I'm thinking about building a surf rod for this years Alaska trip. I plan to target halibut from the Kenai Peninsula beaches i.e. Homer, Anchor Point and Kasilof Beach.
I'm looking for blank suggestions, requirements lure weight 2-12oz line rating 20-40# multi piece for transportation purposes. Also what guides do you suggest? Handle- cork tape?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

First of all, this is a little like asking what make of car you should buy. Just like cars, there are a lot of different makes and models of surf rods out there and everyone has their own opinion on what's good.

Second, you don't say what weight you'll be throwing. While a rod may be rated for 2 to 12 ounces, I know of no rods that will actually throw that range of payload AND THROW IT WELL. You say you'll be fishing for Halibut (I didn't know you could do that from the beach), so that will require a pretty heavy duty stick. So here's two suggestions for rods that I use all the time and have had great success with.

Take a look at the Mudhole LSB1502MH. This builds a 12'6" rod that's rated 6-16 but the sweet spot is 8oz. plus a hunk of bait. This blank will handle 6ozs. well and it'll also do 10oz but 8Nbait is the sweet spot. This is a two piece blank.

The other blank I'd look at is the Batson RS1418 (Fishsticks4U carries these). This blank has a sweet spot of 6oz. and bait. It can throw a little lighter and it'll do 8oz. in a pinch but it's best with 6Nbait. This is also a two piece blank that finishes at 11'9".

I go with the Fuji concept alconite guides for my surf sticks, BMNAG for the running guides and BMNAT for the tip top. These guides are light weight and tough. Never had a problem with them.

As far as reel seats and grips go, I'm partial to the Fuji DPSD reel seats and I like a cork tape grip.

Again, there are lots of other options out there but this is what I use and have had great success with.

Good luck with your trip.

George

You should also look at the 3M non-slip material as a grip. It is really tough stuff and offers a really firm grip, even with slimey hands.

Personally I would go up there with a rod that would be on the lighter side of things. Mostly casting from the shore in the Pacific North west you are going to catch Perch, Flounder, Ling Cod, Rock fish and maybe a smaller Chicken Halibut but almost never a decent one. In this case rather than build a rod to target Big butts that really your chances on hooking one that close to shore is rare a rod that could handle a 25# or less would be more in order. The tides do get ripping up there and so a decent bouncing drift is not a bad thing for all these species listed your just going to have to keep casting as your drift comes to close to shore. I would take a look at the following rod that is a happy medium maxing out at 6oz. I doubt even six ounce pyramid is going to drift much and the savings in over all rod weight will be a pleasure to fish rather than a rod that weighs two pounds.

Rod Blank Model # SU1267
Butt cap: BC22A
Front Cap:
Rear Grip: BST06A12 & BST06A10 split grip EVA
Handle Arbor:
Reel Seat: CAH22M-SG Threads up Alps Centra Lock seat
Reel Seat Shim
Foregrip: BST06A08 EVA
Winding Check: BWC15
Hookeeper: TCHKS
Tip Top XTCPPZT08r08.0 Alps PP Top SS316
1st guide from tip top XTCXNZG08 Alps XN RRD guide Tich plated over SS316 Stainless with Polished Zirconium
2nd guide from tip top XTCXNZG08
3rd guide from tip top XTCXNZG08
4th guide from tip top XTCXNZG08
5th guide from tip top: XTCXNZG08
6th guide from tip top: XTCXNZG08
7th guide from tip top: XTCXNZG10
8th guide from tip top: XTCXNZG10
9th guide from tip top: XTCZNZG12
10th guide from tip top: XTCXNZG16
11th guide from tip top: XTCXNZG20
12th guide from tip top:
13th guide from tip top:
14th guide from tip top:
15th guide from tip top:
16th guide from tip top:
Guide spacing Specs(inches from tip, center ring over mark) 4.25-9-14.25-20.25-27-34.5-43-52.5-62.75-74-86

Karry Batson
Batson Enterprises Inc.
Ph: (877) 875-2381
Fax: (360) 683-3579
karry@batsonenterprises.com
www.batsonenterprises.com

Thaks guys
Karry, you are correct that the halibut are chicken class fish.
I'm not looking for monster buts, just some fish and chips. :>)

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

THe 1267 may well suit your purposes- I just finished building one but it is along the line of a light plugging rod, rated 2-6 oz, but more than 4 is a load for it.

You didn't mention total length. The 1267 is 10' 6".

If your looking for something a little longer you might check into the Daiwa Ballistic Surf models. THey are easy to travel with, as they are in 3 equal sections, and they have 3 models to choose from starting from the lighest, rated 2- 10, then 4- 12 and finally 6-16.

All 3 are I believe 13'3" in total length. I have built on all of them, they build easy, have a metal cap reinforced ferrule ( no ferrule wraps necessary) and are a nicely painted deep red in color blank.

They are as far as I know one of the few 3 piece blanks for easy travel, yet assemble into a full fledged surf rod for heavy bait and distance casting.

There is a number of other options for 13' and longer rods, but they are all 2 piece that I know of.

Thanks for the info Mark.

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details