I'm building a rod to go after a couple of the IGFA line class records in 1kg/2lb class, but I'm stuck on which rod blank I want to use.

I'm looking for a Mod fast ~8 ft rod that has enough backbone to handle large (10-25+ lb) fish, but is soft enough to use 2lb test line. Something that has a moderate bend in it when pushed with 1 lb drag, but still has more left to buffer if the fish makes a surge... I'm looking into a fly rod blank, but I've also considered buying one of Berkley's Trout Dough rod, tearing it completely to a blank and rebuilding what I would want.

I'm not worried about lure weight (and I saw the whole discussion on an UL rod from a Fly rod, but it went to lure weight and castability, where I want the ability to handle light line, and fighting ability and feeling) just strictly concerned about how it handles when a fish is hooked.

And if I go with a fly rod blank how high can I go and still keep the 2lb line safe during a fight? I was playing with my current fly rods (don't have any 2lb in the house right now, buying it fresh before I go for the record so I can't test on it) with 4 lb test line and a scale to see how much pressure each could take, and I found my 4,5 and 6 weights seemed to be able to have a decent pressure bend in them with 1 lb of force on the line, so would I really need to go down much lower to keep it safe... Now I know different manufacturers have different standards, and it all depends on the action of the rod, guide placement, and guide selection, but I'm looking for a general idea based on experience and overall performance that you've seen with lighter lines. What blanks might have said a higher recommended line weight but you think were too light for that, but might be just right for 2 lb test? I want one that's long enough for casting a good distance from shore, and to keep them away from the boat, and/or if they go under the boat and I've found 7.5-8 ft is around the minimum I'd want.

I think a Swift Epic 480 would be a very good choice. Very light, very strong, perfect action to cast well and protect the line.
Plus, you can't beat the look of glass !

_______________________________________________
If I'm not going to catch anything, then I'd rather not catch anything on flies.

Prostaff Rodhouse
[www.rodhouse.fr]

When pursuing IGFA light-tackle records the choice of a rod blank is not so important as the choice of a gaff.

We have a fair amount of experience building rods for 2# records.
Bill Fitzgerald of Clarksville, AR broke the IGFA 2# line class for both true Striped Bass (32#) and Hybrid Striped Bass (14#) in 1999.
We found that long "noodle" type blanks that bent all the way into the handle was the only way he could help the line survive a long fight.
Penn level wind reels and "turnover" wrapped with many high end "SIC" or "Zirconia" ringed guides to help cushion the line.
Bill lost several over a 2 year period until we got everything just right.
If you are not after that large a fish, it may not be that important, but it was for the hard running Stripers.
If I was doing it today, something like the Batson Steelhead blank, IST1141F or XST1141F is what I'd use.
At the time we used now unavailable Loomis Noodle rod blanks.
Feel welcome to give us a call if you need more info.

Best wishes,
Ron Schneider
Schneider's Rod Shop
Mountain Home, Arkansas
[www.schneidersrods.com]
mtnron40@yahoo.com
870-424-3381

I agree with Ron, though not much of a rod builder yet....I have many years experience steelhead fishing low/slow/clear water with 2# test line.
Only way I can occasionally be successful ( rivers are full of obstacles like branches and boulders) is with a very long noodle rod.
I use an old 11' Fenwick world class.

I also agree with the noodle rod approach.

I have a few noodle rods running on a couple Lake Ontario Charter boats that offer light line experiences for their customers. Each boat has landed Chinook Salmon into the low 30lb class with one low 30lb fish being landed on film for an episode of the Outdoor Scene cable TV show. I built mine with Fuji SiC guides and tip. The captains tell me the battle to land the fish is a team effort of angler, captain driving boat, and mate assisting with netting and deck duties that can last well over an hour.

On a side note, my rods were all built on G. Loomis and Fenwick blanks; Interestingly, I just brought my last G. Loomis blank out of storage for the most recent NERBS gathering, an IM6 version - Billy had an IMX varient (not sure which era/brand of Loomis it was) that we compared. Billy's IMX had a finish applied and seemed quite a bit heavier, softer, and less powerful than my unfinished blank. I don't know about Billy, but I felt the unfinished IM6 would be more fishable than the IMX probably because the IMX seemed so heavily burdened by the excessive weight of that finish.

Gee
Billy did not use a Hercules ???

Bill - willierods.com

Great advice has been given (as always here). I do wish more people would state where there are fishing and for what fish. I'm a southeast salt water guy so the term "noodle rod" doesn't work for me. Sure I'd want a slower than normal action rod, but I'd also want a rod that could deadlift my line class. I rather put stock into my reel's drag and tuning and know my rod could handle the full strength of the line if I "had" to stop/turn a fish.

It has been my experience that most don't spend enough time testing knots and lines and then finding out how the blank responds if it is asked to handle the limits of those constraints. Gaining experience on how a given speices of fish fights can allow a skilled angler the chance to apply maximum pressure at key points in the battle. The rod must allow for that action without taking up all its reserve "cushion". If anyone thinks casting takes an "educated thumb" record fishing for big, fast pelagics takes those words to an entirely different place.

Totally agree that it is "team" fishing" at its best. Hard for me to see "fishing from shore" as a viable method.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Noodle rods are a manufacturer name for a class of long, slow action, ultra light power rod blanks.

For example St. Croix 3S106ULS2 is a "spinning- noodle", at 2-6lb test - this is on the powerful end of noodle rod blanks.

The "old school" noodle rod blanks from various manufacturers ranged in length from 10.5-13' and had line ratings of 1-4, 2-4, IGFA 2 on the low end. I think I recall a 4-8 lb test from one manufacturer on the higher end, but that was really not a noodle rod in the classic sense even though they labeled it as such.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/2013 11:48AM by John E Powell.

So, Bryan...what fish will you be fishing for?

Will 1# of drag be too much for line that "should" break below 2#? That's over 50% of the breaking strength.

Jay: 1# of drag won't be too much if the angler can keep the fish from realizing it has been hooked and lead it to the boat where team effort with nets and gaffs take over. Much less than 1# of drag and the line won't reel in. This is VERY specialized fishing, where if the fish feels resistance from the rod - no matter what blank is used - the fish will bolt and all will be lost.

Phil, do you have inside info on what Bryan is looking to catch? If so please share.

I'd wager Jay has a good idea of whats involved in fishing for IGFA records.

John, I didn't mean to imply that I was ignorant of what a noddle rod was. My point was, given the fish in my area, coupled with allowable leader length, it is better for "me" to have a stronger rod and a better drag.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Thanks, Russ.

Phil...my asking was to know if the OP was fishing for a record Crappie or a record Sailfish...

SailFish
On 2 lb test line ????

I got to see that

Bill - willierods.com

Bill, can't comment on 2# but there was a lovely young lady that took a whole lot of sailfish in my area on 4# and 6# several years back.

The sailfish's undoing is two fold. First, she wages her battle in the top of the water column. Therefore she won't cut you off, or hang you up on anything; nor go so deep that you run out of line or she dies. Second, it is her calling to be the high strung bantam weight of the billfish world. Once she knows she is hooked she will take off in a stark raving mad fashion, an initial run of breathtaking speed and acrobatic moves.

Most anglers, when they hook their first one, tend to drop their jaw in awe and forget they are supposed to be fighting a fish. She is so darn beautiful and elegant yet wild and untamed. About the only other thing that invokes the same feeling is trying to approach a disarmingly beautiful lady. Even you can mange to will yourself to action you are bound to do and/or say something stupid:)

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I'm going to be going for several species, all who are bulldog straight pull fighters who are going to be a challenge on 2 lb test. I've caught all but one species over 12 lbs on 4lb test and even higher on higher tests without an issue, and with few break offs. I just want a bigger challenge and noticed that the current record in the line class is within the achievable range of able to find for me. I'll be fishing bottom slip weight rigs with various leaders for different species, given the fishing technique, bait, and target species.

And I've looked at a noodle type rod before, I worry that I won't be able to get the right hook set with the soft nature of the rod, and I don't want to lose a fish because I couldn't get the hook set well enough. That's why I'd prefer something with a little more backbone.

1 lb of drag will be plenty of drag to land the fish. I have my 25 lb rods set to ~5 lbs of drag, and a little over that for the 40lb rods I use to catch 40-60 lb blue catfish, and all it takes is playing the fish well, not to mention if I need to I have the range to turn it up if the fish isn't able to be turned. I also choose reels that can hold a minimum of 250 yards of line so I have the range to be able to handle if the fish wants to run. 1 lb is 1/2 the pressure that the 2lb test line is supposed to break at. It is still a good deal of force (Go take a 16oz sinker and adjust your favorite rod to just let out line and see how much pressure it actually takes on a rod) and more than enough to pull up a good fish if fought well. From shore makes things more difficult, but the former Blue catfish record "Splash" was a 121 1/2 lb fish caught on 20 lb test from shore, so If I have a high enough capacity reel, the right location and fight the fish correctly it's possible. I also will not use a gaff under any circumstances, my fish will be kept alive, weighed, have all the IGFA measures taken, before releasing alive (as I strongly believe in not killing a fish esp for just a piece of paper).

I also fish alone more often then not, and will be having a Survivorman style filming of the catch, and weighing. Having a shorter rod than 11 ft will allow me to net the fish a lot easier than an 11ft noodle rod will allow me to, without a loss of control.

I do know what I'm doing to fight the fish, and my general idea on what kind of rod I'm looking for, I'm looking to see what rods other people have used, seen, think would work so I don't have to spend 100's on different blanks, or trying to get down to the building show in NC and still have to build a dozen rods on 1/2 dozen blanks to find just the right one for me.... I'm ok with it narrowed down to 2 or 3, but trial and error on limited budgets are draining and a waste of time when there is the knowledge base of 100's of rod builders and 10's of blank manufacturers and retailers who know most of the blanks available.

You don't really set the hook on IGFA 2 lb test, you maintain tension until the wiggling of the fish works the hook in past the barb.

The big problem with trying to fish 50% of the test class is that you leave very little room for error, drag spikes, etc. If the fish gets a length of line out then you have line drag to contend with as well.

You will benefit from the longer, softer rod, a lighter drag setting or just backwinding. Stay very close to the fish. 1kg is a very unforgiving line class. Limited hook setting power, lots of stretch to contend with.

In my experience a coarse fishing float rod or quivertip makes a cracking light line rod.

That was my point when I mentioned the drag as well, Ted. Initial drag set to 50% of the breaking strength of the line leaves VERY little room for error...especially considering the line should actually break BELOW 2# for IGFA elligibility. Couple that with a fish that's going to take 3/4 the spool and then you have to figure in the drag increase from spool diameter...plus the increased friction drag from having 200 yards of line in the water...I'll bet plenty of fish are going to pop the line simply because of these factors.

But that is the crux of the 1kg line class...

With 2# line the drag at the reel must be less than #1, which leaves the open water IGFA record-seeker two strategies: (1) Don't set the hook or alarm the fish, sneak up close, and gaff it while it's green. (2) Chase after the fish and keep close enough that the drag created by the line does not exceed 2# and the fish will eventually fight itself to death. There are no live releases in this game.