I read something on this board earlier that I found very curious and wonder how many builders stick strictly to the mfgs blank category listings when choosing blanks for specific tasks. For instance, the most popular blanks I use for rods I build for bass fishermen are popping blanks. They fit the bill and so I use them. Same with long distance casting rods light lures for large SW fish. I use Hot Shots for those. For striped bass rods I very often use Mag Bass blanks. In other words I never bothered with the category listings or model prefix when looking for the right blank for a specific use.

Do some builders actually stick within the confines of the category or model prefixes? In other words if building a bass rod do some guys only look at SpinBass, MagBass, etc., without looking at anything else? Are saltwater guys only looking at blanks with saltwater category listings and prefixes?

Bass fishing blanks used to build bass fishing rod for task specific purposes utilize different materials and tapers which results in specific action and power. There are specific reasons for each that relate to method of use.

If you will use the Control Center feature at the top of this board and set your email where others can communicate with you I will be glad to send you information that you will find quite useful.

I build only bass rods and use popping, hot shot, bounce back and live bait rods in addition to the traditional spin jig and mag bass rods. I can't speak for anyone else, but I know there are many others on here that do the same. The challenge when you venture out of the traditional "bass blanks" is knowing what you're getting. You can literally spend a small fortune trying different blanks to find a few new blanks to use. Fortunately, there are many people on here that can offer advise and suggestions to help narrow down the choices and save one some of that trial and error money.

I don't go by categories when looking for a blank. I am more interest in action and power. When I find a blank I like for a certain application I will use that for that application from then on. At least until someone convinces me that something else is better.
Pat

I'm still very new at this but when I order a blank I first check out the lure and line along with the action. Then I look at the butt size so I don't order a bulky blank. I try to look at all the catogories before I make my selection.

It’s very conceivable and even quite likely that many rod builders do stay within the confines of the manufacturers’ category listings and model prefixes when selecting their blanks. This is particularly true of beginning rod builders who don’t yet have the confidence to look at different blanks and make selections based on the known performance characteristics of those models. I used my first Hot Shot blanks back in the mid-1980’s - but they weren’t for Hot Shotting. They were for long cast tuna fishing and they excelled in that realm.

Category listings are a double edged sword - they may greatly help beginners who in many cases desperately need a starting point. Likewise they tend to pigeonhole other builders who should have branched out beyond the category and model prefixes long ago. But the manufacturers know that anything they can do to make things seem easy will most likely get a guy to take the plunge and buy a blank and get started. That’s the idea. And it's also true that in some cases manufacturers have designed certain blanks to offer the attributes that certain fishing techniques require. But that doesn't mean they won't excel at other uses, too.

You also have to remember that many of us older rod builders remember a time when categories like “Spin Bass” or “Mag Bass” didn’t exist. At the most you had a handful of general purpose categories like Fly, Spinning, Casting, Surf and Trolling, so you learned early on to go by the specs, not the category listings. Any tunnel vision in this regard on the part of a rod builder is more likely to be found in those that are relatively new to the craft than among more seasoned builders.



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Ken, I would like to clairfy my earlier post. I was not referring to the marketing terms used but the actual way a blank is constructed. Blanks are designed and built to accomplish specific things.

Your post: "For instance, the most popular blanks I use for rods I build for bass fishermen are popping blanks. They fit the bill and so I use them" -

If you are building primarily for crank bait fishermen you are on target. If you are building custom rods for bass fiishermen a popping blank will not provide the features needed to produce a top quality rod for many of the other types of bass rods used. This is not a Cast or Spin issue.

If I read your post incorrectily I apologise -

Steven - Your comment on "Then I look at the butt size so I don't order a bulky blank." - is that a personal preference, trying to create a weight savings, or some other reason?

One thing to be careful regarding power and lure rating - a medhvy backbounce or hot shot is not the same as a medhvy mag bass rod nor does the lure weight rating on those same rods also equal their casting range. Increases the difficulty in changing applications.

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My favorite inshore rod is built on a "Salmon/Steelhead" Hot Shot blank. My favorite spinning rod is built on a "Casting" blank. My favorite bass rod is built on a "Travel Inshore" blank.

Life is like a box of chocolates ...

I may be the guilty one here. I have been fishing for 50+ years, and building rods for family and friends for 30 years. My Dad use to do casting demonstrations for the Silaflex Rod Company before Browning bought them out, and I learned to build rods from watching him. Graphite rods were just starting to come on the market when I started building.

I am use to looking at the blank stats that are listed. Things like line weight, lure weight, and action (fast, moderate, slow,etc), when picking my blanks. I know that I am well behind the curve here since I have no idea what the difference is between a flipping, jigging, noodle, popping, etc, blank is. I am an old dog, but I am starting to learn that I haven't kept up with fishing rod technology, or terminology.

As one of the other posts suggest, I always pay particular attention to not only the obvious power, test weight, and action of the blank, but also the butt and tip size.

The butt and tip size really help a lot to determine the butt power of the rod, as well as the stiffness of the tip.

Take care
Roger

Roger -

How does butt diameter determine the amount of butt power?

Couldn't the amount of power also be determined through wall thickness?

Or am I getting confused with hoop strength?

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