Hello,

This is my first post here, i'm from Florida and heavily involved in shark fishing.
Before i ask my question, i would like to mention that this is would be my first rod build and your help is really appreciated.
I got an older 8'.3" seeker blank,(i don't have the model number) rated at 80-130lb fast action, and i would like to build it for casting and shark fishing.
The butt of this blank is 1.33" therefor the biggest aftco reel seat will be 20" away from the bottom of the rod and i was thinking to make a spiral type of wrap for this rod.
I have no experience on how to do this, but i'm seeking to make it suitable for casting as well.
What spiral method would be excellent for casting and support 40lb-60lb of drag for monster sharks?
The rod barely bends when i dead lift 15 lb weight.

Hi Bogdan,
I'm not an expert on spiral wraps but I've done several and they all turned out pretty good. Do a search here using all dates and you'll turn up a lot of info. The Ralph O'Quinn method is pretty good for casting. If you've got a right hand reel spiral to the right, left hand spiral left as this gets the line away from the hand holding the rod. Ralph's method suggest setting up the first guide at about five degrees off centre. The next two transition guides should be positioned so that they don't interfere with the line path to the first guide at 180 degrees. Rest of the guides should be spaced according to static testing so the blank is loaded properly and the line closely follows the blank curve. Do a search on static testing and you'll also find plenty of info. A 20" rear grip sounds a bit long and it will probably a bit uncomfortable to fish with, good for casting though, and you may have to consider cutting a bit off the butt to suit you. For the guides from the first at 180 use the smallest guides that will handle your knots and traces. Transtion guide sizes will depend on the reel your using and the set up to get the line to 180 degrees. You'll need some pretty solid double foot guides to handle that drag pressure and you should also consider double overbinding. Tape your reel seat on and the guides and do some test casting and you'll see what works best for you. I've also done a few with a 0, 60,120 and 180 degree setup and they cast pretty well also The spiral setup will be a lot more stable under load than a conventional setup and its a good idea for that type of fishing.

ESFNEM COl
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

The Simple Spiral layout works just a good for the heay off-shore rigs as it does with the lighter inshore. I don't have any idea what your TT size is, but for what your building I would look at a @#$%& Roller made for the Spiral or at least a SIC guide.

Regards......Doug@
TCRds

I use the first method posted by Col and find that it works exceptionally well.
You will find that your 2nd guide can normally be a much smaller guide and or shorter guide to keep the line close to the blank as it begans to make the transition around the blank.

Roger

Col Chaseling Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Bogdan,
> I'm not an expert on spiral wraps but I've done
> several and they all turned out pretty good. Do a
> search here using all dates and you'll turn up a
> lot of info. The Ralph O'Quinn method is pretty
> good for casting. If you've got a right hand reel
> spiral to the right, left hand spiral left as this
> gets the line away from the hand holding the rod.
> Ralph's method suggest setting up the first guide
> at about five degrees off centre. The next two
> transition guides should be positioned so that
> they don't interfere with the line path to the
> first guide at 180 degrees. Rest of the guides
> should be spaced according to static testing so
> the blank is loaded properly and the line closely
> follows the blank curve. Do a search on static
> testing and you'll also find plenty of info. A
> 20" rear grip sounds a bit long and it will
> probably a bit uncomfortable to fish with, good
> for casting though, and you may have to consider
> cutting a bit off the butt to suit you. For the
> guides from the first at 180 use the smallest
> guides that will handle your knots and traces.
> Transtion guide sizes will depend on the reel your
> using and the set up to get the line to 180
> degrees. You'll need some pretty solid double foot
> guides to handle that drag pressure and you should
> also consider double overbinding. Tape your reel
> seat on and the guides and do some test casting
> and you'll see what works best for you. I've also
> done a few with a 0, 60,120 and 180 degree setup
> and they cast pretty well also The spiral setup
> will be a lot more stable under load than a
> conventional setup and its a good idea for that
> type of fishing.
>
> ESFNEM COl
> Port Kembla, NSW
> Australia


Sounds that Ralph O'Quinn spiral wrap method for casting would be excellent. Where i can find detailed steep by steep info about this method, like pictures or video etc?

Hi Bogdan,
I think it was in a back issue of Rodmaker magazine, I can't remember which one. Tom will probably chime in with something for you.
Had a look and found it in Vol 6 issue 5. You'd have to check with Tom to see if it's still available. There is a cd available with volumes 2-9 and it would be excellent value for money.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2011 12:26AM by Col Chaseling.

On the shark rods that I've spiral wrapped I always place my stripper guide somewhere between 0 and 90 on the side of the rod that my left hand holds the foregrip with. I find it helps when you are using a big shark reel, anything from a 6/0 to a 12/0, to only have to push the line with your thumb when reeling as opposed to having to push AND pull the line to get it to stack properly. Lots of static testing will be needed and I would try and do the testing with the actual reel that you'll be using, but sometimes forcing the line to stack to one side can really be an advantage.

Hope that made sense! Jeff Shields