Hello,

I´m building a swimbaitrod of a Batson RX7 SW967F 12-25lbs 3/4-4oz blank for fishing on pike and catfish. It´s gonna be spiralwrapped using BLNAG size 6 for the bottom and part of the mid section. For the upper mid section and tip I´m planing to use BLAG 5s and a BMNAT 5. I´m a little concerned that the small BLAGs might be pulled out or bend when throwing 100gr+ lures or fighting big fish.
Has anyone already used small BLAGs on "heavier" rods?

Kind Regards

Max K.

Max,

I have used these on Musky rods throwing up to 1lb. You will be just fine. I would use a locking wrap.

Fish wont hurt them, anglers will! .....especially with rod lockers.

Edit to add: Stick with a 6mm ringed tip top or larger for durability reasons.

DR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2012 03:25PM by Duane Richards.

I built a Batson ISWB 945 Swimbait blank back in April for throwing Alabama rigs. The A rigs that I throw are about 2 1/2 oz. The blank is rated 1 to 4 oz.

My build used the new longer foot Baztson microguides (XPBMKLG series), as I wanted to try them. I did a spiral wrap.

The rod has a XBLXNLG double foot 7 as stripper guide,, two 4.5's as transition guides, to a 4.0 as the first running guide, and 3.0's as the remainder of the running guides.

I only got to use it for about a month before A rigs were not effective due to the shallow water grass and bite. I caught about 6 or 8 decent fish on it,
and I was pleased with the performance. Looking forward to fall when it will get a lot of use,

Hope this helps.
Bert Nagy

Duane Richards Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> Edit to add: Stick with a 6mm ringed tip top or
> larger for durability reasons.


Thanks for the infos Duane.
Why do you think a size 5 top might fail? Is it that specific model? The frame should be strong enough. Only the inlay is pretty thin. But I don´t think it will break unless I´m pulling/forcing snaps etc. through it. It might heaten up faster than a thicker inlay on a long escape, but on the other side it´s gonna cool down faster. Here in europe most swimbait and jerkbait rods have a size 6 or larger top with a very thick inlay, but I personally think this is not neccesary and only adds weight and makes the tip soft.
Please let me know about your doubts regarding the small top.

Thanks

Max

Max, here is my take on small tops.

I used a Size 6 tip top on my build. and not a micro top for a couple of reasons.

1) The 6 ring is larger than the micro tops. There is more area and glue holding the ring in.. A lot of times the bait gets reeled up to the top, and bangs into the ring.. In my opinion the larger ring is more robust.

2) On one of my first micro builds, I used a micro tip top. For some reason the rod did not seem to cast as well, as I thought it should. I swapped out the tip top for a size 6 ring, and it was a big improvement in how far the rod would cast. Might just be me, but I think the larger ring tip top also adds casting distance.

Hope this helps
Bert Nagy

I've been using the newer Batson XPBMKLG 3mm guides on ISWB946 and ISWB946's blanks spiral wrapped
throwing Swim baits and Alabama rigs weighing in up 6 and 7 ounces with no problems, using 65 to 80 lb braid.

Don't see why 5mm wouldn't work with SW967F blank

Also been using 3mm BLAG's on flipping and pitching sticks with up to 65 lb braid. Some of the rods have been in service for over three years now.
the only guide I've had to change is the 6mm double ft I used for the stripper guide. But then that happens when you (I) step on a rod.

Max,

Durability as Bert stated.

DR