The nice weather outside has made my fishing gears starting to spin and I am looking to build a new rod. Since I am very much an amateur with only a few rods under my belt, I wanted to pole all the Pro's and forum contributers to get your recommendations. My last two casting rods turned out fine (MHX MH) that I made for my Dad, but they were kits to get my feet wet. Now, I want to build a nice rod to be my go to T-rig rod in the 1/4 - 3/4 oz MH range. I am open to all suggestions from 6"10 to 7"2. If there was a build you did in this range, and it turned out really well, it would be awesome to get any recommendations and details regarding your builds. This forum has so much knowledge that I just feel more comfortable asking for recommendations before I just start ordering componets and experimenting. With my level of experience, I would like to build a mirror image of someone's favorite build - blank, guides, handle and any finishing touches. Also, I am looking for the most bang for my buck in the $250 or under range for all components.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,
Jim RTR!

The first thing I'd ask if what kind of cover do you fish? If you fish the edges of heavy cover, but not IN heavy cover, then the 1/4 - 3/4 oz range you mention will be fine. If you plan on fishing actually in heavy cover, pockets in heavy weeds, baits down in the middle of willow bushes, or into fallen trees that are more than just a lay down log with a few of the bigger thicker branches left on it, then I'd suggest a higher power rod. A medium heavy with more power than you quoted, or a heavy power.

If you're fishing in heavy cover you want to be able to move fish.

If the latter type of rod is what you're looking to build then I'd suggest you look at a Rainshadow Immortal IMMC72MH blank. to build it on. It's a 7'2" blank rated for 3/8 - 1 oz baits, and 12 - 20# line, with a fast action, and is a beautiful titanium chrome color. It's a light, powerful, and very sensitive blank. I love the rod I built on it.

I used Fuji CLNAG, and CLAG guides. They're chrome stainless steel frames, with Alconite rings. I used a pretty conventional guide train as far as guide sizes go, using an CLNAG 10 as the butt guide, an CLNAG 8 as the second guide, and a CLNAG6 as the final reduction train guide. Then 4.5 CLAG guides as running guides. I will say that I most likely use more running guides than the average builder. I do that because I want maximum power out of the rod. I have 12 guides total, plus the tip top on my rod. I used a FCAT tip top. 4.5 ring with a 6.0 tube.

I used a split rear grip with EVA foam as the material. I used a silver trim ring between the butt cap and fighting butt, with black rubber winding checks between the foam grips in the exposed blank section of the rear grip. I used a silver trim ring between the rear grip and the rear of the reel seat. I used a Pac Bay Minima split reel seat, but I plan on replacing the reel seat at some point in the future because I don't find the seat to be that comfortable on this particular rod. Reason being, the majority of the time I use the rod for flipping or pitching, and the smaller diameter of the exposed blank isn't as comfortable to me as a full bodied reel seat is.

I built it without a fore grip, but I did use a Forecast nut / hood assembly that uses EVA foam in it. I trimed the threaded tube of the reel seat down so no threads are exposed when the reel is mounted, The Forcast nut / hood covers the thread. I made a small nub from EVA foam to cap the end of the threaded barrel that extends 1/8" past the end of the nut / hood assembly with the reel installed.

I used black thread for the guide wraps, with a 3 turn trim band using siver metalic thread on the ends, and a single turn gold metalic accent band in the middle of the wraps. Hook keeper is the standard hoop hook keeper, silver in color. Wraps holding it on match the guide wraps. I also have the same wraps at each end of the portions of the rear grip where the blank is exposed.

It's not a super fancy looking rod, but it looks pretty darn sharp if you ask me, and if fishes like a dream. It is, pardon my French, one bad ass rod.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2016 07:52AM by David Baylor.

Jim,

I have built all kinds of TX Rig Rods in about every price range out there and, IMHO, you can not go wrong with:

Blank: Mudhole HM-MB843 7’-0”, 10-17 lb., 3/16-3/4 oz.
Reel Seat: Fuji ACS Trigger, Exposed Blank, Reel Seat, Size 16
Guides: Fuji Alconite, Chrome Stainless Steel Frames

Rod Blank: Mudhole High Modulus MB843
Guides: Fuji CLNAG 8J, (suggest changing this to Fuji BKWAG – 8J Butt Guide KR Concept)
Fuji CLNAG 6J, (suggest changing this to Fuji BKWAG – 6J KR Concept Guide)
Fuji KBAG 5J Belly Guide
Fuji KBAG 4J Belly Guide, (3 to 4 depending on static loading)
Fuji KTAG-4J Tip Guide, (2)
Fuji CLGAT Tip Top, 4.5 Ring- 5.0 Tube
Reel Seat: Fuji ACS Trigger 16 mm, Silver Hood
EVA Foam Split Grip: 3.9” -1/2” I.D. with Tenon for Trigger Seat
Fighting Butt: EVA 2.25”L x 0.50” I.D
Aluminum Winding Checks, 15mm, 14mm, 13mm, (3 total).
Hook Keeper: Chrome Stainless Steel, Small

This was copied from an invoice with wholesale pricing, so I removed the pricing. I have built a bunch of Mudhole's HM- MB843 and love the blank for it's all around performance. I throw Senkos with it, TX Rigs, Jigs and about everything else. It's a great blank and doesn't break the bank with the pricing.

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2016 11:42AM by Donald R Campbell.

Great. That is exactly the type of information that people like me need when they are starting a build. I really appreciate both of your replies. I have heard good things about the HM MHX blanks, hopefully they are a big step up from the standard MHX rods. I have also seen a lot of good reviews on the immortal 2 blanks. To answer David's question, I do fish some cover but not enough to focus on a stick for those types of applications. I am a weekend warrior and many times my T-rig rods pull double duty as a light jig rod or for spinner baits. Any other suggestions out there?

Jim,

I wasn't sure if your were familiar with the Rainshadow Immortal blanks. I believe they are a little more pricey than the HM MHX blanks; but they are really impressive. I have recently built both the Immortal and Eternity 2. Here's what I recently built on a Immortal Blank:

Blank: Rainshadow Immortal IMMC72MH Casting Rod, Length: 7’-2”, Line: 12-20 lb.,
Lure: 3/8 – 1 oz., Butt: 0.560”, Tip: 6.0, Action: Fast, Power: Med. Hvy, Wt.: 3.0 oz.
Guides: Fuji K-Series Alconite Rings / Black Stainless Steel Frames, (10 Guides plus Tip Top).
Reel Seat: Alps Tex Touch Graphic Trigger Seat w/ double locking nut.
Grip: Forecast High End 2-Tone Cork Split Grip, Foregrip & Fighting Butt

Rod Blank: Immortal IMMC72MH ……………………………………... (Retail: $186.55)
Guides: Fuji BKWAG – 8J Butt Guide KR Concept…………………. (Retail: $ 3.55)
Fuji BKWAG – 6J KR Concept Guide……………………….. (Retail: $ 2.95)
Fuji BKBAG 5J KR Concept…………………. (7 @ $ 2.55 = Retail: $ 17.85)
Fuji BKTAG 5J KR Concept Tip Guide………………………..(Retail: $ 2.49)
Tip Top: Fuji Black Micro Top Alconite, Size 5 / 5.5………… (Retail: $ 5.45)
Reel Seat: Alps Tex Touch with Double Locking Nut………………… (Retail: $ 22.67)
Rear Grip: Forecast High End 2-Tone 4 ¼” Cork Grip………………. (Retail: $ 18.64)
Fighting Butt: Forecast High End 2-Tone 1 ½” Cork ………………... (Retail: $ 10.25)
Fore Grip: Forecast High End 2-Tone 2 ½” Cork…………………….. (Retail: $ 12.78)
Aluminum Winding Checks, Swooped Alum. Silver….. .(3 @ $ 3.95 = Retail $ 11.85)
Hook Keeper: HK Stainless Steel, Small……………………………… (Retail: $ 0.95)

'Hope this was helpful.

Don Campbell
don@sensorfishingrods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2016 04:07PM by Donald R Campbell.