Last spring I lost a 12 ft sturgeon on the Snake. After 45 minutes it got in the shallows, the 130 lb braid touched a rock and that was that. Had a great guide but what's the point of 130 lb braid when the reel is only capable of 17 lbs of drag at best. So I've decided to build a rod just for big sturgeon on the Snake with a matching reel. I'm sold on 130 lb braid, but can't find a blank with a sensitive limber tip that can handle that much line. Graphite blanks in this range have too stiff a tip. I just got a Gator shark blank and any wily sturgeon will feel the rod before the tip indicates a strike. Any suggestions for a blank with an ugly stick-like tip with backbone that won't break on 100 or 130lb braid?

[www.rainshadowrodblanks.com]

[www.lamiglas.com]

130lb braid is chosen for capacity and abrasion resistance on sturgeon scutes. The rod will never see 130 lbs of force.
A Shimano TLD-20 has 23lbs of drag. This provides tons of stopping power and is more than enough to pull you in the water.

Rick hit the nail on the head, I have used 80 lb. braid in Columbia River for decades with good results, most mono fisherman use 40 lb. test with good results on fish that can be over 10 ft. long, never saw a 12 ft. fish here, but have seen them in the Frazier R. in BC. The rod or reel need not be a 130 lb. setup, can't imagine where you would find the soft tip necessary to watch for those trout like nibbles as they vacuum the offering up. Some of the rods used on the Frazer River for oversize sturgeon were Lamiglas XCF806 and the XCF906. Rated 20 - 50 lb. line, 6 - 16 oz. of lead. Rod blanks are the BT 96 3M, and especially the BT 108 3M for the 9 footer. Both with medium fast actions. Rated as 30 lb. blanks in the catalog.