Looking to possibly build a rod for a friend. Primarily a Senko rod, using 4-6 inch worms with up to 1/4 ounce in additional weight. Built as spinning and fishing rocky shorelines of the Columbia river for Smallmouth. Would like to keep it around 50 dollars or less for the blank. What would you all suggest?

SB841-CG
7.0" 6-12 1/8-3/8 0.585 4.5 Fast 2.31 ML
1
$63.03

Getbitoutdoors.com

This is a Rainshadow blank, the RX6 is a good value. Not sure you're going to get similar performance for $50. This one is clear gloss finish, and makes a beautiful rod. Works with any wrap colors.

I see get bit has a nice selection of SP and Rev CB blanks on deep discount. I believe the SB blanks are popping rods, so will be more moderate. But qhat are the CB blanks? They even have an RX7 ISJ blank for 63ish.

That ISJ783 would be just about perfect.

Michael, what is the blank color on the SB841? I'm a bit curious on action as well. I recently purchased an XRAY blank from NFC as a Bass/multipurpose blank for myself. Rated 6-10 it is a pool cue compared to any of my Salmon/Steelhead rods.....super fast and super responsive. I would expect an RX6 blank to be slower but will it be noticeable?

SB = Spin Bass., back in the day blank makers called their 4 power SB blanks, three power MB blanks.

Spencer,
In your opinion, with an RX6 Spin Bass blank (say a 3 power) have a softer tip, less back bone or both compared to a 4 power Mag Bass blank? I only ask as Bass fishing isn't my thing and I can't imagine people are using the same thing for 2-4 pound
Smallies over here as they are in the Mid West for Small Mouth and Largies.

Derick,

There is two types of bass fishing, competitive and fun. The competitive guys use much higher power rods to horse fish in fast. Fun fishing doesn't demand that style of angling though that style is fun from time to time. I did not grow up on bass. I grew up fishing rainbow trout, steelhead, and salmon in PNW. So bass fun to me is using almost as light of a rod as I can get away with. I enjoy my interactions with the fish and personally prefer not to haul them in and boat flip them.

All that said the most critical thing is the type of cover. I am not familiar with the Columbia but if it is just rock with the occasional brush pile and not much to snag on then a lighter rod compared to the traditional tournament Midwest rod will do great. But fishing is a personal preference sport/leisure activity and it all is in the hands of the beholder.

RX6 is gloss charcoal color, very nice, and goes well with any wrap color. The "3 power" designations vary with the blank line, so are not good indicators of power. I think the best indicator of power descriptions are the words "medium," or "medium light," or "medium heavy," etc and the lure weight which will indicate whether what you want to throw will load the rod properly. I don't think you want a "medium light" or a "heavy," and think a "medium" power is about right.

A mag bass blank has a stiffer butt, softer tip than a fast action of the same power. But you don't have a really reliable description of power. A mag bass action in medium power, or maybe even medium heavy, will work for what you want. What is the lure rating for the mag bass and how does it fit with what you want to throw?

If you can find a Revelation balnk that works, do that rather than RX6. I would describe Revelations as matte black color. Not quite as handsome as gloss in my opinion, but usually are a little more sensitive than RX6.

CB blanks are crankbait actions and will be more moderate in action, not what you are looking for. In my opinion. You want fast or X-fast of medium power.

I think what Aaron is saying is right-you won't be "tournament" fishing or fishing in heavy cover, so you don't need to go heavy power. But I would not go "medium light" powee based on my experience with Revelations and Rainshadow RX6.

A call to Kevin Brotz at Getbitoutdoor might be very helpful.

Derick, I now have some time to elaborate on my recommendation. The senko is not a light lure. A 5" senko weighs in at 3/8oz on its own. Adding a hook and 1/4oz of lead pushes it over 5/8oz. Casting a lure of that weight with a lower power rod will have the angler resorting to lob style casts, which are fine for open water. If you friend wants to cast into tight spaces, and or skip cast the lure, a low trajectory high speed cast is needed. That requires a bit more powerful rod. An SB, or SJ rod with an 1/8-3/8oz lure rating can be a great choice for drifting a senko with the current or fishing in deeper water where the presentation is more vertically oriented than horizontal. However, if your friend wants to use the rod to crawl the senko or other plastics along the bottom in shallow water, say in an eddy and work the lure through cover, a little more tip power is required to pull the lure up and over rocks, wood, and other forms of cover. For most plastics with 1/4oz or less of lead, an SB or SJ blank with a 3/16 or 1/4 - 5/8oz lure rating does the job nicely. The SJ blanks tend to have a slightly softer tip and mid section, but a good amount of power in the butt.

If you want something that lands in between, take a look at the MB782 or MB842 from the Mud Hole MHX line. The MB782 that I built had a bit slower action than I expected and no where near the power I expected from a blank in the MB line, but hat the tip power I expected. The SJ783 from the MHX line was much closer to what I expected the MB782 to be.

In regard to the CB blanks, they will be like the popping blanks, moderate fast action, and not as powerful in the butt as SB, SJ, or MB blanks.

Stick with 7 foot length, or something not much shorter. The two piece blanks work fine these days-indistinguishable from one piece. If transporting is leading to shorter blanks, one need not sacrifice length any more.

Thank you all. I will keep this info in mind and try to get a better feel for what he has liked on previous/current rods.

Derick,

Living in Florida, we are really particular about the rods we use for senkos. Recently I built a custom using the American Tackle Bushido MB 7'3" 8-15 blank. At first I thought it would be a little light, but it turned out to be absolutely perfect. I highly recommend the blank, and here is a link to check it out: [www.mudhole.com]

Just a small testimonial, this is the primary blank I used to finish 4th at the MLF Toyota Series event on Lake Toho 3 weeks ago.

I would also recommend taking a look at the American Tackle Angler Products Stick Figure worm since you are a Senko style angler. [www.americantackleanglerproducts.com]
Hope this helps!

Rodgeeks 73mhxs

What is the physical difference between a Senko rod and a Culprit rod, or a Mann's rod, or a Zoom rod?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2021 05:58PM by Phil Ewanicki.

Theon,
Thank you for the suggestion, but those are twice the price of Senkos....is there some improvement with these?

Derick, you get 15 baits versus 10 baits in a 5" Senko. The AT Stick Figure is about 18 cents a bait more. If they have the same fall rate as a Senko with better action and are more durable. Then they'd be worth the price. I don't fish a Senko as much as I used to, but I have a couple tournaments on lakes with a lot of docks. I may just give them a try.