Hello and Happy New Year,

Getting ready to start my fourth build. The kids got me a gift certificate from one of the sponsors on the left for Christmas. I am looking for support on starting off correctly. I live and fish in Southwest Florida for Snook, Redfish & Trout on inshore grassflats in Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay. i am looking for the best setup for an inshore slam. I either throw gulp plastics on jig heads or freeline live bait. What blank would you guys suggest, graphite or glass, length?. Reel will be a Penn 4000 with 20# braid. Reading a lot about Kigan guides they look interesting. Also wanting to do custom handlework with eva or cork and snakeskin inlay. All components must be suitable for salt water and corrosion proof. I am in the construction industry so i don't need to tell you that budget is everything. Also does anyone know where i can get a checkerboard cork and ring jigs cheap?

Thank you in advance for your input.
I read this forum everyday and can't wait to see whats new.
Its been stated here before but i must say it again, its absolutly great the way you veteran builders are so helpful to us newbies.

J. Scott

Jim -

On our house brand finished rods we will often use the Hydra Ng P944 and P945. This builds out at 7'10" and casts a mile. These blanks aren't the cheapest available, but they offer 100% carbon construction and made in the USA.

We just built up a set using Kigan SCGWC25, SCGWC16, SCGWC8 and then a CCGWC6 and 5 CCGWC4s and a MZCTWC4 top. These were going to be paired up with Penn Battles. This is their tournament rig for artificials but works great on live bait also. We delivered and fished them this past Wednesday and stroked about 20 reds in 3 hours in the 27" - 30" range. That's a nice way to break in some rods!

Hope it helps. Good luck on your project!

Alex

Hydra Fishing, LLC

Online: [www.hydrafishing.com]
Facebook: [www.facebook.com]
Email: info@hydrafishing.com

I bought my cork ring jig on @#$%& for about 40 bucks. If you don't want to buy one, I'll make you some checkers and send them to you. I'd give Kevin over at Get Bit a call for your Rod selection, he's in the area and guides down there. For that reel, you may want to try the Batson XP 843. Great blank to handle live baits and gulps.

Thank you Alex and Brandon for the Feedback.

Alex, I was also thinking that a 8' rod along with a guide set up you suggest would mean longer casts to get to wary fish. Does that extra foot in rod lenght make that much of a difference in casting distance? is a two piece rod an option since i drive a jeep and i can't hardly fit the dog in there let alone a 8' stick.

Brandon, I may take you up since my preliminary design of the grips is a simple checker board bordering a rattlesnake inlay. Of course things may change.

I also have in mind a double foot guide for the stripper just to add a decoritive wrap further up the rod. I don't fish tournaments so i am not concerned about overall weight as long as it doesn't hurt performance, any thougths? I want something that is absolutly beautiful that i can convince my friends to let me build rods for them on their dime.

I just reduced teh cost of my checkerboard jig, look here (instructions on the bottom of the link) [northeastrodbuilders.com] <<

Thats exactly what i was looking for Billy, I will place an order soon for that.
On a side note, since you are the "Grip Guru", i was thinking of doing a snakeskin inlay in the grip and epoxy it so it is almost level with the rest of the cork / eva. do you see a problem with that idea. i know the epoxy would scratch but i thought if i left it recessed a little it would be ok. Don't want a split grip, would turn down the handle material for the inlay. Sound ok?

Sounds like you have to be VERY careful when you turn the grips. I would finish the Snakeskin on a short section of grip, then glue up the rest of the grip around it, and sand it on my lathe after I instal it on the rod. I would masking tape off teh skaneskin when I sanded the grip down, an dwhen it was close I would peel off teh tape and CAREFULLY hand sand the grip to be flush with the snakeskin. I hand sand every rod I build, where the grip meets the butt cap and reel seat so I know I could to it w/o scratching. It's not the easiest thing to do because one mistake and you will scratch the epoxy. As a sidenote, I placed an order and will be stocking Snakeskins by the end of the week, pics will be up on the site of the actual skins I get.

Jim, I recently built rods on the Batson xp843 and and the ip844 both are great for doing what you want to do. Going with the ip would save you a few bucks. If you get a chance you should run up to oviedo and stop in to get bit and mudhole. Then you can handle tons of blanks and look at different components. Takes some of the guess work out of it when you can see and feel what you're working with before you buy it.

Rufus
Port Saint Lucie, FL