Hello,

I've heard a lot about the versatility of hot shot blanks. I fish as a nonboater, so was thinking of trying to build a couple, hoping I could use it for Senkos, light jigs, small poppers and squarebills, drop shot etc. I know it probably wouldn't be the best at any of this, but hopefully will be adequate. I've decided the Rainshadow Hs9001 for one. The second I'm trying to decide whether to just do another HS9001. Or if the MHX HS981 with 3" removed from the butt) would be better as a second option. Has anyone handled both? I'm thinking he MHX might do better with the shakey/dropshot part as it is rated down to 1/8 oz., but would I be giving up on casting light plugs? I'm not sure if they are very different or very similar as It's comparing across brands so ratings may vary?

Thanks,

Craig
Dover, Florida

I have two. One is the lighest power made, the hs9000 (called sj9000 by mhx) and the other is a rainshadow hs1023f. I have caught quite a few peacock, largemouth, and assorted panfish from shore with the hs9000 (don't know if you have oscars and mayan cichlids but they are tough fish). I don't use the other one in freshwater.

The hotshot blanks have very limber tips so they can cast as well as an ultra light. They have an ultra fast lockup. Once you get past the tip the rest of the rod is much harder to bend. It makes it very easy to break light lines and you need to learn not to overact on crank baits and such. The light tip wouldn't be any good for fishing a texas rigged worm. I think they are great for live bait and fine with a bobber too. They should be good for dropshot with a small amount of weight and probably okay for shakey head. I haven't tried any of that style of fishing so can't promise anything.

They wouldn't be my choice around heavy cover. The tip is light enough that you can't always keep a fish out of the cover. However the butt is strong enough that I have always gotten them out of it. With my rod I could fish as light as 4# mono....and cast anything suitable for bluegill and crappie. I typically fish 6# mono on it but sometimes use 10# braid. That is more in line with what I think the average guy would choose and what I use in salt water.

I would say give the hs9000 a try. For bass the hotshot blank is always going to be a finesse rod so no point in going with the stronger blank. To put things in perspective some guyide reported his client catching a 60# cobia on a hs9000 and it has long been a favorite for bonefish and smaller permit on the flats.

The hs901 seems more powerful and IMHO would be best suited for casting 1/4-3/8 jigs for larger spanish macks and jacks....or tossing live pilchards to small/moderate dolphin.


BTW, if you don't have one, you might consider a light power popping rod as it sounds perfect for your moving lure applications.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Follow up question from a different reader:
Since this thread is on the topic of hot shot blanks and shore fishing, I have been thinking about building a rod for shore fishing pickerel, bass and trout in cool water lakes, designed primarily for maximum distance in casting light wobble spoons and small floater/diver balsa wood plugs, occasionally medium sized top waters after dark. I have been eyeing the MHX HS9600-2 hot shot blank for this, maby with a slight extension made by constructing the handle on a separate piece of scrap blank and adding a ferule to the but of the blank to attach it and make it a 3 piece. Does anybody having experience with this blank know how it would perform under the above conditions? Second question, my wife is fond of the green American Tackle Matrix series, how would their steelhead blanks perform under the same conditions? Hopefully this will yield information of interest to the first poster as well!

Craig,
I would also recommend a HM-P903-MHX for the applications you specified. Faster more sensitive tip than the HS models.

Todd

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com