I've have a customer who has asked me about a 8 ft. and a 8'6" red fish rod by Castaway. This is for a business fishing trip my client is sponsoring for some of his clients. He's ask me to build 2 rods. Problem is I have never seen nor do I live close to a redfish. (Tennessee). I don't know if they are spinning or casting. I do know they are not fishing with live bait. I think the handles are a little longer than a bass rod. He tells me the rods were described to him as "souped up" bass rods.

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

If you are used to building bass rods, you can use pretty much the same setup for redfish, although you will have to make sure you are using saltwater tolerant components. Most of my redfish rods are spinning rods, though, I know a few people that used casting rods (but not many). If money is no object, I would use titanium frame guides, lite Amtac Titans or Fuji TYSG's.

A Castaway 8' XP3 964 or 965 are great blanks to build redfish rods on. You say you don't know if they are casting or spinning rods or if they are using live bait or not, we'll those are questions that you have to ask and communicate with your customer on. You have to know the basics of how they plan on using the rods and what type of lures or bait they plan on using whether they'll be casting and reeling or soaking live or dead bait under a cork.

I specialize in building redfish rods and build many dozens of them each year. As for handles you can make them anywhere from 10" to 12" long. Titanium guides are ok but you can get by with regular stainless steel guides such as Batson,Fuji or American Tackle. Built spiral wrapped is my preference with straight on top micros in size 4 is a very close second.

I wouldn't call them "souped up bass rods because the above blanks I mentioned are also great cranking rods for bass and are very capable of handling 30 plus inch redfish.

Lance

You could do a Google search on Tackle for Red Fish The area he wants to fish and you should get some pretty good ideas of what is suggested to use Even how to set up the line lures

Also find several articles and send them to your customer to look over

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/2013 08:25AM by bill boettcher.

Mark, I can tell you that Lance (or Bill Stevens) are the best source for the redfish rods. I tried some of my best bass rods and tackle....and what is required for redfish is definitely different.
Swampland is your best contact.
Wish I had some of Big Al's seafood!!
Bill

A "rat" red weighs a pound or two, a "bull" red weighs 30+...I'd narrow things down before I started ordering components. I would also consider technique. Live bait is one consideration but consider that redfish hit topwater plugs (baitcast built for dog-walking - 20# able to handle 1oz spooks), soft plastic grubs ( 1/4 to 1/2 oz, 10-20lb braid, spinning), spoons (1/2 to 3/4 oz 10 -15lb braid, long casting spinning) and even spinnerbaits. 8 ft is longer than most redfish rods I think. The only application I can think of for a rod that long is skinny water where the rod tip is held high to run a bait through 12 to 24 inches of water or hold line high and away from oysters and such when a fish is hooked. Handle length is still personal preference.

Lance is spot on, and I think he'd agree that some of us carry as many rods for redfish as a bassaholic does for bass. ;)

Has your client ever fished for redfish and does he know the area that he plans to fish? Once you get all of the information then give Lance at Swampland Tackle a call. He is the man to ask about redfish fishing; he lives in the redfish capital of the world. I have spent most of my adult life chasing reds and build my rods. The Fuji alconite guides are my choice for guides. They hold up very well for saltwater applications. As for rod blanks, whenever I have a build in mind for myself, I give Lance a call and have not been disappointed in what he chooses for me.

Insufficient data. I fish the Mosquito Lagoon (no tidal current) where redfish run 15" to 32", rarely larger, with a 9 wt fly rod. I fish the ocean entrance to the lagoon (strong tides) where redfish run 30" to 48" with a conventional reel filled with 280 yards of #20 mono and a matching rod. Rods need to match conditions and the size of the fish. Find out where and how your customer plans to fish and the size of the fish he is likely to encounter. Not knowing these things guarantees a dissatisfied customer.

The request for an 8'6" rod does have you wondering. Could be he is after red drum from the beaches. As in surfcasting for them. Otherwise even an eight foot blank is sorta uncommon.

I did buy an eight foot popping rod but only because the fish we have are in skinny water and I wanted the extra casting distance.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

That is why a search with the -- area -- will give you -- and your customer an idea of what to use if he has not done it before

Bill - willierods.com

From what I know so far, live bait is not being used. Waiting for a little more info. Thanks for the comments.