Hello,
I am looking for blank recommendations for a trolling rod for walleyesThe reel will be a line counter baitcast style with mono line.primarily used for small shad raps and similar baits.Looking for a rod at least 7 foot.Could you also please suggest guides that would best compliment this type of rod.
thanks,
scott

If it was me I would use a Castaway XP3 964. It's an eight footer - llght and sensitive. I caught 4 walleyes last night on mine casting a Bone Rattlin Rap. No joke, but you can actually feel the fish come up to the bait just before they hit it. Nice tip action! I've sold four of them in a matter of 3 weeks - all split grips with 5mm, 4mm, and ten 3mm guides.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/12/2010 03:01PM by Chuck Mills.

The batson RDR70M is hard to beat, very dureable, foregiving Fibreglass top area, Graphite reinforced lower area.
For a lighter model, RDR70L has a very soft tip.
In Graphite, IP841 or 842 are other good choices.
Most like a foregiving top area for the Walleye to be able to "take" before feeling too much resistance.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

Ditto on the RDR70M. Also the Batson SPG series has a few nice glass one piece blanks that work very well for walleye trolling rods. Any good casting guides will do. I have been running a 10mm, 8mm, 10mm for simple spiral, then one 8mm and finish with 6mm's. If they will be runnig braid, as many do here on Saginaw Bay, I step up to zirconia rings for durability, otherwise aluminum oxide or hardloy is fine. If the rod will be used to pull inline planer boards or jet divers, you may want to look at a little more power to handle the pull of the boards or divers, like the RDR86MH, or SPG845. For over the side rods or off big boards, the first mentioned blanks will work perfect. Walleye aren't famous for their fight, so going with too much power will make for a rod that isn't fun to fish, you just reel the fish in. My own walleye rods are RDR70L's, cut down to 6'6". I run them off big planer boards and they are a blast with walleye, even more fun when a 9 pound sheep or flathead decides to eat a spoon. LOL With any trolling presentation, a lighter rod will also show a small fish or weeds better than a stiffer blank.

YOU COULD ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEW GCB GLASS CRANK BAIT RODS FROM BATSON...HERE A LINK CHECK THEM OUT...I ALSO LIKE THE RDR70M...WE STOCK THEM ALL

GCB E GLASS LINK [www.midwestrodandreel.com]
RDR ROD BLANKS LINK [www.midwestrodandreel.com]

Bill@midwestrodandreel.com
www.midwestrodandreel.com

I heartily second Tony's recommendations. The SPG 845 also make GREAT downrigger rods

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Are you going to be hand holding the rod or putting it in a rod holder? From your IP info, it looks like you are in Minnesota so I assume you are restricted to one rod.

If the rod is going to be in a rod holder weight is really of little concern. The glass and composite choices are great.

If you want something to hand hold, another option would be a light power hot shot rod. There is a HS9000 in several blank lines that would be great. With a change of reel you could also cast the same baits with that rod.

thank you for all of your recommendations.the rod will be used in a holder for open water trolling.as far as guides go should i go double foot for the first few then all single foot?
thanks

Yep, my personal set has double foot transition guides, then all singlefoots to the tip. Really, for walleye off big boards or just over the side in a holder, no reason single foots can't be used in the transition either. Double foot guides will take a little more banging around or light abuse than the singlefoots, but for the fishing application, no reason for doubles. If you treat your rods like I do, no reason they can't be all singlefoots. My last two personal leadcore rods are all singlefoots, no issues on big salmon in two years now. If your building them to pull inline boards, maybe double foot guides MAY be warranted for extra strength, but not sure it that is a myth as well. Maybe someone can chime in on that. I havn't seen any issues on full blown salmon trolling rods with single foot running guides. Like I said, the doubles MAY have a durability or abuse taking advantage? The amount of wrap on a singlefoot is pretty much equal to an equal sized doublfoot, so I can't see much advantage in fighting or load strength? I must say that this opinion only applies to a spiral wrapped rod. An all guides up setup will in my opinion suffer for singlefoots because of the sideways torque. I believe that the singlefoots would be more prone than doubles to shift or even pull out in that application while fighting a large fish. If your building a spiral, I say go for it with single foots.