Just returned from fishing for snook in mangroves and want to build a shorter rod to try next time. Any suggestions on what blanks would work. Only restriction is it can't be 1 pc due to air travel. Thanks for any and all recommendations.

Regards,
Scott

I'd be looking at something like the St Croix 3S70MF2 or the Loomis P842-2, but both are a little lighter than the rods I used on snook years ago. The XF Rogue 4 power popping blank has a nice light tip with much more backbone, it might also work.

It's going to be hard to come by a 7-weight fly rod blank that short. You may have to resort to using a 2-piece spinning or casting rod and build it as a fly rod.


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I've had good luck with Medium Light spinning rod blanks, along the lines of a St. Croix 2S70MLF2 which is a 2 piece rod. For a 7wt, the maximium lure weight for the spinning blank should be in the 3/8 to 1/2 oz range. They work great for mangrove canals because they have a lot of backbone, compared to most fly rods. The downside is they don't give you much distance.

Scott,
I recently built what I thought was an 8 foot 5 weight from a Cabela's Traditional II blank.
Have used their blanks for 20 years and wanted to evaluate the new tapers.
The rod I built was not capable of delivering a 5 weight but to my surprise was able to cast 80+ feet of 8 weight bass bug taper. It also does a very nice job with a WF 7.
I don't know if they plan to fix this problem, but it does open some doors.
Check the blank for these dimensions.
Butt dia .370
Tip dia 4.5 / 64
Length 8 foot
Action very fast .

Hi Scott,
Fighting those big line siders in the mangroves is my passon. I do most of my fishing around Everglades City / Chokoloskee Island and have for the psssed 25 years. Close quarter street fighting! I was untill a couple years ago using the standart 81/2' ~ 9' 7-8-9 weight rods but as you know when you get back up into the jungle creeks those long rods are just no fun. Then a couple years back I was given a casting blank by someone who had no use for it. It is an American Tackle Mega Bass #AMMBC845 - 7' - 1 piece med/hvy fast blank. I figured what the "H" and built it as a fly rod. I must say it's not going to win any long casting contests but I rarely need to cast it more thaN 40' anyway. I've never had a better fly rod once the battle begins! I use a 9 weight line and short 6' - 20lb. leader w/ a 40lb. bite tipet about a 11/2' to prevent getting sliced by those gill plates. I'm no expert thats for sure and there are probably better rod blanks than mine for this type of fishing but it certanly works for me! One suggestion though, 7 weight fly rods are fine for open water flats or gulf pass "snukes" but for hand to hand combat in the jungle you would be much better off with a 8-9 or even 10 weight rod. Just my opinion!

Snooker Pete