Newbie here, looking for some help. I have taken up rod building as something to do in the winter months. I have a 7' inshore kit put together, but not yet epoxied. Reading the great advice on here, I now realize I need to re-layout my guides. So glad I've found some good basic (and advanced) advice here before I get too far, because I am already imagining all the specs and puppy drum I am going to catch with it this summer.

I want to get ready for my next build though, and want a 10' surf rod and need some blank and guide advice. I plan to match it with a 8000 Shimano Baitrunner with 15lb mono. I'm not a hard core beach fisherman (typically fish inshore). I usually get down to the VA and NC coast a few times a year and throw out bottom rigs or a fish finder, and drop the stick in the holder and wait for something to happen while reviewing the beer supply. That usually requires 2-4oz of lead on most of the days, maybe a 6oz on a rough one. I do like to throw a spoon or plug at schools if they do pass through though. I was looking at SRF100MMF2 (10' medium 1-4oz), but wasn't sure if that was too light for those heavier days. Their medium-heavy 10' though jumps up to 3-8oz, which sounds like a flag pole to me. Their 10'-6" med-heavy sounds great at 2-6oz, but with the 30/70 split on their blanks, that extra couple inches on the top part make it really tough for me to transport (7' is about it). Does anyone have any experience with their blanks and action? I don't want to end up with a buggy whip. Reading their blank data, it appears like that 1-4oz 10' Medium is pretty stout based on dia and weight tables they have on their website.

On guides, whoa man I have fallen down the rabbit hole. There doesn't seem to be a good source for guidance on spinning surf rod builds. I was thinking of starting with Fuji's 10' Sea Bass rod guide setup (https://www.mudhole.com/assets/images/content/Fuji-Concept-Guide-Spacing.PDF) which uses 30, 20, 16 MNs, then 12, 10, 8, 8, 8, LNs. That count seems 1: light based on the New Concept pdf in the library here (v10 #4), and 2: undoubtedly wrong based on all the advice and differences of opinions I've expressed on the mater reading through the forum. Any help or advice would be greatly apricated.

On the guide sizes you list - that's just way too many sizes. You don't need them. Just 3 or 4 different guide sizes are plenty on about any rod. I can't tell you what sizes and how many to use (the line will do that for you) but to start I'd least cut back to say, 30, 20, 12, and then 8's on out, if you know you can go that small without any difficulty passing knots or connections. Again, this is a guess and don't just rush out and put these on the rod - lay it out and get it right. But you don't need 6 or 7 different guide sizes.

..............

Instead of building another, heavier rod try using a 3 or 4 ounce "sputnik" sinker on your bait rod. Good, heavy wire prongs on a 4 oz. sputnik will hold in a strong tide but release with a sharp pull.

Well, I am going to build the rod... there's no way around that. I am hooked. No pun intended. I've never used the sputnik type lead, because I am too cheap to pull the trigger when I am sitting in the tackle shop. But I should.

I LOVE the RodGeeks 10 and 10'6 " surf blanks , I have two 10'6" 2-6 MH powered rods and find them absolutely ideal to use fishing the surf all along the Atlantic coast . I also have the 10' medium powered and 8 foot medium powered surf blanks as well . Incredibly lightweight with great responsive action. The 70/30 split on the 10'6" models doesn't bother me they are still easy to transport even in a passenger car.


With a Baitrunner reel in the 8000 size designation using 15 pound mono I agree with Tom with the layout like a 30, 20, 12, and then 8's on out . Avoid 30 , 25, 20, 16 ,12, 8, etc....

I use braid 20 pounds and under and like the RV 25, RV 16, KW10M , KB5, and then KT 5 ,5, 5 ,5 on my 10'6" blanks and on the lighter rated 10" and 8 foot builds I go all single foots in KL25H , KL12H , KL 5.5M , KB5 then KT 5,5,5,5, or KL25H - KL10H, KL5.5M , KB 5.5 to KT 5.5 's on out but those choices are made based on my reel specifics and what line type and pound test I plan on using .

If you're building a rod to work with a variety of reels and line types instead of one specific reel and line type like I do then things are different .

Boyd, few questions before I can venture any answers. Please don't be insulted by them.

1) Do you already have that reel?

2) Is mono a must?

3) Do you know what a shock leader is and why you would need one?

4) Would you consider a conventional reel (Baitcaster)?


P.S. Do you know about the sale NFC has going on? BTW, what is the 7' inshore?

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I also really like Rod Geeks surf blanks. I just completed their 10' 4-piece travel rod (SRF100MMF4) for use in Baja and when visiting my son in Florida. I built the rod with a Fuji plate reel seat, paracord grip, and a guide layout as Tom suggested (30 double foot, followed by 20, 12, 8 single foot in Fuji's BC gray/alconite). Haven't used it yet. I'll probably pair it with my Shimano Ultegra.

A couple of years ago, I built their 11', 3-piece combo (SRF110C3)- very nice set-up. The 70/30 split doesn't allow me to fly with them but when I drive to the Texas coast (Padre), they've proven to be an awesome combo for lure and bait. I paired the combo with a Seigler star(mag) reel.

I have the reel, yes. I use mono because of inertia mostly, cost some, and finishing summers, I don't shoot for a lot of casts over the bar, and don't hook up any 60" bull drum (yet). So more line on the reel doesn't do me much. I used to use shock leaders, but stopped when I never once broke off a cast at the terminal tackle because I end up cutting off the worked end pretty often. But I lost a few nice fish when that in-line knot did part or did want to retie the leader and itself got old and broke. I don't make hard casts on crowded beaches. In fact, I really don't fish crowded beaches.

And baitcasters, I don't touch em'. I can stomach a conventional reel for trolling or deep drops, but I just feel like it's fishing with a spinning reel.

And the 7' inshore rod was from Mudhole. My thought was, it was cheep enough to learn on that if I totally screwed it up or hated the process, I wasn't out much. But I think I did a pretty good job with the wrap and really did like the process. If I get the guides sorted out, it's better than the matched stick that came with my Spinfisher V I've been fishing with these last few years.

Sounds like a lot of people like the Rod Geek setups, but is the consensus they run over or under their listed weights?

If you mean can they handle a little over their listed weight ratings then the answer is a resounding 'Yes' . They got very serious backbone . The 1-4 ounce rated rods really can whip 4 ounces with power and the same can be said for the 2-6 ounce rated rods . I much much much prefer the M Fast rated rods NOT a fan of the M Moderate.

I have built several on the rodgeeks surf series and they are great rods. I have 9’ and a 10’ footers that I personally fish with at Hatteras. I did just buy a Carolina Cast Pro 11’ which is 2-6oz that I have fallen in love with. Both 9 and 10 footers are setup for spinners which are 3 and 4000 series Daiwa spooled with mono. I used the rodgeeks guide layout but increased the size of the guide train for easier pass through of the shock leader. We have caught big pompano, drum, speckled trout and sheepshead off the rods. No issues noted on the multiple trips with them being used.

Wow, you go all the way down to a 3000 on a nine footer? I thought I was under sizing with a 4000 Penn spinner on a nine footer. I usually toss that right behind the break to catch sea mullet. So it's not like I'm asking a lot out of it.

Alright, I'm sold. Where's my credit card...

The Carolina Cast Pro 11’ is paired with an Akios 555 CTM for pompano/sea mullet. I have one rodgeeks 10’ 1-4 fast action paired with an abu 5600 for the same species. I have them spooled with 12lb suffix tritanium with 20lb flouro shock leader.

That’s why I asked if you already had the reel. An 8000 is a big reel these days.

You will be happy with the blank you picked. It will lob cast way over 4 ounces.

On the guides you have to decide on double foot or single.

Fuji has some suggestions for longer rods. Something more like KL25H, KL12H, KL8M, KL7L, KT7 to the tip. If you go with double foot guides I’d use KW guides and start with a 30. Might need two to three guides to get down to size 8 running guides.

I would pick my guide train with the idea that I would be using a shock leader. You aren’t using one now but chances are you will in the future.

I mentioned NFC because of the sale and their nice inshore blanks.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Alconite or Torzite KW guides all the way and then a MN tip top. Tip top needs a “tang” on the end so that you can run thread on it as well. All my runner guides are a minimum of 10mm including my tip top.

You may want to check out a new American Tackle blank, the Atrex series, and the Microwave 30 guide system. The ATREX10-3.5-2PC blank would be perfect for your build, and is designed to cast up to 3.5 ounces! Looks really cool too. You can order them from Mudhole.