This comes up occasionally when people are asking for blank recommendations and someone recommends a blank that isn't from the Bass section of the catalog. I thought it would be interesting to have a thread dedicated to these blanks. So post your favorite non traditional blanks you use and the technique you use them for.

I'll start by listing my favorites, Castaway XP3 Popping blanks for crankbait rods. The popping blanks have a soft tip with a nice moderate action. They have 3 powers available in 8 foot and I like them all. I also like the Rainshadow Popping blanks. The IP964 Rainshadow matches the 963 Castaway. The IP965 matches the Castaway 964, but is not as light weight.

Those are nice blanks Robert.

A lot of back bouncing blanks make great carolina rig and swimbait blanks. Personally I love being able to get into the 8' 1 piece rods. My clients prefer the one piece as well - no telescoping!

I'd be interested in some of the other cross over blanks from salt. Perfect example, I have yet to find the right blank for the big 1 - 1.5 oz pencil poppers we throw here for schooling largemouths.

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St Croix SC4 Inshore series. They are powerful, light and very fast ... many uses these ones have.

any number of the 2 piece fly blanks for light long spinning rods. I especially like the American Tackle Black matrix series as thy have more back bone than most.

Robert

I started to respond to your thread early this morning, but decided to wait to see how it progressed for some reason.

Since there has been few responses, I have concluded that one of two things is happening. First, there aren't many bass fisher persons on this site (I doubt that is true) or we are being so locked up in our MagBass boxes that very few of us have been able to smell the fresh air. I think it's a shame that the better manufactures’ haven't thought of this before you but who knows it's probably a matter of their comfort zone.

Alex is spot on with his query about saltwater blanks. My first 2 forays into the SW genre' were not very successful, either because of lack of knowledge or poor initial choices, but I am convinced that one of us will find some gems scattered among these blanks.

I did a quick Pareto on all the blanks that I have built on in the last 3 years and believe it or not a 6 power HotShot blanks came in a strong third.

I've built a few drop section fly blanks as UL UL brush rods. They run about 6' and don't weigh much more than the shorty tennessee handle I put on them. Single foot wire fly guides and 6# braid on a micro reel completes the rod. Great for crawling through the trees and brush along the local lakes and there's enough spring to slingshot a lizard when there's no room for a full cast.

The CastAway HG40 843 popping blank makes a fabulous small crankbait rod. Unfortunately when I got the 2 I have now Lance said they were among the last he had.

Lighter powered popping rods make good crankbait rods, and also work well for finesse techniques like shaky head, dropshotting and any time you need to downsize lures.
Pretty much set on that type of blank for light tackle lure fishing with 6-8 lb braid and small plugs and soft plastics.

I'm with Ted. I really like using the lighter popping blanks as finesse rods. I can throw a split shot rig that weighs under .2 oz on a 2 power popping blank and 50 mg just as far as I can with my light action spinning set up. I have a client that caught an 8.4 last week on a 7' 2 power popping blank. He told me he needs 6 more just like it.