Hi Guys,

I am looking for a little help with a shark rod I want to build for myself. I have recently started drifting for thresher and mako from my small boat off Rockaway Beach in NY. I have had a lot of fun and boated a few thresher in the 250-350 lb range. I had been using a rod I built on a slow action heavy power ATX wireline trolling rod with a Pann 6/0 reel spooled with 80 lb mono.

I am also entering the Star Island Shark Tournament...which is a pretty big contest.

Now I want to get a little more serious and build a stand-up rod for use with a fighting belt and shoulder harness. Maybe 5'6"....short rear grip....long fore grip....first guide a roller wiith a roller tip with turbo boat guides in between...??? Sound right?

Can you recommend a blank? I have been looking at Seeker Stand Up Tuna Blanks but there are so many. How do you size a roller guide? Which grips? I can't seem to find suitable EVA grips....they should be slick....?

My boat and tournament rules do not allow for fighting a fish with the rod in a rod holder.

I have a Penn Squall SQL50VSW reel already for this rod....that is the cheaper/graphite version of the International. I will use 80 or 100 lb mono as I have no experience with braid and the knots and methods of using mono and braid together.

All help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Joe

Here's a pic of our last trip so you can see how I expect to use the rod.

[www.rodbuilding.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2014 12:08PM by Joe Willsen.

I would go with a Lamiglas RT-80 and all roller guides with an Aftco short straight butt.

I have several of the following in service with great feedback on them: Seeker CTSF55XH Tuna Rod Blank. I built a pair of these specifically for sharking for a gentleman that fishes in your area from a 25 foot Parker. He loves the rod and now has 3 of them. They are built straight-thru with aftco rollers. Another customer a little farther south uses the same blank shortened a bit to make a 6 foot rod with a unibutt and Aftco rollers. I don't think you can go wrong with these blanks.

Hey Thanks Guys.....Jim.....I like that blank and it is one I was looking at. Did you use any rollers? Could you give me a little direction as to the size of a roller for the butt guide?.

Here is my 2 cents,

I like the recommendation of the Seeker rod for a short stand up rod. For your application this will be perfect in my opinion. If you have the harness use it to set up the reelseat location. I would opt for a bucket style harness but that is just me! Also I use many of the Super Seekers for giant yellowfin tuna. In which I have caught MANY, MANY, MANY, sharks on them as a nuisance in the 150# or larger models. Hammer down and try to break them off as that is not what I am trying to catch. Funny how a circle hook and straight mono/fluorocarbon will not cut off when you want it to and have to crank them to the boat anyway. On the Spectra or Braid I would use the hollow and insert the mono and serve instead of tying knots to make that connection. I would also stay away from the rollers if using braid as they are just not needed for your application. I have seen rollers cause problems with spectra jumping the roller especially the tip top roller. Aftco has made changes to the Roller to eliminate it but I still have seen it jump with even the new ones. I think that the problem is the spectra is so limp that it has the possibility of jumping. All of my Super Seeker Tuna are in the 6.5 to 7 foot and are stand up rail rods are with titanium turbo guides from American tackle. Just a little difference in placement of reel seats but still great rods. My favorite is the SS6463 3x built full length, they are shipped a little longer than listed. As for the grips try Hypalon they are tougher than eva. But you build the rod the way you want it with the components you like after all it will be your custom rod!

Thad
Dutchman's Creek Tackle

Hi Joe
I have built many shark rods and have gained a lot of experience doing so. The blank I would use is a Rainshadow solid F/G rated at 80-130# and cut so that the overall length is no more that 5'6", 5'4" is even better. Use a straight or curved, your preference, Alps Unibutt or go all out and use a Winthrop Terminator Butt which changes from straight to curved, its pricey but I've sold lots of them. I'd also use Winthrop Express Guides and Top, Winthrop Guides have huge knot clearances and the rollers are recessed so the line can't jump, again more pricey but you get what you pay for. The blank is moderate fast which is perfect for what you are doing, you'll never break this blank unless you cut it with a saw and my customers in PEI have taken numerous GBFT over 1000# standing up!!
Ed
Reel Easy Custom Rods

Thanks All.....Jim.....I went with the blank you suggested. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Thanks All.....Jim.....I went with the blank you suggested. Thanks for taking the time to respond.