Hello all - I have been out of the hobby for a while, but am getting the urge to jump back in. I'm looking to build an inshore rod for mostly slot redfish and trout. I currently fish Lamiglas XPS 763 and 764 rods. I throw soft plastics, spoons, and small topwaters on the 763s and larger topwaters and metal jigs on the 764s, and have not cast a rod I like more. But the rods are no longer in production, and I'd like to explore some other options. As with many things, the more I read the more confused I get. So I would appreciate any suggestions you may be able to give me.

I'd like to build a rod on a blank longer than 7', using the KR concept and to be used with 10 lb braid on a 3000 series Shimano Sustain. I have built fly rods on Batson/Rainshadow blanks in the past and been very happy with them, but have no experience with their spinning rods. I have seen good things about Point Blank and NFC, but again have no experience with them. I'd like to find a blank that is comparable to the Lamiglas rods I currently fish, but am getting a little overwhelmed by CCS numbers and all the data out there. Any suggestions?

Pete

Pete,
Those were the IMP903 & 904 blanks, I may have some left, though it will be a few days till I can look. Todd Vivian, the designer at Lamiglas at the time, now works for Mudhole, something similar may have been designed in the MHX line.

Overwhelmed by CCS numbers, which implies you have numbers for the rods you liked? Good start, and it's fairly simple. what you would like to do is get blanks in the same length with similar power and action angle numbers, and it's possible some of us have numbers on similar blanks, or could get them.

The American Tackle LS76/8-15 and LS76/12-25 should fit your needs. Personally, I like the LS7/10-20 for the fishing you described. But if you have to have it over 7' then the LS 76's are the way to go.

Capt. Craig Freeman
Grading Scales Sportfishing and Back River Rods

Hello Pete - As Spencer mentioned, there are a couple models of MHX Popping Rod Blank models that cross over very well. They would be the P903-MHX & P904-MHX. Here is a link to those models - [www.mudhole.com] -- Thank You

Bob McKamey
Mud Hole Custom Tackle
bobm@mudhole.com

Our RainShadow RX6 SP842, 843 and 844 are the go to blanks for what you’re looking for – some of our best selling models out of everything we carry. You can see the specs at [www.rainshadowrodblanks.com]

Though if you want to take it up to a high modulus then go with our Revelation REVIP70ML or M. [www.rainshadowrodblanks.com]

James Taylor
Batson Enterprises
BatsonEnterprises.com | RainShadowRodBlanks.com | ALPSForeCast.com | Build2Fish.com

I Know nothing about your Lamiglas XPS blanks, so I’m not much help on trying to match it with another blank. You could contact Lamiglas and see if they have a replacement for it. If you want to try something different, I would recommend a Medium or Medium Heavy 7’3” or 7’6” Point Blank. These are phenomenal blanks, very light in weight, with a great fast tip for throwing a very wide range of lures a long way. I have made them up as both spinning rods and casting rods. They are my favorite inshore fishing rods for the Louisiana and Mississippi marshes, and the Florida Panhandle.
Norm

Thank you all for your suggestions! Definitely a lot to think about... maybe I'll just have to build one of each and see what I like best!

Pete

Pete, the Point blank 7'3", or the 7'6" MHF, is a great choice for your build. They are lite in weight, and when teamed up with a lite reel, the combo will float if you drop it in the water.

Whatever blank you.get build it using the Fuji KR concept, it is a performance enhancer in my opinion.
Norm

I have ordered the Point blank 7' 3" ML blank and will be using the Fuji KR concept. I decided to go with the ML blank because it is rated for 8-12 lb line, which is a very similar rating to the Lamiglas XPS 763s that I currently use 75% of the time (I know this isn't necessarily apples to apples, but I wanted to stick with the ML feel). I may add another M blank for slightly heavier applications after I finish this build. Thanks everyone for the input.

Pete

I think the PB731MLF is an excellent choice. Even though it’s listed as a ML it has a lot of power in midsection and butt. Its intrinsic power is right at 600 grams, which is more powerful that most ML rated blanks. It will cast a wide range of lure weights. I think you will be extremely pleased with its performance, especially using a KR concept setup.
Norm