Hi Everyone,

What’s is your personal best/knowledge of/build for the most lightweight MH bass rod (7-7’4”) range.

I’ve seen around the 3oz range as a custom build (6’6 or so). (Reel seat, grips, guides, blank)

Sources / links if possible please :-)

Aleks

I would think a Point Blank build with the smallest Fuji KL-H guides in Titanium SiC or Torzite and carbon fiber grips would be the lightest. Can't imagine you'd find anything lighter. Check anglers resource for the guide selection and spacing.

It would help if you would define MH with CCS ERN value. Spin or baitcast. ERN > ?? 25?

I believe the answer will be a spiral wrapped baitcast rod with a skeleton seat, titanium guides, minimal split carbon fiber grips. X-fast action (AA ~ 80), minimal wraps with Permagloss or equivalent wrap finish.

Since the blank has to be close to 2 oz, I would think about 3 would be as light as it could get. But you have to be specific with the ERN to make sure we are all talking the same power.

If I had to design one I would start with one of the Point Blank 731's and cut the butt 3 inches.

I have the feeling that Mr. Maslov has a new blank/rod/ or kit to propose for us.

I did a quick google search and found nothing so I’m asking you. What does ERN stand for? It seems that it’s the actual power rating of a blank

Edit: I did more looking and found out more about it. Still don’t know what the acronym means.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2022 09:38AM by Hunter Koski.

ERN means Effective Rod Number, a number which is used to indicate the power of a rod/blank using the CCS process. Info is in the left margin under "Common Sense info."

If it is used it would allow all of us to answer the question using the same power of the blank. Not all blank makers interpret MH the same way.

Going off of what I've stumbled across over the years.

I would start with one of the first generation high end Phenix blanks. I think they quotes blank weights of around 1.6-1.9oz or so for a 7' bass rod, among the lightest I recall. For a casting rod, it would be spiral wrapped with 2mm micro guides with minimal thread wraps and coated with just a couple coats of permagloss. The seat would be a split and trimmed 16 mm casting seat. The grip would be something along the lines of what I saw the late Captain Neil using for a line of fluke jigging rods on Long Island. He used about 3/4" EVA behind the seat with a concave contour to put the hand directly onto the blank and about 1.5" of EVA for a nub at the butt of the rod. I would swap the EVA for a similar design in carbon fiber over a urethane core. I suspect such a build could land in the 2.3-2.8oz range. It would be an uncomfortable rod to use, but about as light as I can imagine.

You could do better in a spinning rod using titanium reduction guides and a split TN handle using Steve Gardner's arbor-less hot handle design to mount the reel and butt grip nub.

You can definitely break under the 3 ounce mark. I’ve done several that were 2.79-2.92 on my cheapo scale.

MH power 7 feet Thomas? Blank alone will be close to 2 oz. I would like to see the specs and pics. Know the ERN? Yes, I'm always the skeptic. Guilty.

I knew I should have included the ERN in my original post!

A range of 19-21 for the ERN.

I am also interested in the details Thomas -

Reel seat or no? What components did you use ?

Thomas Kaufmann Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can definitely break under the 3 ounce mark.
> I’ve done several that were 2.79-2.92 on my
> cheapo scale.

Joe,

Thank you - an EVA rear grip (depending on the density) can weight about an ounce - taking it down to 3/4 of an inch would definitely take out a lot of weight, also agree on the comfort aspect of it.



Joe Vanfossen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Going off of what I've stumbled across over the
> years.
>
> I would start with one of the first generation
> high end Phenix blanks. I think they quotes blank
> weights of around 1.6-1.9oz or so for a 7' bass
> rod, among the lightest I recall. For a casting
> rod, it would be spiral wrapped with 2mm micro
> guides with minimal thread wraps and coated with
> just a couple coats of permagloss. The seat would
> be a split and trimmed 16 mm casting seat. The
> grip would be something along the lines of what I
> saw the late Captain Neil using for a line of
> fluke jigging rods on Long Island. He used about
> 3/4" EVA behind the seat with a concave contour to
> put the hand directly onto the blank and about
> 1.5" of EVA for a nub at the butt of the rod. I
> would swap the EVA for a similar design in carbon
> fiber over a urethane core. I suspect such a
> build could land in the 2.3-2.8oz range. It would
> be an uncomfortable rod to use, but about as light
> as I can imagine.
>
> You could do better in a spinning rod using
> titanium reduction guides and a split TN handle
> using Steve Gardner's arbor-less hot handle design
> to mount the reel and butt grip nub.

Michael,

Good catch. It was an 5c70mf

I used an ECS that was skeletonized, 1.35” carbon grip rear grip, titanium sic guides. Like I said it was on a cheapo scale so it may not have been ultra accurate. My fishing partner has these rods. I can try to get one and post pics of weight if needed. There is no label, no trim bands, absolute minimal thread wraps and the thinnest coat of epoxy I could use to get adequate coverage.

No, I don’t know the ERN but it’s been posted before.

Thank you, Thomas, no need to do anything more. The 19-21 ERN makes it a lot easier than what I was assuming. PB731MXF is about 25, and that's about what I thought would be a minimum for MH. The 19-21 puts it into the area of probably 1.6-1.7 oz blank making a complete build in about 3 oz doable with minimal seat and grips, IMHO . Mine of that power usually are about 3.4-3.6 but I use a full size 17 Fuji pipe seat which weighs about an oz. I know I can go a little lighter, but I put "all day ergonomics" pretty high on my priorities.

Thomas, IF that blank is a St Croix 5SC70MF it's about right on for the ERN Alex is specifying. Maybe just a little light. I cannot remember for sure. But it's not over 21.

The blank is unquestionably a 5c70mf-b. I can send pics of blank prior to build. I was able to find a pic of seat and rear grip also.

I will weigh my pb731’s. They will be heavy as they have full-size carbon grips and MVT seats. I have extra 731’s and may just throw one together to see how light it will go.

Thomas, thank you. I don't recognize the 5c70mf-b, can you tell me more about it? Brand? Series? thanks.

Since I have no clue what constitutes an ERN of 19 - 21. I will go with a rod I built on an NFC X ray blank. I am going to call it an SJ 736 because the blanks dimensions match those of the SJ 736 almost perfectly.

Anyhow, I did CCS tests on the rod and it has an IP of 793 grams, (whatever ERN that happens to be) and an AA of 75. NFC lists the blank as heavy power, but in my opinion, it fishes like a medium heavy power. Be that as it may, it is certainly not built the lightest it could be, but it is as light as it could be with the components I like. The rod comes in at 3.65 oz.

I have a set of Fuji T2 black titanium guides on it, an Alps MTV reel seat, and a 10" CFX carbon fiber rear grip. A couple of Alps trim rings. One between the reel seat and the grip. And one between the butt cap and the grip. The butt cap is made of EVA. Wraps are black thread with a 2 thread trim band in gray metallic.

It is the lightest rod of that power and length, that I have ever held in my hands.


Addition : I also have a spinning rod built on a Rainshadow RX 10 ETEC72M blank. It's lure weight ratings are 1/4 - 3/4 which is pretty much medium heavy in every factory rod I have seen. Again not having a clue what an ERN of 19 - 21 is, I will list the IP I got for it when I did CCS tests on it. The IP is 567 grams, with an AA of 74 - 75. That rod also came in at 3.65 oz.

It too has a set of Fuji T2 black titanium guides using the appropriate KR concept guides on it. A Forecast skeleton reel seat with cork insert, and cork split rear grips. Wraps are chestnut brown with 3 thread trim bands in copper metallic. It too is the lightest spinning rod of that power and length, that I have ever held in my hands.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2022 04:58PM by David Baylor.

David, 793 = 25.7 ERN or close. From chart in library, 3rd item down on the list. I would call it a medium power. So we have me at M, you at MH, and NFC at H. Good example of why using ERN or IP makes so much sense.

Point Blank 731MXF is a 25 ERN, weighs 1.9 oz, and can be built at 3. 65 in a number of ways.