I would take a look at these... [northforkcomposites.com]


I have 2 of the blanks and really like them, in the process of getting them built now just waiting on guides.

seems like a great compromise of strength and sensitivity

A significant number of fish-poles with a 2 ounce sinker sliding along the line bounce up and down while dangling over the tailgates of pickup trucks. And there's a significant number of fly rod buyers who buy two or three $1,200 fly rods and complain about "sensitivity", although they couldn't cast forty feet down-wind with a 30 mph tailwind. Designers, manufacturers, retailers of rods AND rod builders must deal with these realities. Take pity on them.

Unless a blank is defective or damaged, in the hands of a competent angler a rod will NOT break while fighting a fish. The line will. I assume this claim will be disputed by, say, people whose boat has been struck by other vessels and sunk while they were fighting a fish.

Phil,

Here in the upper Midwest, we commonly use a technique called "Lindy Rigging. " This was named after the angler - Al Linder who gave the technique its popularity. It is simply a sliding sinker that is about 2-6 feet behind the live bait hook that is normally baited with a minnow, crawler or leech. Using this technique the weight is dragged across the bottom with the bait floating up a bit form the bottom waiting for the tap or thunk from a Walleye on the hunt. When this happens, the angler releases tension on the line for about a 3 count to allow the fish to inhale the bait. Then, the angler reels up the slack and when the slack is gone, sets the hook and reels in the fish.

But, the issue is - as you pointed out, that often a rod will be in a vertical rod holder or have a non supported tip as the boat speeds from spot to spot. As this happens, depending on the wind and wave conditions, there are often big bounces in the boat which cause the heavy weight to bang against the rod, wherever the weight has ended up on the rod, when the rod was rigged for transport.

For myself as well as other fisher folks we will use a snap on hook that holds the weight. Then, when we go to put the rod in the rod holder for transport, we snap off the weight and put it in our pocket so that there is no weight to bang against the blank for rough water transport at a considerable speed. Then, when we get to the new spot, we snap the weight back onto the snap clevis and go back to fishing and catching the next big one.

Take care

Send like an effective solution. Have you considered using circle hooks? I haven't gut-hooked or deep hooked a fish in years and I think my hookup-to-hit ratio has improved considerably. I'm certain a much higher percentage of fish survived that I've caught on bait and released.