I didn't think it would be such a hard choice picking out what rod I wanted to start with, but I believe I finally have it narrowed down.

First rod I am going for a is Jerkbait rod. I am trying to build a rod as described in this video
[www.youtube.com]

The Blank I have in mind is the SCV610MXF - Though I don't believe I need the Extra Fast Action. In order to get the action I want. It looks like I would need to go to the SCV70MF
[rodgeeks.com]

Now RodGeeks says their Carbon 4 series are equal to the St. Croix IV models.
Models C470MF and C4610MXF being the like for like models.

In case you have missed my previous 2 post, these will be my first rod builds and I am only familiar with the name brand names you find in your BassPros, Cabalas, and Tacklewarehouse. I am looking to this boards experience with these brands I am not as familiar with for guidance.
I am not 100% locked into RodGeeks Carbon 4 Series or St. Croix.CSV. Though I'd be lying if I didn't say I find RodGeeks price point more appealing and the fact that I can get these blanks colored the way I want them using either brand. I am open for suggestions or alternatives

Second Rod I am looking for a good skipping rod. Something with a natural feel of skipping a rock across the water to put the bait under docks and hang brush. Now for this, the St. Croix SCV610MXF or RodGeeks C4 C4610MXF seems like a good fit with the Extra Fast Action.

Thanks in advance for the guidance and suggestions.

The SCV70MF is an all-time favorite of mine. Very light, sensitive, and versatile.

I'm not a skpper, but from what I've read others write XF may not be the ideal action for that technique. Get some guidance from those who do skip.

I was fortunate to get a SC 4C68MXF after SC quite selling blanks. An unfortunate encounter with a wind gust and rod locker lid ended that rods usefulness I built a C4610MXF hoping to get a reasonable replacement and I did not find the blank to be at all similar. It was much more moderate in action. I find the MHX Mag XF blanks to be much more similar in action to the SC XF blanks.

I would also consider building at least one rod for practice before tackling a SCV build. I am all for buying the best you can afford. That said, when I look at the first rods I built I am happy I didn't stick a bunch of money into those builds. There is a wealth of amazing advice available on this site, but rod building lessons are really learned through experience. I am just a hobby builder but have been at it for 20+ years. I am still improving my builds with each rod.

After watching the video, I would suggest that a $250 factory rod is not built on a blank with the characteristics of a SCV. The SC rods built on those blanks are $400+ rods.

I think you would find similar performance to the Expride on blanks like the Rainshadow Revelation or Immortal Series.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2021 12:34AM by Jeff Saxby.

In my experience with skipping I like a faster soft tip. The cast motion is minimal and the tip doesn't play a part in the necessary follow through. If you make sure the blank is rated for the weight of the lure you are skipping you should do well. Make sure if you are skipping soft plastics you rig one up and weigh it in completed form. You did not say whether you were making the rod casting or spinning. Personally I prefer spinning for skipping. It just feeds line out with less resistance than the spool and it aids my personal style of skipping. I skip heavier things like jigs on casters. But I am assuming with a MXF you are skipping soft plastics and/or light hard lures.

Now my additional two cents. Don't worry yourself too much about trying to compare your rods to something in the store. You are now tailoring rods to the angler (yourself or others) and the technique. Instead of trying to make an Expride that you like make a personal custom rod tailored to do exactly what you need from it. Ask what that Expride you like is good for? Why is it good for that? What can be better? Think of what you want the rod to do and work back from there.

A.P.

St Croix isn't the only place for MXF blanks, or blanks of that quality and length. I wouldn't get fixated on whether it is that companies casting, or spinning discribed blank either as they are only opinions of the company. I have a 3C68MXF rod and the tip is pretty soft, if that's what you are needing maybe the spinning version from some is the closest replacement. Batson and Point Blank come to mind as comparable companies.

I was afraid the video might have a reverse effect of trying to describe what I'm after. The rod I use now works as a jerkbait rod. When I get my hookup, it does it's job. But I am having the problem he describes in the video. I'm bending my hooks. Now I don't know if this is because I have to much rod or not enough rod that I am over working the rod to get the desired effect of the jerk bait through the water. Because when I get the fish, it often feels like the rod is going to come out of hand. I like jerk bait fishing. It is one of my favorite techniques, but I find it can just absolutely wear me out. When watch others fish the technique or watch video tutorials like the guy in the video. They don't appear to be working as hard to get the desired effect.

Currently I'm using this as a Jerkbait Rod
Rod Power M+, Rod Taper M/MF, Rod Length 7' 0"
Using 12lb floral carbon with a Vision 110 or Rerange of the same size.

As for the skipping rod. I struggle with spinning reels. I can't explain it, because before I got heavy into bass fishing it's what I used almost exclusively. I'm trying to skip sinkos and ned heads under docks mostly. That's why I figured an extra fast or soft tip will help give me just a the right amount of zip without over casting the rod to get the bait to pop across the water. Almost like an ultra light spinning combo.

I think an XF blank would actually work against you for working the bait. The softer tip is going to absorb some of the effort you are imparting to the lure.

Jerk bait rods are sort of a compromise. A stiffer blank imparts more action to the lure but you have to land a fish on pretty small treble hooks. I think that is what they are getting at in the video. Bend in mid section to help land fish with a stiffer tip to work the bait. I would think of moderate or moderate fast actions for those characteristics.

In regard to bending hooks, modern fishing equipment allows removing the vast majority of the stretch from the system. Back in the day bending hooks with a fiberglass rod and nylon monofilament was pretty rare. I would suggest switching to nylon mono, one of the crank bait specific fluoros that has more stretch or even loosening your drag. If you are bending hooks you have more than enough power to set them.

i have gone back to glass.. graaphite , any graphite is a terrible fish fighting material even for flyrods..just an opinion..

Tony Vieson Wrote:
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> As for the skipping rod. I struggle with spinning
> reels. I can't explain it, because before I got
> heavy into bass fishing it's what I used almost
> exclusively. I'm trying to skip sinkos and ned
> heads under docks mostly. That's why I figured an
> extra fast or soft tip will help give me just a
> the right amount of zip without over casting the
> rod to get the bait to pop across the water.
> Almost like an ultra light spinning combo.

I 100% agree with the faster tip on this application. Your cast is likely a roll cast and you aren't throwing hard enough to really bend into the backbone. Nice light tip cast with the normal skip follow through. I learned to skip on a caster. When I struggled to throw weightless wacky worms I taught myself on the spinning rod.

So for the jerkbait rod, something like [rodgeeks.com] or [rodgeeks.com].
NFC has [northforkcomposites.com] or [northforkcomposites.com]. The size values on the site are a bit confusing. I'm guessing there at or a little more than 7 ft.

That's about all the options I'm seeing. The choices for Medium fast are almost endless. Might be why it's hard to find that perfect Jerkbait rod. The Shimano he recommends in the video is the 6'10 medium and the action is fast. The St. Croixs listed in the video descriptions are extra fast.
If that's the case, then that puts pretty much back at my first rod picks.

What does "faster soft tip" mean?

Any power or action available in glass is available in graphite. Maybe not response time, which probably will be slower for glass.

Michael Danek Wrote:
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> What does "faster soft tip" mean?


Faster as in higher AA and softer as in stiffness in that section. For example a 3 power rod with an AA of 75 will have a softer tip than a 6 power rod with an AA of 75.

most people who like glass is for the slower response time..hard to believe, i know..it,s more fun than fishing with a herky jerky nervous stick..lol.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2021 09:05AM by ben belote.

Glass definitely has it's place as do blended rods. It is similar to casting vs. spinning in bass applications. There will be people that dismiss spinning just because it isn't macho.

I built a RodGeeks B468MMF, it’s a awesome rod for jerkbaits, lightweight with plenty of backbone. I’m a believer that moderate action blanks are better for treble hook baits and faster action blanks are better suited for single hook presentations.

Skipping lures with a baitcaster is all up to your capabilities of using a baitcaster. lf you are unable to control the spool speed with your thumb on a cast then it doesn’t matter what rod you have. When skipping a lure your rod is more or less horizontal with the waters surface so lengths are not as important as mastering your reel. I’m able to skip with my short 6’6” MHF worm rod or my 7’3” MHF frog rod. Of course I prefer skipping a shorter rod due to weight and balance like a B468MMF.

Whatever presentation your fishing will determine what rod you’d use for skipping whether be a baitcaster or a spinning reel.