Good morning everyone,

I am French, so please, excuse my bad american ^^

I am building an XH casting skipping rod with Spiral wrap for a customer who wants to fish with frogs in X- Heavy cover, so I think you can help me.

The rod blank is 5'6" length (Batson RX7 IMB 785 which on I will cut 10 inches from the butt). It is a Mag taper rod blank, so I shouldn't loose a lot of backbone.

The spiral will be a Forhan 0-10° / 60° / 120° / 180°.

My customer's reel is a seven years old Daiwa Zillion which is a very low profile casting reel.

The line is running out really near to the rod blank, so I would like to use this guides combo:

4 low rider Fuji TLCSG (size 12 - 10 - 8 - 6 ),

then 4 Fuji TLDBSG Running guides (size 6),

and finally Fuji TMSNT 6 Top.

Do you think, the Butt guide size (12) is enough for skipping, or should I replace it by a larger ( 16 ) ?

I would like to use size 6 Running guides and Top because my customer uses a 60 lbs braid with a Fluoro-carbon leader (TLDBSG doesn't exist in larger size).

I want to put 9 guides on this rod to make it a little bit slower on the tip.

Guides placement in centimeters would be this one:

TT
8
9
10
12
14
15,5
19
22,5


Do you think my reflection is good ?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Have a good day.

Franck

Are you saying that you will cut off 10" of the blank from the butt end thus making the rod 5'8" long? If so, that alone makes the rod "slower" as the bending of the rod will move further down until it "locks up" or really doesn't bend more. Nine guides would seem excessive and I would think the shortened rod would lose a lot of the power needed to fight fish in the typical heavy cover where one would fish frogs, although the shortened rod increases the fisherman's leverage in fighting the fish but the rod itself would not be as powerful. I also think that therod you mentioned is listed as a Medium heavy.

Typically, US fishermen utilize longer rods when fishing heavy vegetation to move more line quickly for the powerful hook sets needed when angling in heavy cover. Again, typically the hooks are not exposed so one must drive the hook through the bait first and then into the fish's mouth. You could also decrease the # of guides by using the simple spiral method



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2012 07:14AM by Ray Zarychta.

A good idea is to Google up the fish you are after and find out what is usually used to catch them this gives you and idea of what tackle is used
Your supplier will also have suggestions on blanks guides handles to use with it

10" is a fare amount to cut off maybe look for a blank the size you want with the power you want and build that one or save it for another time

If you cut it you may not have any warrentee

Bill - willierods.com

Franck - the title of your post included the word "Skipping"

Rod blanks are designed for specific purposes -

One of the best frog blanks is the Castaway XP3 874 - its special feature is a soft tip section.

I have successfully trimmed this blank to 6' 9" for close in work.

Click on: [rodbuilding.org]

If you desire a short range close in blank to skip under docks the tip speed will be quite important.

Be sure any blank you cut down that is heavy enough for frogs will allow your customer to do what he wants.

Most power rods are set up for long throw, power hook set and line take up which required a longer length than you describe..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2012 12:42PM by Bill Stevens.

Franck,
Go ahead and chop the blank to what ever length that you need.
I agree that with a mag blank, you should have plenty of beef to still make this an acceptable rod.

With a rod this short, you will be able to use a short handle. i.e. a 6 or 7 inch butt grip should be fine.

But, I also agree with one of the other posts, that 9 guides is really excessive for this rod considering the fact that the rod will be this short.

If you have your butt guide at 18 inches or so from the reel seat; you really don't have a lot of blank left to the tip.

I am thinking that 6 might be about the right number of guides to use on this rod, with a spiral wrap.


Good luck
Roger

Thanks a lot for your help ^^

I know that it would be better to buy a rod blank a the good length, but it doesn't exist skipping blank of this length (5'6").

My customer already have a "classic" Frog rod (7'6"), but he wants a extra short rod to fish in very smalls ponds, with X-Heavy cover and a lot of trees and riparian vegetation.

In first time, I have choosen a St CROIX SC2M63XH (6'3" and 30-80 lbs). But the 3 to 8 Oz lure casting power and the 10 sized Tip frightened me. I think it would make a really to rigid rod to fish with frogs properly...

I will keep the Batson blank, cut 10 Inches from the butt (Magnum taper). I didn't take care that the space between the reel and the butt guide would be too short....

If the rod is not a success, I will keep it for me ^^

I will tell you when the rod will be finish.

But I don't know if my butt guide size (12) is good, and if use Low rider surf guides for this rod (and this reel) is a good idea ??? ^^

Thanks a lot for your help.

Have a good day.

Franck

Franck ZENK

Furious Bass Custom Rods

WEBSITE: www.furiousbasscustomrods.com

Email: furiousbasscustomrods@gmail.com

Franck,
You say, " I didn't take care that the space between the reel and the butt guide would be too short.... ".
That is fine. But, when building a rod, there is really no point to put a guide on a rod where it is not needed.
Normally, you don't need a butt guide any closer than about 18-20 inches on a rod - no matter the length of the rod.

The same is true for the number of guides on a rod. Only put enough guides on a rod, to allow the line to follow the contour of the loaded rod. Any more guides than that simply adds weight and are unnecessary for the rod.

But, the wonderful thing about making "custom" fishing rods is that you, as the builder can do what ever you want to make the rod to your own liking.

Be safe
Roger

Thanks a lot for your advice Roger.

But I don't like to use the simple spiral (I think there is too sharpy angles...) and if I use the Forhan spiral, my "spiral guides" will be near the Tip.

I know it's not a problem for the rod action, but in France Acid rods are not yet a habit, so if I make the spiral nearly to the tip my customer will be surprise...

I will try several configurations and I will see wich works better.

If I put my Butt guide far enough to the reel, 18-20 inches, can I use a smaller butt guide, 10 in place of 12 ?

Because I dont want to have too big guides on the Tip, and I dont want reduce guides size too quickly, except if I am obliged.

Thanks a lot for your Help.

Have a good day.

Franck ZENK

Furious Bass Custom Rods

WEBSITE: www.furiousbasscustomrods.com

Email: furiousbasscustomrods@gmail.com

I don't use any one type of spiral
I put the guides on then run a line and Let The Line Tell Me Where the guides should be keeping as streight a path as possible

Bill - willierods.com

Hello Bill,

I understand your reasoning, but I dont understand your way of doing that.

1 You put on guides (with masking tape in order that guides could follow the line path?)

2 You run a line in guides.

3 Do you load the blank to see the "staight path of the line" or do you just glue the Top guide at 180° and place guides to make the straightest line from reel to the tip, without load the blank ?

Thanks for your advice.

Have a good day.

Franck

Tip is glued at the 180 Then guides are rubber banded on One per foot plus one just to start
Then check the line path no load And with load to see if I need all the guides Adjust
Then put a bumper guide in to keep the line off the blank Most of the time I bend a double foot guide to keep the line close to the blank and have a streighter line path Try to keep the line in the middle of the guide rings close to the blank

Bill - willierods.com

Bill

Thanks a lot for having explained your method ^^

I will try it and tell you my results.

Thanks again.

Have a good day.

Best regards

Franck ZENK

Furious Bass Custom Rods

WEBSITE: www.furiousbasscustomrods.com

Email: furiousbasscustomrods@gmail.com