Hello everyone,
I've had success building off of the 7' 6" MHX L902 for saltwater trout from a kayak. I really like the blank but my question is simply, "What is a step up from this blank?"
Is there something lighter, more sensitivity, casts further with soft plastics?
I'm looking to experiment a little but stay close to what I know works.
I'm looking for something that essentially says, "Wow, if you liked the L902, you'll love this."
Many thanks.
John M.

If you are looking to stick with MHX, their Elite-X and Elite Pro freshwater rods might work. Look at some of the medium heavy models like, NEPS86MHF-MHX and NMB843-MHX. About twice the cost of the L902, but they are lighter, more sensitive and still maintain similar specs on power and lure weight.... don't let the freshwater/saltwater label limit you! I have a rod built on a "saltwater" blank and it has never seen the ocean...

-Chase

I think the Batson Rainshadows are a step up, and reasonably priced. Their inshore series and their bass series are both very light in hand, very sensitive, and very durable.

John,
Why do like the 7'6" length for kayak speckled trout rod?
Lance

I guess b/c it seems to cast a lot further than what I was using previously, an MHX Custom Blend 7' rod. Thanks

I use a 6 - 12 lb. hot shot blank for speckled trout and bones. They are 7 1/2 ft. long also.

I am not familiar with the MHX blanks other than the fly rod blanks but I used to build on the G Loomis IMX 9001 blanks. They were 7'6" medium light (6-12 lbs line) and the blank was originally intended for steelhead . I used them for redfish and trout for the same reason. I would look at the salmon / steelhead blanks by North Fork Composites (NFC) the HS 7600-1 (HM) or the HS 7600-1 (IM) these are probably the exact same blanks that G Loomis had or as close to it as you can find. I would say they are lighter than the MHX blanks and large step up. Don't let the price scare you because they are actually half off the listed price.

I built 20+ rods for the same purpose on the L902 and 903. 1/16 and 1/8oz jig heads with 5” plastic jerk baits and top water baits can be launched and there’s plenty of backbone to set a 3o hook in big reds. They are our primary “Boat Rods” When we drift now since we started using the L843 for wading. After ATS stopped producing the AMJ843 Matrix which was the Golden Rule for wading rods I have settled on the L843. It’s 7’ but I add 2” in the butt for a 7’2” finished rod.
Note: Do not mount your first guide (from the butt) more than 23” from the front of the reel. It caused a lot of heart ache trying to figure out where the back lashes were coming from.