I want to build a couple of boat spinning, casting rods for tuna here in the Northeast (Cape Cod). I realize this can be a tall order, but I want to be able to cast as far as possible, and at the same time hold the fish tight to the boat when he gets close, so it doesn't run under the boat. I like the Seekers and Calstars for this type of fishing, and have tentatively chosen the Seeker CJB70H or CJB80H. It has a stout butt, and a #12 tip, which allows good action. I will use the HSVG Fuji SIC guides so the stripper guide is somewhat in line with the large spinning reel. All suggestions are welcome. These fish are getting larger, and I realize there is a limit to size of fish as to whether the casting rod will do its job. The Zeba 27 reel I will use has a #40 lb drag if needed. I usually use about #20 lb drag. Thanks.
Sanford Hochman

In the past I have used the heaviest Hot Shot type blanks for this which allows the casting of smaller lures and plugs but which retain good power in the mid and butt sections. Depending on how large your tuna are, this might be something to consider.

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Sanford,

Scott Throop, of Tiger Wrap fame, has built a Spinning Rod that will do what you want. Here is what he said about it.

"Heres another roller spin rod I built for AA Roller Guide for the FH Show...
Built on a GF700H (65lb spectra rod), Batson BVDLG choke guides (#50, 30, 20), Batson Easy-Tight seat, All American @#$%& 180deg. Acid Roller Guides(4 + tip), and paired with an Accurate Twin Spin 30. This is one bad ass set-up! At the show, Jack Nilson from Accurate handed me a DVD with some AWSOME footage from Kona of a 300+lb marlin and a 150lb. yellowfin(YF unfortunately popped off at color) caught on the first roller spinner I built last year, and the Accurate TS 30. I'll try to figure out how to post the video soon. The footage realy shows the dynamics and the load distribution to the @#$%& rollers...works exactly as its supposed to.

I did this one with #337 maroon under wraps, #50 cobalt guide wraps, gold holo inlays, gold metalic trim, and a 3D Tiger Wrap to match....."

Click on this link to see Scott's Spinning Rod

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Rena

I have built a few OTI 7'6" 80# 2 piece popping rods for the CC BFT for next year. 7'6" long, very moderate bend and soft feel to them, but 25# of drag is no problem for them! Others use the Calstar GF700XH and 700H for popping for tuna as well. I would avoid rollers guides with casting. They are much heavier and the line may get caught in between the frames and rollers while casting. I used MNSG 40, 25, 16, and then 4 12's for the smaller guides, and a 12 SiC tip top, mated up with a Saragosa 18000 with 80# Daiwa boat braid. 80 yds is easy to hit with 3 or more oz and 2 oz still casts decently as well, you just need to know how to load the rod. There is also a 40/60# blank that will cast the lighter stuff, but still be able to handle 20# of drag. A 150# tuna was boated with this blank last year. OTI has some newer blanks coming out that have the power of the 80# blank, but with a softer tip. Make sure you get a blank that will flex far enough down to act as a shock absorber and reduce the distance you are fighting! Some Seekers are fast action and shut off quickly, making you fight against the length of the rod more. A more moderate bend will help with this!

Search on youtube for "OTI7680", I put a video up with 16-26# of drag slipping off the reel with this blank.

Tom, these tuna are up around 150-200+ pounds this past summer! Guys were straightening Owner ST66 hooks on them and trying to find the ST76's! 18-24# of drag is standard for the spinners up there with 65 or 80# braid and 80#-130# topshots.

I wouldn't use the stouter Hot Shot blanks on any tuna I expected to push much past 100 pounds.

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Sanford; Check out the Super Seeker 2X4 . You should be able to find it on our web site. It was made specifically for throwing live bait to the Yellowfin Tuna we get out here on our Long Range trip. Lot's of fish over 200# and a bunch over 300# have been taken using this blank. The blank is 7' in length and made using "S" glass with the EH04 resin system and is rated for 60 - 100 pound line. If you need more information send me private E-Mail and I'll do what I can for you.

The Super Seeker 2X4 has a reputation of being a fairly heavy rod, some 18 oz just on the blank. Talk with Kil Song at jignpop.com, he definitely seems to be THE guy on the tuna front in the Northeast. He seems to have tested practically every rod and rod blank out there, and will freely share his opinions. He carries some blanks, but selling tackle is just a hobby for him, he seems to give pretty objective advice. For the popping you are describing, OTI Tuna Sniper blanks and the Lami NZ 102 2XXH (the blank for their Tropic Pro Popper) are good. But I really suggest you talk with Kil.

I really didn't pay attention to Sanfords post and gave some bad advice. Here is what I sent to his PM after realizing he was looking for a Spinning outfit.

I guess I missed something in your post. Had I paid attention and realized you wanted a Spinning rod blank I would have suggested the same as Randy. He and I both built a customer a test spinning rod for the guy to use with his Stella 20000. I built on the SS CJBF70M and Randy built on the SSCJBF70H. The guy brought his reel into the shop and we tied him off to the fork lift and let him pull on the 70M with 40 pounds of drag. He broke 85# spectra and landed on his butt. I could see the rod bottom out but as long as it wasn't bent more than 90 degrees there was no way you were going to break it. The 70H would be even tougher. If you decide to cast with a conventional reel like an Avet give that 2X4 a real hard look. Sorry I confused the issue, I guess I just didn't pay attention.

Sorry for confusing the issue. I should read these posts before the Rum not after.

People were using the Lami blanks, but they were busting at the joint. The OTI use a butt joint, and it is much stronger. The guys up there were using the Snipers, but liked the 7'6" rods better; many felt the longer rods were unwieldy and awkward to use unless you were used to something that long! There are new OTI blanks in the works now, as well as other blanks using a newer form of carbon that has the sensitivity and light weight and strength of graphite and the flexibility of E glass. They are lifting over 100# with these new blanks and bouncing 20# of weights off them with no problems!! They will also throw lighter lures due to the softer tip.

The 2x4 blank is heavy!!! Most of my 5'6"-6' tuna jigging rods are 16oz all done, including a 2 oz aluminum ball gimbal and around another 1/2-1oz of shim and epoxy for the gimbal! Some of the new factory popping rods are 10-13oz for a 7'6" rod!!

New to the board and was curious where to get the OTI blanks? I really like the look of the 7'6" OTI that Timothy Johnson displayed in his youtube video. Like others here I chase the BFT off Cape Cod. Anyone have comparisons with the OTI blanks and the Calstar Graphiter blanks 700M. Hope you guys can help, this site has already given me a wealth of buiding ideas/info.

I've had several guys purchase the Seeker Hercules GTS 70H for this fishing - up in Cape Cod as well as down in Texas. In each case the person who purchased the blank was lookign for somethign comparable to teh Calstar 700M, but with a thinner OD, lighter, and with more shut off power - exactly what the GTS 70H is about. At some point we will be coming out with a GTS 70XH, as well as an 80H, and hopefully an 80XH as these will be ideally suited for this fishing, and will make excellent Cod rods (I've extended several 70H's to 7'8 already)

Hi Billy,

Any news on when those 8' Hercules blanks will be available?

I am in the same exact position, topwater BFT fishing in CCB and Stellwagen. I need a rod that can handle 30#'s of drag (Avet HX Raptor), can cast a 2-3oz lure (Ron Z 8"), has moderate action, but will shut off at the foregrip and is not very heavy.

I think the GF700M is lighter in power than the OTI 7'6" 80#; 20# feels like the max on the 700M. I know guys have used the 700H and 700XH for popping rods for CC BFT due to their soft, whippier tip but lots of power in the back end. The Hercules 70H and the longer ones should be very nice as well for popping rods because they load nicely with only 2oz for casting! You are looking for a blank with a tip that can throw 2-3oz at the low end, and still be able to handle 25+ #'s of drag. The Hercules and OTI shut off at the foregrip, or just before it. The Calstar is pretty much shut off by that point as well for the ones I have handled. A moderate bend will also help while fishing, too. The OTI feels very soft and easy to put a nice bend in while fighting fish, similar to the Hercules. When pushing that much drag with the Grafighters, I tend to notice a lot more trembling in the blank and more vibration. The Hercules and OTI's are definetly more comfy and softer on the angler!

Tim, is the 7'6" OTI a sniper blank or other model. Secondly, where did you purchase the blank? I have been in contact with Paul re. this blank issue at JPR? Just looking for some further insight and possible shops to purchase the blank.

It is the 7'6" popping blank, not the Tuna Sniper blank. I bought mine thru OTI directly; I have an account with them now. A lot of guys are waiting for the newer OTI blanks to come out and OTI had a huge sale going, so I got a bunch of their blanks, plus the 600gr jigging and 300gram jigging and just got some of the 40/60" 7'6" ones in. They are much lighter weight wise, tip wise and a bit lighter power wise. The blanks seem pretty nice across the board.

Tim are you a dealer...are you located in MA.? I tried to see what was available on the OTI web site but only finished rods were available. Do you have an email address I could contact you at...mine is Dej54@aol.com Thanks for your insight.

Doug, I sent you an email!