My first casting rod build is going well and I'll post pics when it's done. However, I'm getting ready to order the goods for build #2, and I need some help with blank choice.

Two finesse baits I throw a lot for bass are a 3.5" Strike King Finesse worm on a 1/32 or 1/16 oz. Gopher Tackle Mushroom jighead, and a 2" YUM Wooly Beavertail on the same 1/16 oz. jighead. These are, obviously, very lightweight, wind resistant baits, and cannot be cast nearly as easily or as far as stickworms or other plastics on standard M action bass spinning rods. Add to this problem the fact that I am often throwing them to spooky smallmouth and spotted bass in waters with 5-6 feet of visibility. These baits require a NEW ROD!

Standard UL and L action spinning rods (g-loomis's UL bronzeback rod excepted) are often either too short or too slow to be able to effectively set hooks into tough bass mouths and still cushion the 4 and 6 pound test line I use for this.

What is really needed is a 6'4-6'8" L or UL power rod with an extra-fast tip. Good luck finding one for less than $50 (my blank budget for this rod). I was thinking that I could lengthen the butt end of a 5'6" UL spinning rod by ~10" to speed it up and give it some additional backbone and casting distance. Mudhole has a cheap 5'6" blank (the pretty colored ones) that might work for this. I'd love a purple rod!

Once I get a suitable blank purchased or constructed, I'm planning to build it up with a superlight split tennessee handle and micro guides. Any other blank recommendations?

Nathan,

You're talking some of my favorite technique. I use the 7' version of the blank below from Batson. It's not purple, but it is outstanding for what you're doing. It has a significant amount of backbone for a "1" power rod, but the tip is soft enough for throwing light baits and handling lighter lines. And the price is right on target for your project.

ISB781 Matte Clear 6'6" 1 6-12lb. 1/8 - 3/8oz. 0.535 5.0 Fast Medium-Light 1.89 oz.

Glenn

I have built a couple on Batson blanks, for smallies I would think about a couple of 7' rods the IP841 or the IP840. The 840 may be a little on the light side for Bass, but the 841 should be a good fit. If you want a 6'6" look at the Batson 780 and 781 in the spin jigs. The price on the Batsons should fall into that $50.00 range as well.

I second the IP841. Trim it from the butt. I have one built up for similar purposes, and it's very nice. I do, however, use braided line and fluoro leaders.

The rod I used for a 1/16 oz jig with a Zoom Finesse worm for several years was built on a Rainshadow ISB 780. Light tip, strong butt, worked great. I rig the jig/worm open hook, not Texas rigged. I was interested in the light weight of the Lamiglas XMG Spin Jig blanks, so last winter I built a Lamiglas LSJ 781. I have been using it this year and it works very well. Not better or worse than the ISB 780, but a little different, maybe not quite as fast as the ISB 780. In the last few years I have developed a preference for longer rods, so I am now thinking about the Lamiglas LSJ 861. Can't have enough finesse rods!!

Nathan,
the batsons are good, very good.
But if you want to go the route of the MudHole blanks because of the cool colors(and that is not a bad thing), i recently completed 3 rods based on the next blank up from what you are looking at: the IS601L. OK they were not colored but the color does not affect the blank.
I stretched them 8 1/2 inches from under the reel seat. They cast well, even in wind. I use a 750 sized reel on mine loaded with 8# stealth braid, my buddies use 1500 sized reels with 6 to 8# mono. We are throwing for smallies below Pickwick in the spring also the white bass run on the little tallahatchie. Its windy. Its snaggy. It can get ugly when you hook a non target fish like a giant gar or drum. They handle it well.
The 5ft 6 blank i have also used (stretched and straight) and used to catch stocked trout , there is not enough backbone for a smallie of any size.

Lamiglas XMG Popping blank would be perfect. The XMG blanks are not classified like most other blanks, the spin jig blanks are very nice, very light blanks but quite moderate action, the popping blanks are extra fast, bordering on ridiculous fast.

The LP842 has an extremely light tip, but still has some good backbone.

I use the St. Croix 3S66LF for the same application. It has a nice light tip, but enough backbone to set the hook on Tx. rigged finesse worms. I use 6 lb., when fishing for smallies in my local river and largemouths in my local lake, but have often down-sized to 4 lb. when I go trout fishing. Though the fish can get fairly large, 6 lb. line is standard for me, as the rod will bend quite deep on a good fish, protecting the light line. And, I've landed a number of 20" trout on 4 lb. line with the same rod--it takes a little more close attention to the drag (or willingness to backreel), but the rod is perfect. Most of my lures are in the 1/16 to 1/8 oz. range, but I've thrown smaller lures for trout, with no real problems.

I can't say enough about how great this little rod is. Everyone of my fishing buddies who has tried it, refuses to put it down.

If the 3S66LF is out of your price range, I believe a 2S66LF would get pretty close.

Nathan,
You could use a 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 foot 3 or 4 weight fly rod blank.
Cabela's has half a dozen or more below $50

The IP popping rods from Batson say that they have a MF action. Is this accurate, or are they faster than advertised? I could cut one down 2" to get 6'10" or so, and that should work pretty good if the blanks are fast enough. We get bass (not to mention the wipers) up to 5/6 lbs. around here often enough that I want all the hooksetting power I can get with as light a tip as I can get away with.

The ISB 841 seems promising. How have you liked it?

The St. Croix's are more than I want to spend.

I have a ? pertaining to this(by all means not trying to hijack the post) Couldn't you use a salmon steelhead rod for this. He is looking for lenght and i would think it would be flexible enough to make those lightweight jigs soar but also be stout enough to tackle ferocious smallies and spots. Now I may be way out of line but this post got me thinking. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

With the line you are using, "hooksetting power" are usually words that don't get a mention. 4 and 6 lb is not the domain of heavy wire hooks and jaw drilling hooksets. Try finer wire hooks: they take less effort to get the point in, and sustained pressure early is more than enough to sink the barb. Bass mouths aren't THAT tough.

Cushioning the line is important in the fight, but also when setting the hook. Downside of a better cushion is that the deeper flex sometimes means dictating terms to a rampaging fish can be like waving a toothpick at an elephant. For that reason if you fish any sort of roguh ground I'd stay away from the fly rods and very light spinning blanks like the 5'6" L. Extending the 601L seems very feasible, and is not an expensive proposition.

The SCIII St. Croix is another good suggestion. Try a 7 footer, and trim from the butt, as I suggested with the IP841. I would run 4lb on an IP840 and 6-8 on the IP841 no worries.

Nathan Parker Wrote:
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We get bass (not to
> mention the wipers) up to 5/6 lbs. around here
> often enough that I want all the hooksetting power
> I can get with as light a tip as I can get away
> with.

I would give the ISB 822.5 a good hard look in your case. It has a very soft tip with plenty of backbone, and you don't want to be undergunned with wipers in the area. Mike makes a good point a hot shot style blank might be a good choice, but I don't know about cutting them down 8 or more inches off of them.

Joe

I built an XMG LSJ 842 this year and use the exact same lures as you do except 1/16 to 1/8. 1/16 is a little light so if you go XMG I would recommend the 1 power version. With the 7 foot length I have had NO problems setting hooks even with texas rigged worms for smallmouth. It is insanely sensitive and has met or exceeded all my expectations. I know they are a little more expensive but I would consider it as I have never used a better rod. I use a symetre 2500 and 8lb copolymer line. I built it with size 3 batson micros.

Patrick Rutledge

Nathan,

You asked for clarification on how fast the ip840 and 841 blanks are. They are both listed on the CSS data site. the ip840 has an AA of 70 and the ip841 has an AA of 76. I haven't used either blank but it is something else to consider.

Patrick Rutledge

Hey Nathan,

I stumbled across the ISB 841 about 5 years ago. Normally, I wouldn't consider a "1" power rod to even build, but one of the Batsons (I think it was Kerry) literally put one of these blanks and then a finished rod in my hands at a show. I immediately knew it would make a nice rod for light lure and light line applications. It does not have any of the mid blank mushiness that many of the lighter power rods tend to have. It is definitely a bass rod with a solid & fairly stout backbone, but with a very light and fast tip. I know they rate it as a fast action, but it is very close to an extra fast action in my opinion. However, it is not like the St Croix XF actions if you are familiar with those - it is a little slower in the lockup than the St. Croixs (and I like them too). I wish I had CCS'ed these blanks, so there were some hard fast data to look at instead of just opinion. This blank feels like one of our traditional southern bass rods, but handles the light stuff really well. I actually enjoy crappie fishing with them also as I have more than one of these now. My first one was one of the green blanks from back in the day when Batson offered RX7 blanks in green. I guess I'm really trying to say that these blanks are somewhat of a sleeper in the Batson lineup, and that I enjoy using mine for pretty much the exact same technique as you are using. I know you'll have fun rolling whichever one you choose.

Glenn

I fish a lot of really lite walleye stuff - very similar to what you are talking, and the American Tackle Matrix SJ781 is an awesome blank for this. Very lite and sensitive, a great option in your price range.

I have a Lamiglas XMG 841 (discountinued) that perfect for that, I think the 761 in identical just 2 inches longer.

Joe Vanfossen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nathan Parker Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> We get bass (not to
> > mention the wipers) up to 5/6 lbs. around here
> > often enough that I want all the hooksetting
> power
> > I can get with as light a tip as I can get away
> > with.
>
> I would give the ISB 822.5 a good hard look in
> your case. It has a very soft tip with plenty of
> backbone, and you don't want to be undergunned
> with wipers in the area. Mike makes a good point
> a hot shot style blank might be a good choice, but
> I don't know about cutting them down 8 or more
> inches off of them.
>
> Joe


You aren't kidding. Even a 4-5 pound wiper can easily break 15-20 pound test on the initial surge, to say nothing of the 10-12 pound fish we sometimes get around here. They're just mean. Will the 822.5 throw a 1/32 oz. jighead with a little finesse worm? They make that rod in the RX6 line and it would be very cheap that way.

My 822.5 is set up as a casting rod, and I've used to to throw small 3" grubs on a 1/16 oz. jig head out to around 50' and unweighted Zoom Flukes (the little ones) about the same distance. Keep in mind that is with a casting reel. Rigged as a spinning rod, you should be able to get a bit more, as most finesse worms have a bit more plastic than a grub, and don't have to deal with the inertia of the spool.

Set up as a spinning rod, I think it would work very well for casting those jigs. What kind of distance do you need to get? About the only way you could do better would be to go to a longer rod, and it doesn't sound like you have room to do that since you were planning to cut down a 7 footer.

Perhaps somebody who has one set up as a spinning rod will chime in to give their thoughts.

Joe