Any take on this blank for a river smallmouth rod?

Like the length, but for me personally, I'd back down by 1 on the power. If it's available in a 782, that would be my preference.

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I concur, but do take care with the blank - it is very high modulus material. IMO, you can't beat the XMG series for the money.

This blank is a good choice if your throwing small crankbaits. This blank has a very moderate action and medium to medium light power. I use this blank for shallow diving crankbaits, and small poppers. I bought it to use for worms and senkos based on the line and lure weight rating but that is not what this blank is built for. It is a great light crankbait blank for me, I have two of them built for that purpose.

I agree with Jim, the XMG's are some of the best blanks out there regardless of $$$.

The moderate action scares me for how I use the rod. Is the XMG "Popping" series a faster bank. I know it only comes in 7' but I could live with that.

I thought that the LSJ781 might be alittle on the light side for power.

XMG Popping blanks are WAY faster than the SJ blanks, I just built a LP843 and a LP844, very nice blanks.

i was thinging about the LP842.

How do the XMG series compare to a St Croix SCV. I was also looking at the croix but for the $$$ i was leaning to the Lamiglas

ONLY the LSJ783 is moderate, the rest of the XMG Spin/Jig blanks ARE fast. IF you want to do 6'6", buy the LSJ842 and whack 6" off the butt.

You should also consider St Croix spinning blanks, med-light or medium power depending with an extra-fast action.

XMG blanks are a great value, but they do NOT compare to SCV blanks ... it just isn't a fair comparison in any respect.

Can you describe why SCV blanks are so much better than XMG blanks? I'm still learning...

Thanks,
Rick

how would a cut down LP843 0r LP844 compare to a 2S66MF. I have fished that before so i could use it as a reference point

I hope the last two questions get answered as I would also really like to know. I got one more for all of you out there though, if the XMG is not as good as the SCV (I know the $$ difference) how does it compare to the SCII, SCIII, and SCIV? Thanks for all the great help on this site.

Patrick Rutledge

It is kink of like comparing apples, to oranges, to pomegranates. SCV, especially the new 2009 versions are some of the lightest, highest power to weight ratio blanks available. They use very high modulus graphite, with a carbon fiber scrim, and now a super high modulus SCVI material in the butt end. XMG is probably most similar to SCIV, a high modulus material without the carbon fiber scrim. SCII is a mid modulus graphite, which while building a very nice rod is no where near as high on the power to weight scale as the high modulus blanks in this discussion, I suspect it is pretty close to what many would call IM6. SCIII is a mid modulus between SCII and SCIV and probably pretty close to IM7.

Of course material is only part of the picture, what the blank designer does with it is also important. The good news is that both Lamiglas and StCroix blanks are well designed and you will be happy with blanks from either company.

A cut down LP 844 or LP843 blank would probably work well for you. They have extremely fast actions, so if you cut them down they would have a slower action, but still be pretty fast and compare well in power to a StCroix medium, the 844 a little more and the 843 a little less.