I know traditional gear used for shaky head is a spinning rod. What blank characteristics would you use for a casting rod though? Would it be the same length, action and power?

Tony Wilson
Cincinnati Ohio

The rod, nor the lure or the fish, would have no idea what type reel you're using. So if you already have a good blank that you know works for that technique, you can build it either way and get similar results.

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Second Tom's comment. Last year I built a spin blank (Loomis SJR842 GLX) into a baitcaster and the results have been outstanding.

Tony,
Rod manufacturers market rods for different markets.
They will market a blank and call it a spinning rod for a given purpose.
They will also market a blank and call it a casting rod for a given purpose.
The blank may or may not be the same blank - in a spinning or a casting configuration.

The general trend for many manufacturers is to market a bit stiffer rod in a casting configuration but call it the same blank. This concept tends to go hand in hand with what fishermen expect.

Having said that - a blank is a blank is a blank. Find a blank that suits a specific fishing need - it doesn't matter if it is marked freshwater, saltwater, in shore, surf, spinning or casting.
Then, configure the handle, reel seat and guides to give you the best tool for the specific fishing task that you want to execute.

The main thing that manufacturers try to do for their clients is to give them well educated suggestions as to what the right blank might be to execute a specific fishing task. But, these are recommendations only. By trying different blanks many builders find that other blanks can work even better to do a specific fishing task than what might be recommended by the manufacturer.

Good luck
Roger

Spiral wrap a Castaway XP3 842 spiral and you will have a Shaky Head with the line on the bottom - this will satisfy any Bassin Bubba who does not like to deal with a spinng reel. For a Shaky Head active presentation a shorter rear grip will be more effective - cut 2.5 inches off the blank and use a rear grip from 8.5 to 9.0 inches. Build it light with Forhan or O'Quinn transitional with micro runners.

[www.swamplandtackle.com]

Since the spinning reel is mounted behind the casting hand and the casting reel attaches in front of the casting hand that means how you achieve a "balanced" rod is much different for each type; almost opposite. One type requires the reel to be heavier and the other lighter, but I can't remember which is which. And of course there are different requirements for how close/far from the butt the reel seat should be mounted to facilitate balance, but that varies with the weight of the guides and the weight of the reel, along with the weight or resistance of the lure. In fact, it's much too complicated to explain here.
Or you could use Occam's razor, buy the lightest blank of any sort which matches your requirements, and try to keep it that way.

I build a lot of "spinning" blanks into casting rods. In many cases, a blank designated "spinning" will flex a little bit further down the blank for a given power, which I kinda' like, especially for spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, etc.

If I were going to build a casting rod for shaky head fishing, I'd likely use a St. Croix 6'9" Med. Light X-fast. Not sure if it's now listed as casting or spinning. Back when it was listed as casting, I built several as spinning rods for shaky heads.

My spinning rod for shaky head is made with a casting blank. St Croix 3CMLXF 6'10"

Mr. Stevens;
On which end of the rod are you suggesting the cutting be done?

If I were to cut that much from the tip end you would be entitled to call me something else rather than Mr.!

Bubba say Hi! I have trouble being able to do two things at a time - spinning reels and bait casters are just as bad as walking and chewing gum at the same timeI I can not use hay bailers either on the same day!

Steve,
A pretty good rule of thumb is that if you want to keep the same action of the rod - always trim from the butt of the rod.

For so many rods that have light tip sections for some of the light line and or light lure techniques today, the top 4-8 inch of the rod is the most important section of the rod to be able to execute these tec hniques.

Any time that ANY portion of these light tipped rods are trimmed, you will decrease the ability to some extent to be able to execute these light line techniques.

--
If, you need to increase your lure rating a bit, then, it is sometimes to your advantage to trim a 1/4 or 1/2 inch off the tip of the rod. One just has to be very very very careful, if one ever does do any tip trimming on these light tipped rods. It is so easy to destroy the very active tip that makes the unmodified rod work so well.

Take care
Roger

"Roger;
Thanks for the response, best laugh I’ve had all day.

I was actually having a little fun at Mr. Stevens’s expense which based his reply, was obviously understood."