1/16-5/16, fast, light. I'm looking for a 2pc because I usually travel in a small car and this rod is going to be for wade fishing for smallies in relatively remote rivers with some off trail hiking required. I'm looking for a light action because most of the fish are 12" to 14", but I would like a stouter butt for the ocassional 17"-18". 7' is my target length because long casts are usually required due to ultra clear water and river width.

Might be something in the St Croix catalog, they seem to do the most 2 piece fast action blanks.

How about the S842-2-MHX ? meets your lure weights and two piece. Not quite as stout in the butt, but I think you will be happy with it. I have built quite a few on this blank.

Or the ATC 3pc Travel blank... .502 butt AT841-3

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Super Tight Lines......Don

Don Morse Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How about the S842-2-MHX ? meets your lure weights
> and two piece. Not quite as stout in the butt, but
> I think you will be happy with it. I have built
> quite a few on this blank.
>
> Or the ATC 3pc Travel blank... .502 butt AT841-3


What a coincdence. My father gave me a S842-2-MHX for x-mass thinking it would meet my needs. I haven't done anything with it yet, but it didn't seem stout enough to be anything more than a solid trout rod. What are you or your custies using the S842-2 for? Thanks for the heads up on the ATC blank.

I have built the 842 as an "all-around" panfish rod with that has no problem with the occasional largemouth, catfish, carp, etc.

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Super Tight Lines......Don

I fish river and stream smallies almost exclusively. I have the mhx sj781 and the s782, both 1 pc, so keep that in mind. The 1 power spin jig and 2 power spinning are NOT in the same ballpark, not even the same sport. The SJ781 has much more power, it's one of my go to smallie rods and has handled river smallies up to 20" 4+lbs in current . Even landed a handful of 25-30" stripers with it. The S782 is a trout/panfish rod IMHO and never comes to the bigger rivers with me, it just won't handle big smallies in current.

A couple options,

as mentioned, St Croix has tons of 2 pc blanks....the 70MLF2 spinning blanks would be similar, the light power croixs are more like the mhx 2 power spinning blanks ... more $$ though

MHX popping blank P842-2 might be worth a look but i never handled one so it;s just a guess based on specs

MHX SJ9000-2 cut down to 7' , I'd probably go this route

Make a MHX SJ841 a 2 piece

The Batson IP841 is similar to the Mudhole rod but I'm not sure they have it in 2 pc. I've built several IP841 one pc and they are fine. You may also look at the St. Croix 3S70 series. I am almost certain they come in two pc.

Ed Smith
Flat Rock, NC

I have a 782-2, use it for walleye and crappie, but it's taken its share of pike, too. You have to be careful and take your time, but it will hold up...you just can't horse it. That said, the MHX 9000's sound like a better choice.



Scott Nordlund
Hartford. SD

Thanks for the input guys. I think I'll go with the sj9000 cutdown. That never crossed my mind. It will have to go into the que. I'm a newbie who has not built his first rod yet, but who now has five in the planning stage.Sounds like it's time to get off the pot.