Hey guys so I am thinking about building a football jig rod on a M1 blank. However I saw the review on tackletour on the finished rod and they talk about it not being very sensitive. My question is, is that due to the way the rod is built, or is the blank not a very sensitive blank? What would you compare it to in terms of sensitivity?

First off, if I didn't have confidence in the blank I wouldn't use it. Secondly, the blanks are constructed out of different materials and built differently by the factory as far as components are concerned, at least on the rods I've seen in use, things could be different now. Lastly the use or non-use of a nano resin tells you nothing about the materials and layup used in the construction of the blanks. An example is that the graphite used in the Infinity/Si series of Lamiglas blanks is not the same high end graphites they used in their XMG 50 rods, being of a lower modulus overall also contributes to the durability of the blank.

Every report I have seen on a blank's supposed "sensitivity" has been pure opinion. If anyone knows of a study of physical evidence - milligram/millimeter of linear force or torque - please share your source. Until then known laws of physics are most credible - the lighter the finished rod the more easily it moves - and until then all blanks are equally sensitive, since one opinion is as good as the next.

I've known guys who claimed their rods weren't "sensitive." I could watch their rod tip and tell them when a fish had picked up their lure/worm etc., and yet they still couldn't feel it. So I wouldn't go overboard on the idea that this or any other blank isn't "sensitive." Sometimes the fault lies with the fisherman whose senses simply aren't sensitive.

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Cameron Johnson Wrote:
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> Hey guys so I am thinking about building a
> football jig rod on a M1 blank. However I saw the
> review on tackletour on the finished rod and they
> talk about it not being very sensitive. My
> question is, is that due to the way the rod is
> built, or is the blank not a very sensitive blank?
> What would you compare it to in terms of
> sensitivity?


Cameron,

If you're looking for a "very" sensitive blank, you might consider taking a look at the new Rainshadow Eternity 2. Not long ago I built a ETERNITY² ETEC 72 MH for a customer and he says it is the most sensitive blank he has ever fished! It would be an excellent blank for football jigs. I've built a lot of Phenix Blanks, which are very good blanks, but IMHO the new ETEC 2 blanks are better. Contact Carol at Utmost and she can help you out and Utmost has the best shipping rates I have ever found!

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com

Cameron,
I like Tackle Tour for the information that they share and while generally informative, they are highly geared towards JDM tackle and very opinionated towards USDM manufactured equipment except the highest offerings like the SCV's from St. Croix, the NRX from Loomis and such.

I am sure that you don't want to build a multitude of rods in search for the one you want from the get go, but I am sure that you would find a very suitable use for any that did not fit the bill of what you are looking for.

I've spoken with a few very knowledgeable people in search of such a rod and they would recommend, Point Blank, Batson's, and St. Croix as well as Northfork. Any of those manufactures would leave you with a very nice rod for sure. There are also a multitude of others that would offer a more economical choice that would not fail in the performance category.

Take the Tackle Tour reviews with an objective grain of salt.

Tom

According to ancient and widely accepted laws of physics the most sensitive blank would consist of the lightest and most rigid material available. At present the lightest and stiffest material [by far] known to man is graphene aerogel. Unfortunately this material shatters easily- like when it is deformed. Rod builders in search of the ultimate in sensitivity may have to make compromises, like they do for every property in a fishing rod.

Thanks everyone for all the replies! Haha I would love to go for the 7'2 MH Eternity2, I was trying to save a little with this build though. Chances are that will be what I end up using though haha

Difficult to believe anyone puts any credibility into TackleTour reviews. Look at all the advertising and that should make it clear that objectivity is thrown out of the window. Then all the shills that post to push products, not to mention the experts that fish 5 times per year. On the bright side, it is good for a laugh at least once a week. Oh well, you decide.