David, blanks just arrived.

Based on some quick measurements and checking the RodHouse France compare app (you need to go there and compare with a known rod)........

I would conclude NFC ratings are reversed for the SJ703 and SJ732. NFC rates the the SJ 703 as Med-Light and the SJ 732 as Light. The SJ 732 has a bigger butt and tip diameter. The SJ 703 is clearly the lower powered blank, and by a fair amount. The SJ 736 is a LOT more powerful. They should be labeled SJ 701 and SJ 732. The SJ 703 should be called a light power and the SJ 732 a Med-Light.

I think you will like the SJ732 better. Only about 2 inches longer and you could take that off the butt and never notice.

FWIW here are my quick measurements.
SJ 703 butt = 0.503" and tip equals 0.071"
SJ 732 butt = 0.554" and tip = 0.075"
SJ 736 butt = 0.632" and tip = 0.081"

I probably shouldn't but here is my subjective take. The SJ 703 would be great for crappie (and white bass) and a bit more than you need for bluegill. I would use it for bass in open water or if fish are no more than 2-3# in moderate cover (light weeds) I'd have 4-8# test on my reel. Lure weights would be 1/16 to 1/4 ounce.. The SJ 732 would make a nice all around bass rod. I wouldn't call it a heavy cover rod but you should be fine in most waters. I'd have 8-12# on my reel. Lure weights would be 1/4 to 5/8 ounce. I'd be fine with up to 5-6# fish in up to moderate cover.

P.S. One of my subjective tests is to hear the sound a blank makes when the butt is dropped on a hard concrete floor from a height of an inch or two. The SJ 736 and SJ 732 both have that nice brittle ring like glass that I associate with the best blanks. The SJ 703 is noticeably duller. The SJ 703 IMHO is slower in action than the other two.

Okay probably said more I should but let more know if there is anything else I can help with. I'll try to get around to CCS measurements one of these days but don't hold your breath. Need a quick primer on how to do it.

Last but not least, I DON'T think the SJ 703 is a bad blank, I just think it is mislabeled. It should be called a light powered, moderate fast, 1/16 - 1/4 ounce, 4-8# blank.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russell, thanks a TON for that detailed synopsis. I truly appreciate you taking the time to post it, as well as the information you provided. I was wondering what the dimensions for the SJ 703 were, because NFC doesn't have them posted on their web site.

Assuming the construction of all the X ray blanks are similar, your opinion on the blanks' power differences corresponding with their dimensions would be the same conclusions I would have drawn. I've also run into the same thing that you bring up about manufacturers ratings not living up to how the blanks, or final product, a completed rod, perform. I have a drop shot rod built on an NFC DS 6107 IM blank. It's an awesome rod, but it had less power than I had hoped it would have. Still, it's a great drop shot rod.

Wanting a rod predominantly for fishing shaky head jigs, (my opinion is that a drop shot rig and a shaky head jig require different types of rods) I built a rod on the now discontinued Rainshadow Eternity2 series, ETES 610MXF. Lure weight rating for the ETES is double that of the DS 6107. The 610MXF feels less powerful than the DS 6107, and CCS testing bares that out. I absolutely love both of the rods, but the Eternity rod is pretty much a Ned Rig rod. Severely under powered for what I was hoping it would be.

As far as the Rodhouse site you mentioned, I have the link to their blank comparator (their word, not mine lol) book marked in my browser. And while it doesn't provide actual numbers, I find it very useful as a visual aid. And it's actually pretty accurate. Back when I first bookmarked it, I pulled up the DS 6107 and the ETES610MXF up in it, and the visual representation matched the difference in power. If you pull up the SJ 736 X ray, and the MB 736 X ray, you'll see that their almost identical in their power curves. I love the comparator and find it is definitely a useful tool.

Once again, thank you very much for taking the time to post what you did. It is greatly appreciated. I only hope I can some day repay the favor.

And I think you're right, The SJ 732 is probably the blank I'm looking for. If some day you do get some CCS numbers for IP of the 732, I'd be seriously interested in your findings. Thanks again kind sir !!

Tell me a bit more about your fishing styles.

From what I understand a drop shot rig is basically a palomar knot to hook with a very long tag end to which a sinker is attached. Hook is generally exposed and might even be whacky rigged. The shakey head seems to be a jig with a spring wire attachment to hold the worm, generally fished texposed. Ned rig is same but no spring, mushroom head jig, and hook exposed.

If that is somewhat correct I'd ask what depths are you fishing and what weights? You mention smallmouth so I'm thinking northern waters....deeper lakes with more sand/gravel bottoms and not many weeds.

One thing I have found. Extra fast rods are nice when you need to cast lighter weights. I like them when I fish no weight and just let my bait swim around. They let you "see" the bait action and the bite. But I think they aren't the best choice when you want to "feel" the bite.

Just trying to get a handle on if your technique is more about letting the fish take your offering and not feeling much resistance......or if you are looking to feel that tap-tap and nail him. I notice you seem to keep picking extra fast blanks and I find myself wondering if that isn't part of the issue.

I always find using terms like shakey head a problem. People assume they are talking about the same thing. My waters have tall weed growth but aren't very deep and have soft bottoms So I might fish only vertically with light weights and 10' between hook and sinker. Heck, you might be casting a 1/2 ounce weight and slowly bouncing it over rocks with your retrieve and be fishing your offering only a foot from the sinker.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russell, your descriptions of the various baits and techniques, as well as the type of water I fish them in, are pretty much spot on. The only real difference being that, unless the shaky head jig you're using has an EWG style hook. the bait is Texas rigged, versus Texposed rigged.

We differ in that I don't feel extra fast actions aren't the best choice when wanting to feel the bite. But that may be based on the blanks I've built on, that are extra fast action blanks. Both of my drop shot rods, (I now have two because the one blank wasn't what I was hoping it would be) are outstanding in the sensitivity department. They're extra fast actions with the accompanying soft tip that comes with blanks designed for the drop shot rig. While I haven't fished an NFC X ray blank that is similar, I have no doubts that the rod I built on the Eternity2 blank is every bit as sensitive as a similar X ray blank would be. It's a real pebble counter.

I have another spinning rod that I built on a Pac Bay Quickline QLSJ782 blank. It too has an extra fast action, but it has a much stiffer tip. I, rightfully or not, attribute that to it being a spin jig blank. Which is why I am interested in your opinion on the SJ blanks you purchased. Sadly, in my case, Pac Bay discontinued their Quickline series of rod blanks, so I am looking for something similar to the Quickline SJ blanks. They're not typical of a "spinning rod" blank. They remind me of a mag bass type blank in their power curve. I'm looking for something with an extra fast action with some guts in the tip. Because the shaky head is predominantly Texas rigged, I feel you need a blank with a more stout tip in order to drive the hook through the plastic. The rod I have built on the Quickline blank is awesome for shaky heads, but I'd like to build on a longer blank for more hook setting ability on longer casts.

That, and I don't know if you've ever used any of the Z man, or Strike King Elaztech baits, but if you have, you know how difficult it can be to even stick a hook point in them, let alone drive a hook through them on anything but a short cast. I like them because they are super buoyant, so the worm's tail floats straight up off the bottom, but man they are tough to get a hook point through if Texas rigged on light line. I could go to braided line, but I'm not really a fan. And I am really not a fan of it on spinning gear using lighter baits. In my experience one needs to use heavier weights if using braid, or wind is going to cause problems with staying in contact with your bait. Heavy cover, or hollow bodied frogs over slop, give me braid. Otherwise, I'll take fluorocarbon or regular nylon mono.

Anyhow, I'm going long. Again, I appreciate you taking the time to post your findings. It's been very helpful, and please feel free to add anything else you might think of. I assure you it will be well received. Thanks again kind sir.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2020 09:04AM by David Baylor.

Have you given St. Croix blanks a try? They are more like the description you give for the Quickline. I consider them to be the quintessential spin jig blank. I have only used their inshore blanks but I don't think the fresh water would be any different as long as you stay away from the extra fast ones. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, spend your money, and try something. So I am going to suggest you give their SC5 series a try. Just get something versatile like the SCV70MF. The goal being to just get a handle on the feel of their blanks. They are my top pick for sensitivity in feeling the bite. But then I haven't tried NFC and point blank.

I suppose it would be better for me to recommend the 5SW70MLF (or even M power) as it is more in line with what I have experience with. Besides, if you end up not liking it I'll promise to take it off your hands at half price....LOL!

I'm enjoying the chat. Seems bass fishing is going to be in my future and you clearly have a ton more experience than I do. I have always found it interesting that there is so much more diversity in saltwater fishing, yet so few choices in tackle compared to the sheer volume of what is dedicated to a single fish, the fresh water bass.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.