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I have made some rods and had some made since my last post. I had a rod built from a Point Blank PB701MLF. Fuji titainum guides and fuji handle. Feels great in your hand but just a little stiffer than what I am looking for. Bought another point blank blank, a PB701LXF. Thought it would be lighter. WRONG! It should have been rated a medium. Some one is getting a very expensive gift Christmas. Unusable for me. Bought a RS6 sp842 7 foot mod fast action 6 to 12lb line 1/8 to 3/8. This feels good. Cast great. No annoying recoil on hard cast like some rods. Setting hooks on big fish that don't move much when you set a hook you end up with a rod behind your head cranking wildly to get the rod back in front of you. I may be looking for something that does not exist but the Shimano Clarus filled the bill perfectly. Given the extra information any of you guys have a recomendation for the blank I am looking for. If it exists? Boomer

It sounds to me like you are looking for something like a spin jig type of rod. They tend to have a faster action and a little more power in the butt than the popping blank you just tried and a little less power in the butt than the rods in the bass categories. A spin jig blank with an 1/8-3/8 oz lure range could be just the ticket. Another place to look would be the lower powered hot shot type blanks but the hot shot blanks tend to be a bit longer.

Another place to look for a rod that stands out as one that doesn’t fit well in the categories of blanks available to builders is Falcon Rods. Their 3 and 4 power rods tend to have a moderate action yet more power than graphite crankbait and popping blanks with similar specs. If you have a tackle shop close by that will let you get your hands on the Falcons they could be worth a look as well.

If you like the Shimano Clarus so much, why not just buy one. For $80 you are not going to build a rod for less money. If the components on the rod are not to your liking, then strip it down and rebuild.
Norm

Buy a second and strip it. Once rebuilt revel in the fact how bad factory rods suck!

From what I gathered from the other thread mentioned is that the Claurus blanks were redesigned, so tracking down an older model is Larry's best bet if he wants that particular blank.

Factory rods are not my cup of tea these days, but every once in a while there are blanks that are hard to duplicate unless you have unfettered access to A LOT of blanks available for custom builders and are willing to trim, extend, etc. to get to the right blank.

During my last couple trips out on the river, the majority of my fish were caught on a stripped and rebuilt rod that I got at Walmart for about $12 years ago. Since I had 2 of them, I stripped and rebuilt one to demonstrate the benefits of well designed guide trains, micro guides, spiral wraps, and to experiment with the merits of balancing rods. It was an exercise that was well worth the effort. Those cheap rods were actually one of the better factory rods I've stripped in terms of added weight. The Falcons I mentioned above are some of the best built rods I've ever tried to strip in that they are built like absolute tanks and are a bear to strip, but they add a lot of extra weight to the build (The'll likely be rebuilt over the next couple of years as my kids' first bass rods.).

I think this is what you may like: North Fork Composites P 703-1 (HM / LMX) Medium Light Power and Fast Action. The price displayed is the retail price of the blank so once you put it in your cart it will give you the wholesale price.

I’ve been going through the same thing, I fish the flats and mostly throw a 1/8 oz bait. I recently built a MHX- SJ842 ML and it’s a good rod but a little stiff for what I do, I was thinking about a SJ 841 L but was concerned it would be to soft and flex to much. The NP842 elite-x looks like it might work as it’s a ML but rated for 1/16- 3/8, I haven’t been able to get any feed back on that rod and I would hate to spend $100.+ dollars on a rod and not be happy. Someone mentioned point blank PB701 MLS that sounds close to the elite-x. It’s funny you mentioned Shimano as I have an old Shimano Mike Iaconelli edition that I still use and was thinking about replacing all the guides as it casts a 1/8 oz and has enough back bone.

Frank, what species of fish? For bones, trout, and smaller reds/permit check out below.

If you are a MHX fan you might wish to look at the SJ9000-2-MHX. It is their version of a HS9000 which has a long history as a flats fishing blank.....despite being a steelhead hotshot blank. BTW, in many brands lure weight is a trolling, not casting weight. Not so with the MHX.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russell, Thats very interesting about the trolling weight, I always assumed it was the casting weight. I looked at the SJ9000 and the only problem is that its 7'6'' and I have to keep the length to 7' so it can fit it in the back of my truck. I'm not just a MHX fan, I've been looking at as many other brands as I can ( there are just to many ) for a med-light that is 7' and rated for 1/16-3/8. Seems for that combo the rod is always rated a light. I fish mostly for reds and trout and need a rod to handle upper slot and some times over so I need a little back bone but be able to cast a 1/8 oz weighted hook with a 3'' paddle tail a good distance. The MHX SJ842 does a fairly good job and I built it with fuji reduction guides for 20lb braid but I was looking for more casting distance. ( who isn't ) I do mostly catch and release so I would hate to wear them completely out, maybe the rod I'm looking for only exists in my mind.

Thanks to all who have responded. I have bought a RS 6 medium light blank. Having it built now and it is really stiff. Putting it together as cheaply as possible as it seams like a real dog. Every company has it's own standard. From suggestions here I have bought a MHX sj841 and a MHX sj8600. Both feel good in the hand and feels closer than anything I have tried so far. Looking forward to geting these put together. My Point Blank medum light rod broke in two places at the tip. First about 2 inches down and then 3 inches down. I was trying to untangle a fishing buddy's line from around my line with a fish on his and my line. The fish on my line made a run and POP-POP. Would have thought it should not have broken that easily but it was not normal circumstances. This quest aint cheep. Thanks for the help.

MHX has an excellent warranty service. They will replace the blank for basically a $15 handling fee. Just go ahead and register the blank and fill out the warranty form as directed and you will get a new blank no questions asked.
Norm