over butt but I really wouldn't make this particular model into a 4 pc. The butt could work but in my opinion the tip's action would not lend well to ferruling. You can always buy several and try,,,,, just kidding. Although in 2 pieces its pretty long for travel, I do fly with them quite often from WA where I live to California and Hawaii. I once had some 4 pc. steelhead/spinning rod prototypes that I thought would be a good idea but I never could get the action fast enough without breakage. Probably could have in time, but scrapped the idea and decided to suffer through 2 pc. blanks. (Also, didn't really have an existing market for longer travel rods and its hard to push development of a blank just because I want one)

Good luck with whatever you do.

Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company