I have a client that wants a few 7'-7'6" heavy action bass rods. He has used Kistler H3 rods for years so I built him a couple NFC x ray 736mh and he loved them until he broke them. And as expected he blamed the rod, after fishing with them 10 hours a day 4 days a week since early March. He snapped 2 rods in almost the identical place less than 24 hours apart tells me something external probably damaged these rods but that's a different story for a different day.
.....Back to what I'm looking for. A 7'-7'6" heavy action bass blank that is light as posible for spinnerbaits and swimbaits. I'm not opposed to NFC HM line but I would like to hear what others have had success with.
Thanks as always

Point blank


73 or 76 heavy

I second the Point Blank, PB731HXF or PB761HF. If he breaks that he needs to start using broom handles.

I have a rod built on an NFC MB 790 IM blank. 90 - 95% of the time I use it for flipping and pitching. The other 5 - 10% of the time I use it for throwing spinnerbaits and swimbaits. It's rated for 3/8 - 2 oz baits and 14 - 30# line with a mod- fast action. Sensitivity is outstanding, and it has gobs of power.

I have two rods built on the MB 736 X ray blanks, and like your client, I love them, but they aren't a blank that I personally would look to if I wanted a blank that can take some abuse from improper rod handling. Which IMO you are correct in alluding to the reason these rods broke. They're not a rod I would be horsing fish with. I use mine predominantly in open water and for light to moderate cover. The MB 709 IM I mentioned above does not cast like the MB 736. It will handle lighter baits, but not like the MB 736 will. If he is looking for something that will throw lighter baits I'd be looking at the MB 708 IM.

The rod I have built on the MB 709 is a great spinnerbait and swimbait rod, and an awesome flipping and pitching rod. I've used it to pull bass up to 5 lbs out of heavy cover and have put it in some precarious positions while landing fish in tournaments, and it has handled those situations with flying colors. If I had the rod in the house I'd put it on the scale, my guess is that it weighs in somewhere around 4 1/2 ozs. For comparison sake .... the 2 rods I built on the MB 736 X ray blanks weight in at . 3.65, and 3.85 ozs respectively. The weight difference is due to the grips. One is a split rear grip. The other a full length rear grip.