Hello all and Happy Hurricane Season!!

Need some help with blank choice. Red snapper just opened here on the Florida West Coast and i am putting together a rig for the big American Reds and Grouper in 100-200 depth.
I just purchased my reel. Abu Garcia 7000i Left Hand Retrieve. Yes its small, but so am i.

Reel will be strung with 40# power pro and fish targeted will be in the 10-15# range with the occasional Monster. Reel Drag is max 17#.
Circle hooks with live bait and 12-16oz sinker.

I need suggestions in length and power. I was figuring 6'6 to limit the fishes leverage but a forum search shows 7' plus to be the norm.

Want a light rig weight wise (thus the small reel) to limit fatigue when holding and jigging.
Want a sensitive tip to detect snapper bites but backbone to pull grouper off the ledge.

i have a penn jigmaster rod i was going to rebuild but when i tied it to the bumper of my jeep i was able to bend it to the point the line was 2'' below the blank, don't like that.

Thats all the info i can think of.

I appreciate all and any responses and suggestions.

Russel Brunt i am especially interested to hear what you have to say.

Thanks to all who participate in the forum and help us new guys.

Fish On!

J Scott
Englewood, Fl



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2012 07:21PM by Jim Scott.

LOL! Don't know why I'm being called out but I do admit to looking for the same solution. Sure didn't take me long to bite either:)

Smart money might be to go with seeker hercules. I also wanted to check out a back bounce blank. My daughter has moved back in to finish college and there went my "disposal income" so I haven't be able to.

I'm east coast so mutton snapper are more my game as far as snapper. Fish top out around 20 pounds. In general our water is deeper but maybe the current is less. So factor all that in. I went with a St. Croix musky blank. Haven't built it much less fished it yet.

Considering your reel choice (which I think is undergunned) I think it would make a nice match. I hear the MHX musky blanks are nice for the price. I haven't tried one of theirs but like the few offerings I have tried.

Latter on, for big fish (grouper and AJ's) I'm very impressed with Penn's baja special. Get one while you can. The 2-speed shimano trynos at closeout pricing is another good value to consider. I don't think the graphite framed tld's will handle the drag settings for grouper.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

My personal bottom rod is a Seeker JB80H with 5" knocked off the tip, a 13" EVA rear grip and a 13" EVA front grip with a #26 Fuji Heavy Duty Graphite reel seat and Fuji BLBLG guides on it.

This rod is a bit heavier than you are requesting, so I would recommend backing down to a Seeker JB80. Fuji doesn't offer the BLBLG guides any longer, but you can buy whatever heavy-duty double-footed guide makes you happy. Stay with the finished length I offered ... 7'7" and the grip lengths plus seat diameter. You tuck this rod under your arm and pump/crank. It is MUCH more effective than a gimbal IMO, for this type of fishing, and more comfortable.

You should contact Billy @ NERBS. He offers the Seeker lineup and the other components PLUS you could look at upgrading to a Hercules blank and going a touch lighter on the blank itself ... GTS80. Another plus ... the Hercules series is offered in a gorgeous red finish that makes a quite striking finished product.

For max 17# drag, the Inshore Heavy cut back to 6'6 will be IDEAL for what you are doing. I helped design the blanks, I have htem in stock in both colors, if you would like to order one contact me at xlrods@yahoo.com. Here is a link to my site with teh specs: [northeastrodbuilders.com] and if oyu want a customer review of the blank here is one from the customer review section on my site: [northeastrodbuilders.com]

"Inshore Heavy - by WhiteLakeBuc -The grouper fishing is closing here in NC on this Friday, Jan 1st. In regards to my purchase of the Hercules XL Inshore Heavy, as noted in the previous emails noted below, I would like to give you some feedback based on 18 grouper trips between mid august 2009 and yesterday landing 234 grouper. ALL ON THE XL INSHORE HEAVY! (FYI - I cut the blank from the butt to achieve a build length of 6' 6")

The rod is awesome. I am completely satisfied with the performance in every way. It has enough sensitivity to feel those finicky grouper bites and enough back bone to yank their fat ass out of a rock.

The Action - Cutting the rod down to 6' 6" did not make the blank parabolic. It had more of a "moderate" action and shut off ahead of the fore grip. This action was surprising to me as I was able to stand and hold the rod in a normal relaxed position yet still apply pressure with out becoming fatigued. Also - when a grouper dove for the rocks, I could stop his ass cold. I think a parabolic rod would have bent enough to allow fish to "rock me up". Can't give grouper not one inch of line!!!!

Durability - I literally abused this rod. Swinging fish in the boat, bending the crap out of it when I got hung up, etc. The rod finish, line guides, and grips, are all cracked, beaten, and falling apart yet the blank is stellar!!! (Alps tri reel seat, fuji SIN guides, EVA fore grip, Riley Rod carbon foam core rear grip). I will rebuild it this winter and use the same blank!!!!

Limitations - I found the limit of this blank IMHO. Although, I have landed quite a few grouper above 20lbs, I believe that this blank is "the one" for all grouper/snapper up to 20lbs and utilizing up to 20lbs of drag. I used up to 30lbs of drag on this rod, but I dropped the rod tip and let the fish pull drag straight from the spool with this amount of pressure. This rod can take some serious heat!!!

I hope this feedback is useful. This blank has surely served me well.

SO............. I have decided to purchase another blank!!!! This time, the 60H for jigging big AJ and hopefully a BFT."

Thanks for the quick get backs.
I criuse the forum daily and see who knows what about where...thats why the shout out Russell. I've read your posts and you put first hand experience into your replies and your saltwater experience.
Thanks for the reply. I will look into the seeker. May be a little out of my price range though.
As for the reel thing. I am one of those strange birds that am Right Handed, fish a spinning real most and can't figure out why b'casters throw with one hand and switch to reel with the other. I have never owned a right hand baitcaster and am finally dumping the 4/0 penn and going for a light duty left turn dinner catcher.
I am a computer jockey by day so not a lot of muscle mass, so i do not enjoy or intend to hook up for a hour long battle with a 50# leviathan. I much more enjoy the medium fish and filling the cooler over my fishmates who wait all day for one fish to eat their 14'' mullet only to get pulled into a whole and break off.

Jim, thanks for the reply. I will check into the grip setup when i static test. i also reel the shorts underarm but jamb the butt into my bellybutton on the bigger fish ( i also have a gimble belt....go ahead say it.....wimp!) so you think i can get the leverage with a 7'+ rod. i thought that would give to much to the fish. i plan on using virtus light guides and will go titanium if the budget allows. I will talk with Billy to get the low down on the seeker lineup and Hercules.
Thanks again guys.

J Scott
Englewood, Fl

Billy,
Great response with the customer feedback. according to the feedback the inshore heavy is EXACTLY what i need. I will be getting intouch with you for some eva trim rings for this build anyway, so we can talk then. Thanks for getting back.
Don't you people sleep?

J Scott
Englewood, Fl

Oh, missed my last relevant build. It was one of those rare ones I did for another so I forgot. Anyhow it was a 7 foot lamiglas triflex. Blank was rated 15-30# IIRC but well suited to to your needs.

Very nice blanks with just a touch of a soft tip but very quick lock up and a ton of lifting power (I forget model # but it was closeout so no matter). Their GCBT could be right for you but be advised they are stiff for power rating so go no more than 30 # class (and 20# is better I think).

A composite is probably a better choice. The St. Croix musky blank will break if abused. Should be okay for the fish and reel you have speced but still??? Very light and pool cue stiff though. Bought it for when I need to fish a lot of lead for moderate sized fish.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russ,
Checked out the TriFlex. Seems to fit the bill. I would love to be in the 50 range and not the 100. But i am sure you get what you pay for.
I absolutly need a tough blank. I am not the easiest on fishing gear. I composit or all glass is the only way to go.
Thanks for feedback.

J Scott
Englewood, Fl

Jim, contact me tomorrow, I might have a Lami CGBT blank or 2 in my "oh crap I have too many blanks, I need to get rid of" corner of my shop, lol. Not sure if I have the CGBT 781 or 841 M or MH, but I had them priced a little less than wholesale. . I also have hte Virtus lite & heavy guides in stock, in all 5 models (Titanium, Chrome/Black nano/Duralite) We can get you set up based on your price range.

Jim, best jump on Billy's kind offer or I'll email Billy and offer to take that GCBT 841 MH off his hands for that price!!!!

Better to let me have it...way too much blank for that abu...LOL.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

@ Russ.
I didn't just jump, i vaulted at an opportunity for a great deal and a chance to ask some questions from the grand wizard himself. What a great hobby where everyone is so willing to help. I cant thank Billy enough for guiding me to the right stick for my ''baby ABU''. With that being said, he may have a deal left for you my friend. Go get it.
Thanks for the feedback Russ, i will be on contact with you again for ''Florida Style'' questions i am sure.

Fish on!!

J Scott
Englewood, Fl

The 841MH is def too much blank for the 7000, Ihappened ot have a Seeker Inshore CBW 709, which is basically the same blank as the Inshore heavy but it has a much faster action and a softer tip. Since jim wanted a 6'6 blank, he's going to have to hack off some of that soft tip which will moderate-ize the action of the rod to handle the 12oz rating he need to hold bottom. While it migh tnot be the perfect blank, for $55 I think it will work just fine especailly once it's modified to suit the fishing. All other blanks in that price range are quite a bit thicker in the OD and do not shut off like the 709 will, which prevent getting rocked up.

I do have that CGBT 841MH, the price is $90, which is $47 off the regular price



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/2012 08:24PM by Billy Vivona.

Hey, this places rocks don't it Jim? I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy. Billy deserves all the props. Dudes a rock star but he is humble enough to do you a solid. Never mind his groupies are old men that smell like fish...ROFLMAO. Must be hard to get a top west coast company on board with filling the needs of the east coast party boat/bottom fisherman but he did it (could it be the shoes?). I'm sure you will be happy.

FWIW I like the virtus lite guides in stainless. Good value but need a little more fitting/grinding than a Fuji. Little mixed on reel seats. Used a pac bay channel lock recently. Looks great but reel rocks more than fuji graphites. Used slick butts but they weigh so much more than EVA, For sure I'm not a fan of long butts fished underarm. Call me a wimp but I like a fighting belt also.....even as light as 15# class for tuna/kings/wahoos but then I fish spinning gear a lot in that range. I do like the perfection ball gimball but finish seems a little lacking. Mostly I'm a fan of keeping weight down on rods that you end of holding all day long.

Best of luck with your build and you know we are all here to make it your best yet.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russ,
We must be a brothers from another cuzin.! I agree about the fighting belt. I was planning on a gimbal. Thinking rubber because of the small reel and all that. do i need to worry about aluminum for a 20# fish? I hit all my guides with the dremel regardless of where they come from.

Cant wait to show the boys my little reel on a Seeker? Billy Rocks!! This forum Rocks!

BTW Tried the Abu in the channel lock seat i have and it is SOLID! Cant wait to get started.....pause....got to build a UF gator rod for a business partner first...Damn!!.
Thank you everyone for the help and we are only getting started. Yee ha!!

J Scott
Englewood, Fl

I've got the Fuji Rubber gimbals which are much better than teh ones currently available. The major difference is the rubber is harder and they are shaped like a regular BRC and not that goofy shape with flat back end. I've been stocking them since last year, I just don't have them listed on my site, I get them from Japan.