I don't care if it is called hot shot, popping, spin jig or anything else - what is the highest end version of this blank? I am thinking about something to throw Berkley Gulp a long way from shore.

Why don't you use a 13 foot surf rod if you want to toss a bait a long way?

Be safe

Light bait and small fish. A shorter spinning rod is more comfortable for a day of fishing with lots of casting; and the smaller rod makes the fish more fun. In other words, the amount of casting will be like a bass fisherman working a shoreline, except in the other direction.

Take a look at the North Fork SSP767-1HM it is equivalent to the old HS9000IMX or the SSP767-1IM equivalent to the old HS9000IM6


Karen
Bingham Enterprises
binghamenterprises@kc.rr.com

I would give North Fork Composites a holler. That is Gary's new company. Loomis made that blank famous so why not see what he has to offer?

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

[www.northforkcomposites.com] - North Fork blanks are light and high end but not that fast. Maybe someone else has some data on the clones, Mhx, Batson, Pac Bay etc. Lamiglas makes fast blanks. One example would be the Infinity Bass series but those aren't high end and not that light. Phenix makes high end blanks, some of them are light but I don't think there is an extremely fast model. Not in the K2 series. Cts makes high end blanks, their steelhead series were having an isometric taper and therefore a larger cw range. The Cts spin/cast blanks (blend) are not that high end. Harrison (UK) spinning blanks were fast, large cw range, toray fiber so pretty high end and some models were faster than the regular ones. I've seen lots of variations in a German store of both Harrison and Cts blanks, probably newer models, advertised as faster than the most successful models of those two brands. Dunno why the manufacturers aren't promoting them. A Cts distributor could jump in to add if there is some work in progress / market testing and if they do have a newer, much larger catalog. Hydra blanks are interesting, but not really high end or light, and unless Alex comes with some numbers on some special purpose model, they are as fast as other brands' blanks. Where else should one look? I'd say St Croix and Dancraft. St Croix are both high end and fast but not that light in weight. Dancraft has some spinning blanks on the Gloomis model, made of 57 msi sometimes even 60 on the website, between those well known really fast fly blank that made its name and there is where I'd ask for a fast one. If there is one, I'm sure they will pop with some numbers. In Japan Gary Loomis left a fever for high end fishing rods and there are three blank manufacturers, or better said collectors and sellers: Justace, Designo and Matagi. Justace and Matagi have pdf catalogues everyone knows as their rod building parts are nothing exotic and Designo sorts blanks for Evergreen, Imakatsu. The Japanese blanks are of Asian origin, are really light and high modulus but not insanely fast. Though there are models and models, the usdm ones are usually credited as being faster. Higher modulus isn't expensive. And more, in recent years many manufacturers are chasing for the intermediate: the 1000 fiber. Popping blanks except some Lamiglas ones have an all around action. Usually, lighter blanks are slower in action: higher modulus, greater elasticity, better play. NFC made SSP 702/7202 IM and SMP 7212 IM, latter still available in Japan, as the finesse lighter range of the steelhead line of blanks. Surprise or not, they have actually a popping action. Huge difference in action between those and the ones with a higher power. NFC Crankbait series is faster. Some NFC Spinjig models are fast but they are also much powerful. Check the NFC pdf, ask their two distributors for diameters and weight and then extend a St Croix.

The NFC blank that Karen referred to is absolutely the fastest HS9000 clone on the market, period. The only thing faster would be the real deal in a GLX version. There were a few here and there, old stock, available. You would need to just search for them.

Not sure what you mean by highest end....I hope your not talking about dollars...because the best HS9000 I've ever built is Batson's Rainshadow.

What are you looking for when you say "highest end"? If it is simply a measure of modulus then you are missing out on more important factors. You can take a "lower modulus" blank, and built correctly, end up with a higher quality rod than you can build by using a "high modulus" blank.

Marty,
One way to look at it is - which of the 9000 series rod with identical action and power have the least weight.

Weight is a very general on the different kinds of material in the rod.

i.e. very light rods tend to be in the high $$ class. On the other hand, heavier rods - (same action and power) tend to be less expensive.

I suspect that if you have the Batson HS9000 in your hand, and have the North Fork Composites comparable blank in your hand, you would feel a pretty remarkable difference.

Compare the two blanks for yourself, and reach your own conclusion.

Or compare one of the Original Loomis IMX rods and the Loomis GLX 9000 rods to the same rod built on the Batson blank and reach your conclusions.

By the way, I have built several rods on each of these blanks in question and all of them build up to be great rods.
However, they are certainly different rods and although equal in speed and power - are very different.

Be safe

So when you say very different, I take it that means in terms of weight and responsiveness, given. that the speed and power is the same. To be fair, most of my rods are standard and mid-mod, but the last two I built were on the Batson RX8 blanks and they are just outstanding. If Batson made a the HS9000 in the RX8, I wouldn't think about it twice. I can't find anybody making the HS9000 in high-mod. It sounds like nothing has exactly replaced the old GLX version of that blank.

I'd be looking for something more like the LSJ841 XMG blank from Lamiglas for your application I have an awesome 90 inch version, but it didn't go into production, as far as I know.

I had used the 9000 for year glx and imx. Iam looking at building the same thing for Great Lakes smallies. The water is ultra clear and need to get the bait away from the boat. I am looking at either the 5S76MF-G or the 3S69MLXF in St. Croix and using a Manley adjust-a-but to extend.
I have both of these rods. The 76 is longer and higher grade. The 69 is faster, real fast, and I have caught a lot of fish on it throwing jigs for light biters. I have taught a lot of fish on both of these rod, so have my clients. The 69 maybe the best all around rod St. Croix makes. I may eventually build both. First need to actually get my hands on the Manley. I would look at these two.

Good winding,
Doug