So this is just for fun and kind of a personal research experiment. For you builders, out of all the blanks you have personally built and used, what is your favorite, the specs and why? This isn't species specific. It could have been a blank you used for bass, tuna, muskee,ect; verticle jigging, trolling, plugging, what have you. I'm looking forward to hearing your responses!

Andrew,
My favorite blank is the one that works best for the fish species that I am targeting.

It is the 5 1/2 foot ultra light blank that I used for the rod that was built for pan fish.

It is the 6 1/2 foot medium light blank that I used for the rod that was built for Walleye.

It was the 7 1/2 foot medium heavy blank that I used for a Bass spinner bait rod.

It was the 7 foot medium light popping rod that I used to toss shrimp in the bay.

It was the 8 foot Ex heavy blank that I used to build the rod when fishing for sturgeon.

It was the 9 foot 3 weight that I used for western rainbow trout .

Or perhaps best of all, it was the 12 foot cane pole that my grandmother used when she was teaching me to fish for perch at the end of the dock with a nail for weight and a worm for bait along with sewing thread for line.

"This" rod was my favorite rod.

Roger

I can think of a lot of kinds of fish I could catch with a blank similar to the St Croix 3/4/5C70MHF.

Bstson for me!

Kevin Gross
Many men will spend their whole life wondering if they made a difference. Marines dont have that problem - Ronald Regan

I have three I have to mention.

One is an ultra-light Fenwick bougth in the early 70's. It was used in deep water Tenn lakes for white bass and I could feel a 1/16 jig bounce off rocks in 40 feet of water. Since returning to Miami area if has been used as a sabiki bait rod often. While a couple of pound blue runner/goggle eye is fun I can't tell you the number of decent sized barracuda that have inhaled a bait right at the boat that have been landed. I have even managed a keeper grouper on it once. It seems unbreakable and with EVA grips, anodized seat, and foul proof guide looks more like a 5.5 foot surf caster...LOL. It has so overperformed in so many roles it deserves mention.

I have probably bought more live bait blanks that any thing else. From about 15# class up they can do it all in the salt. Light limber tips to protect delicate baits while casting, and prevent hook pull out on soft mouths, coupled with ultra fast action tapers and solid lock ups. They have what it takes to pump monsters up from death spirals and cast any offerings to a fish on the top. They troll great too. From Sabre to callstar, seeker, lamigals, and now names like baston and phenix they have all been "do all" rods.

If I could only have one to fish everywhere for anything I'd pick a St. Croix SC2 inshore in medium power between 7 and 8 feet.. Light and sensitive enough to catch fresh water fish on 8# yet powerful enough to tangle with a good sized dolphin or sailfish. They are a little stiff in the tip for a crankbait rod but otherwise the perfect spin/jig rod that can do it all from top to bottom of water column.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

7' G Loomis P8400. I use mine for both fresh water & inshore salt water. Caught a False Albacore yesterday that was about 15lbs. What a fight and great all around rod.

G Loomis P844 GLX or St Croix 5S70MF-B ... both are very universal in nature and very well designed.

I really appreciate the feedback from everyone. I wish more had participated, but not everyone has a favorite I guess.

I have loved the St Croix SCIV fly rods Mind this was a while back and one was a 2 piece 9 ft 5 wt another a 7 wt Fast action blanks The 5 I liked with a 6 wt line on it

Bill - willierods.com

Bill, if you dont mind, can you explain what the WT sizes determine in a fly rod? Im not a fly fisherman nor will I ever be one, I just would like to understand what it specifys.

Fly fishing is fun You should try it You get into your own world Very relaxing

A fly rod or blank has to carry weight just like a spin rod carries lure weight and each blank is rated to a line weight that Should work well to cast and load that particular blank

Bill - willierods.com

Basically Andrew you cast the weight of the line. In general the bigger and more wind resistant the fly is the heavier weight fly line you need in order to cast it. Windy conditions might also require moving up the a heavier weight line.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

oh I see. thats very interesting. when i was a kid, i had a fly rod that had this cool reel with a trigger like device, and once you compressed this trigger, the reel would automatically reel the line in. it was very cool. but i lost interest in it after like a day. hahaha