I'm thinking of building a rod for fishing in Montana lakes. Target species would include Kokanee salmon. bull trout, brown trout, whitefish, cut throats, walleye, rainbow trout, maybe even smallmouth bass. This would be a spincast rig, two piece if possible. I see multiple carbon inshore rod blanks, and one Quartz CrystalGlass blank that interest me. Any recommendations as to which CTS blank would best suit my needs, and possibly the best Fuji guide train for this rod?

Tight Lies and frisky fish

RJF

Bob,
hands down - the AIR series.
Just choose your lure weight.
Herb

Will you be mostly fishing bait, trolling, casting plugs/spoons, deep jigging? It's easier and more productive to give advice in these areas than it is to recommend retailers or importers of rod components.

Robert,
I grew up in Montana and for all of the fishing that I used - those many years ago was what would now be a 6'6" m-l moderate action in a 2 piece blank.

Lots and lots of fish were caught on that rod and reel.

The key thing about either trout, or salmon or white fish - they tend to have a tender mouth which means that a hook may be some what easier to pull free from a fighting fish. Hence the use of a moderate action rod with a lot of flex for much of the rods length to give plenty of flexibility.

For myself, I would never use braid when fishing for trout. Not enough line stretch with braid. I much prefer using a line with stretch to catch the fish.

If you don't mind - a story from a few years ago. My wife and I, while traveling had stopped at a Montana larger reservoir where both she and I had learned to fish so many years ago. We were having good luck catching typical 3-5 lb Rain bow trout. I was using 6 lb line on a 7'6" St. Croix moderate action rod that was perfect for the chore. We were catching fish most of the time when we were fishing the particular area.

There was a family camping next to us and there was a 12 year old girl named Jessica who was using a set up from her father and was trying but was not having any luck. So, I asked her, if she could ask her parents if it would be all right to rerig her rod and reel to be better able to catch fish. She quickly ran to their camper and asked for permission. She was using a medium action 6 1/2 foot fiberglass rod with a large spinning reel and about 35 lb test line on the reel and a size 00 hook. I stripped all of the line from the reel, cleaned and lubed the reel, put on new 6 lb test line with a number 6 hook and a weight 2 feet p the line. We baited the hook and I demonstrated how to cast the rod, using a two handed casting method to get the hook out as far as we were able. Then, I just suggested that she simply sit back and wait. Sure enough a fish hooked up and the fight was on. She kept walking further and further out into the lake as she was fighting the fish. Finally, she was about up to her chest in water and we suggested that she try to start walking back to shore. As she was working the fish fish, first the butt of the rod, then the reel and then most of the rod was under water. But as she walked back and the fish got close, I suggested that she simply stop reeling and simply back up to get the fish up on the gently sloping beach. She agreed and soon had a nice fish on shore. Then, she exclaimed, ":Lets do it again." So over the course of the next hour or so, she ended up with a nice limit of good sized trout for her family for dinner. Such a happy smile on the face of the young lady as she brought the fish into her family for a latter dinner.

Fun memories from a few years ago.

----------------------------------------
Summary -
A 6-7 foot rod that has moderate action and a medium light power using line with some stretch and a lot of fun is in store.

Best wishes.

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Robert,
> I grew up in Montana and for all of the fishing
> that I used - those many years ago was what would
> now be a 6'6" m-l moderate action in a 2 piece
> blank.
>
> Lots and lots of fish were caught on that rod and
> reel.
>
> The key thing about either trout, or salmon or
> white fish - they tend to have a tender mouth
> which means that a hook may be some what easier to
> pull free from a fighting fish. Hence the use of
> a moderate action rod with a lot of flex for much
> of the rods length to give plenty of flexibility.
>
>
> For myself, I would never use braid when fishing
> for trout. Not enough line stretch with braid. I
> much prefer using a line with stretch to catch the
> fish.
>
> If you don't mind - a story from a few years ago.
> My wife and I, while traveling had stopped at a
> Montana larger reservoir where both she and I had
> learned to fish so many years ago. We were having
> good luck catching typical 3-5 lb Rain bow trout.
> I was using 6 lb line on a 7'6" St. Croix
> moderate action rod that was perfect for the
> chore. We were catching fish most of the time
> when we were fishing the particular area.
>
> There was a family camping next to us and there
> was a 12 year old girl named Jessica who was using
> a set up from her father and was trying but was
> not having any luck. So, I asked her, if she
> could ask her parents if it would be all right to
> rerig her rod and reel to be better able to catch
> fish. She quickly ran to their camper and asked
> for permission. She was using a medium action 6
> 1/2 foot fiberglass rod with a large spinning
> reel and about 35 lb test line on the reel and a
> size 00 hook. I stripped all of the line from the
> reel, cleaned and lubed the reel, put on new 6 lb
> test line with a number 6 hook and a
> weight 2 feet p the line. We baited the hook and
> I demonstrated how to cast the rod, using a two
> handed casting method to get the hook out as
> far as we were able. Then, I just suggested that
> she simply sit back and wait. Sure enough a fish
> hooked up and the fight was on. She kept walking
> further and further out into the lake as she was
> fighting the fish. Finally, she was about up to
> her chest in water and we suggested that she try
> to start walking back to shore. As she was
> working the fish fish, first the butt of the rod,
> then the reel and then most of the rod was under
> water. But as she walked back and the fish got
> close, I suggested that she simply stop reeling
> and simply back up to get the fish up on the
> gently sloping beach. She agreed and soon had a
> nice fish on shore. Then, she exclaimed, ":Lets
> do it again." So over the course of the next hour
> or so, she ended up with a nice limit of good
> sized trout for her family for dinner. Such a
> happy smile on the face of the young lady as she
> brought the fish into her family for a latter
> dinner.
>
> Fun memories from a few years ago.
>
> ----------------------------------------
> Summary -
> A 6-7 foot rod that has moderate action and a
> medium light power using line with some stretch
> and a lot of fun is in store.
>
> Best wishes.

Great story. I have a similar one with some kids, and catching both yellow perch, and crayfish. Those are good memories. Kudos to you for being a great mentor, nd fervid to that child.

Tight Lies and frisky fish

RJF