Have a friend who wants a 7'2" ish drop shot rod. We have a unique scenario in MI where we do a lot of inland largemouth fishing on DS where the fish avg 1-3lbs. But we also have Lake MI, Huron, St. Claire and Erie..... So a rod that will handle 4-6lb smallies is also a must.

Was thinking maybe something along the lines of an MHX P903 cut back 3-4". My experience with popping blanks is limited to a shikari i built on a while back.... seemed like it might have been close to what i'm looking for.

Thoughts? alternative options?

Regards,
-Justin

MHX in HS9000 or SJ9000, i cannot tell the difference other than the labels and i make drop shot rods with both. Used on the TN river in Pickwick and below the dam in the river and the smallies run well over 6Lbs there.I even use them for salt water too. Yet i am comfortable using them for crappies or stump knockers. If you want to trim a few inches off the butt have at it but its great as it is.
There is a castaway 842 that folks i have made it up for liked as a DS rod and they catch lots of TN smallies with them too, its already at 7ft, add aero grips to either choice and Minma 4's and they weight in very light too.

Justin; I have built DS rods on the Castaway 842 and my guys like them built as Spinning. I haven't tried it, but I feel an IP842 would make a great DS rod. Of course that's just my opinion.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Look at the Batson Rainshadow RX8 XSW72ML. It is listed in the walleye category.

Batsons ISB 822.5 is a 6'10" medium xtra fast 1 pc. It is listed as a drop shot blank. I have built one with a split grip and an Alps triangle seat it makes a great rod. It is a couple of inches shorter than your request. Very crisp blank. Get ahold of the guys at Midwest Rod and Reel on the left. they will take care of you as well as the rest of the vendors that carry Batson line ups.

I also just built a MHX SJ9000-2. Another good blank. Guy loves it.

Personally, for drop shotting I would use the Batson, I live just north of Green Bay, WI. I fish the Menominee River and Lake Michigan for small mouth in the same manner.

Mike

I.m with M. Winkler except preferring the higher grade Batson.

RX8+S822.5 6'10" Medium X-Fast 6-12 1/8-1/2oz 1.76oz. Satin Black
Drop Shot blank;

Not sure about drop shotting for the 6 lb smallies, but it handles large mouths in the 7 and 8+ lbs just fine!.
Light, Very sensitive, Crisp, and casts like a rocket.

Justin,
Great idea. The popping blanks will make excellent drop shot blanks and will have just a bit stiffer tip action which is excatly what you want.

You mentioned that you are considering on using the MHX P903.
You also mentioned - triming back 3 or 4 inches.

If you are going to trim on that particular blank, I hope that you are talking about trimming on the butt of the rod and not the tip.

If you trim that much off of that blank, you will have a nice pool cue and will absolutely ruin the drop shot tip effect that this blank has as a standard blank. If you want a shorter blank, just go ahead and trim as much as you want off of the butt of the blank, bup please don't ruin a great blank by trimming the tip of the blank.

Now, if you don't really want a very light tipped rod, and really don't want a drop shot rod, but want a pool cue for a rod go ahead and trim as much as you want off of the tip of the rod.

There have been a few rods that I have trimmed the tip when I want to increase the tip strength a bit. But, I trim in 1/16th or 1/18th inch increments. On most fast action rods, a very very very small amount of tip trimming of the blank can cause a very very big change in the tip action of the blank.

So, if you trim - trim in only very very short lengths at one time.


Good luck and a great idea.

Roger

thanks for the advice guys.

@Roger - i would only trim off the butt - for sure.

Regards,
-Justin

A popping blank w/ a 1/4-1/2 lure rating is exactly what I would recommend.

I like Batson... the ip series would be equivalent to the MHX, the "X" series would be even lighter and more sensitive.