Mudhole has their Elite Pro High Mod. EPS86lf on sale for $68.21 NFC has 50-70% off of second rod after full price purchase of first. I am not cheap but am practical. I like to consider myself a "best bang for the buck" guy. I am new to the building hobby, I fish as often as I can. I want to build a finesse spin rod. Reel will be Stradic ci4 3000. Line typically 8# floro. I will be using the Fuji KR Concept per Norms advice. That said, please voice your opinions. They are much appreciated.

MHX EPS82lf $68.21 ---------------------VS>--------------- NFC Loomis DS6107 $193.05 1st blank, less 70% 2nd blank
6'10" - ---------------------------------------- 6'10"
6-12 lb - ----------------------------------------- 4-8lb
1/16 -3/8 - --------------------------------------- 1/8-3/8
Fast - ---------------------------------------- X-Fast
light ------------------------------------------ mag light
1.6oz ------------------------------------------ 1.53 oz

Regards,
Rick Elrod



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2017 08:46AM by Rick Elrod.

any recommendations on other blanks I may want to consider?

Regards,
Rick

Rick EPS86LF is 7' 2'' in my book.

Robert Tanner Wrote:
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> Rick EPS86LF is 7' 2'' in my book.
Agreed 86=7'2. Mudhole has a typo on there for sale page. Thanks for pointing this out.

Rick

Rick, what lures are you most likely going to use this for, or would you like a general purpose finesse rod? You are comparing apples and oranges. The hi mods are a mid tier blank and the NFC are a top tier regarding their hm series. Another couple choices are the scv from st croix for top tier. If you don't want top end then look at the immortal from batson or if you want top end from batson go eternity. If you look at the prices I would take immortals over the hi mod.

Thomas, I throw weightless wacky rigged 5 inch Senkos, drop shot, shakey head........If I had to pick 1 technique it would be the weightless Senko. Would you mind giving me 2 recommendations? One for open water and one for skipping docks. Maybe with the NFC sale I can build both


Regards,
Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2017 09:54PM by Rick Elrod.

Rick,

IMO a weightless Senko is not what most would consider finesse. The last time that I weighed one it came in right at around 5/8 oz. I see that you asked about a 6'10 as well as a 7'2". For open water if you want to stay with that length you could easily use the Eternity ETEC72MSS or the ETES72MSS. The casting blank is a bit more powerful than the spinning but either could be built spinning or casting. My ETEC72MSS is built as a caster and completed weight of the rod is 3.1oz. I use mine for a heavier shaky head rod. My shaky heads weigh 5/8 oz with the plastic and jig head. The ETES610MXFSS as well as the IMMS610MXF-TC would make a GREAT drop shot, light shaky head rod. For the Northfork I would suggest an HM MB705 for the open water Senko. Don't let the numbers fool ya this blank fishes much lighter than most think. Many say this is the equivalent of the OLD Loomis MB873.....NO way NO how. It fishes right in the middle of the old 842 and 843's. For open water dropshot and shaky head in Northfork look at HM DS761 and the IM DS6701. If you look at St. Croix they have plenty of options in 6'8 to 6'10 in whatever flavor you might like i.e SC3,4,or 5.



For a dock skipper that would depend on what length you like to use. I have skipping rods that range from 5'4 to 6'3 for spinning rods and routinely use 6'10 to 7'6" for baitcasters.

I'm with Thomas .... while fishing a Senko isn't really a power fishing technique, the weight of the bait (even the 4" version) doesn't really fit the "finesse" category. If the rod's primary use is going to be fishing 4" or 5" Senkos, I personally would go with a medium power blank. Open water, medium light power is no problem. But if you're skipping docks, you don't want to be under powered. At least I don't.

Also as Thomas points out, there's nothing wrong with considering what is labeled as a casting rod blank, and building it as a spinning rod. I built a finesse casting rod on an Immortal IMMC73ML blank, and I wouldn't hesitate in building a spinning rod with that blank if I were looking for a slightly more powerful rod.

Thomas mentions the Eternity blanks from Rainshadow, and while I have yet to build on one of those blanks, I have no doubts that they are awesome blanks. I say this because the Immortal blanks from Rainshadow are one step below the Eternities, and the Immortal blanks are more than outstanding. I think you'd be doing yourself a favor to consider them if the price of the Eternities has you wavering.

Personally I'd be looking at the IMMS610MXF for out in open water, and for skipping, as I like a shorter rod for that, a blank from the Immortal walleye blank line up, the IMMWS62MXF, if you like a slightly longer rod, the IMMWS68MXF. I haven't built on those blanks, but if their like any of the two Immortal blanks I've built on, you will absolutely love the rods you can build on them.

Thank you Thomas and David for taking the time to offer your input. It is much appreciated and exactly what I was looking for.

Rick Elrod