Hello all,
Longtime reader of this very helpful forum. I am going to make my first spinning rod and would like to hear your experience with a few blanks I am considering. I will use the rod for river fishing for smallmouth (and anything else that will bite). I strictly wade fish. I usually use a ball head jig hook, 1/8 oz and sometimes 1/4 oz, with a plastic body, Mr Twister, paddletail/keitech, etc. I also use in-line spinners (rooster tails), rebel crawdads up to 3/8 oz, rapala type lures, and wacky rig worms/senko type lures. Sometimes I drift the lure and bounce bottom, other times it is an active retrieve or anywhere in between.
I know it is hard to find one rod to do it all but I have been getting by with low end spinning rods from BPS so anything should be an improvement. I have assembled about 35 fly rods of all sizes so have experience putting parts together.
Anyhow I have found 3 blanks which might work and wanted to see if you experienced folks could help with your thoughts. I am looking at the NFC SB722,, SJ703, and SJ732..
Your experience with these blanks and which might work best for my application would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Ed.

I'm going to stop short of recommending any specific blank but offer some suggestions on what to look for overall. I've done a lot of river wade fishing for smallmouths and my tackle evolved over time as I found certain things that helped me hook and land more fish. The first is to employ a longer rod. I started decades ago with 6 foot models but eventually moved to 6-1/2 and finally to 7 footers. It is so much easier to hook and hold a smallmouth with the longer rod. Unless you're fishing very small, close-in streams where the additional length would be a hindrance, go for the longer rod.

Fast action is a no brainer and something along the lines of a 7' saltwater popping rod is a good choice. However, there are quite a few bass specific rods that fit the profile these days. Recommended line in the 8lb range.

What is the average size smallmouth you'll be catching? I wouldn't overgun or you won't have much fun with the 3/4 to 2lb fish that are common in most places. And a longer rod comes in handy if you do get into some 3lb+ fish.

In terms of what companies use for power ratings on these type rods, and realizing that you can't really compare one company's 1-power to another company's 1-power, I could get you some CCS numbers for the spinning rods I use for this type fishing if that would be helpful to you. Otherwise nothing more than a 2-power from any maker at the most. I think your selections above are okay, but go for a 6-1/2 to 7 footer. You'll be glad you did.

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

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
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> I'm going to stop short of recommending any
> specific blank but offer some suggestions on what
> to look for overall. I've done a lot of river wade
> fishing for smallmouths and my tackle evolved over
> time as I found certain things that helped me hook
> and land more fish. The first is to employ a
> longer rod. I started decades ago with 6 foot
> models but eventually moved to 6-1/2 and finally
> to 7 footers. It is so much easier to hook and
> hold a smallmouth with the longer rod. Unless
> you're fishing very small, close-in streams where
> the additional length would be a hindrance, go for
> the longer rod.
>
> Fast action is a no brainer and something along
> the lines of a 7' saltwater popping rod is a good
> choice. However, there are quite a few bass
> specific rods that fit the profile these days.
> Recommended line in the 8lb range.
>
> What is the average size smallmouth you'll be
> catching? I wouldn't overgun or you won't have
> much fun with the 3/4 to 2lb fish that are common
> in most places. And a longer rod comes in handy if
> you do get into some 3lb+ fish.
>
> In terms of what companies use for power ratings
> on these type rods, and realizing that you can't
> really compare one company's 1-power to another
> company's 1-power, I could get you some CCS
> numbers for the spinning rods I use for this type
> fishing if that would be helpful to you. Otherwise
> nothing more than a 2-power from any maker at the
> most. I think your selections above are okay, but
> go for a 6-1/2 to 7 footer. You'll be glad you
> did.
>
> ...................

Thank you Tom for that information - very helpful and I am in agreement with all that you said. My fish size is in the same ballpark you indicated. We do have the occasional trout in those waters that can get to the 18' range. I do fish bigger water and agree with the longer rod - the 3 blanks I am considering are 7' - 7'3" and 2 power, for 6-10 pound line range. I agree with the lower power ratings because I can feel the rod flex when casting and also it is the range of lure weights I like to fish.
I would appreciate your thoughts on CCS data for this type of rod.
Here are some CCS numbers reported on this forum for these blanks:
SJ732 X-ray - IP = 422 gm, AA = 78
X Ray SJ703 83.5 in L .5 in or 12.7mm butt 1.45 oz 440 grams of power or ERN a little over 16 AA 69
Do these number seem in line with your experience?

I'm not finding the CCS for the SB722 right now but on the rodhouse comparator tool the profile of the SB722 and SJ703 seem identical.

I am inclined to try the SB722 or SJ 732 just for the heck of it and go from there.
Thanks again

Ed,
I would love to fish the waters that you do in hopes of even seeing an 18’ trout!!! “I think we need a bigger boat!” {Jaws}.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

Any of the blanks you mentioned will easily handle an 18 inch trout, we fish trout and char into the 30" range with 6 wt. rods with no concerns.

from everything ive read the sj732 has a very light relatively soft "whippy" tip. sj703 has been described as have a bit stiffer tip and not as fast. the sj732 was reccomended to me from members on hear as a good hair jig rod for 1/8oz. baits. and from the power and action, specs, and the deflection charts, id agree.

i ve been eying the SJ703 for another smallie ( ifish river smallmouth almost exclusively) rod for 1/8 -3/16oz. jighead plus plastics. and your right its seems almost identical to the SB722.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2022 08:06AM by Matt Ruggie.

I have no experience with any of the blanks mentioned, but just from going off the CCS data supplied, the SJ 703 and 732 are virtually identical in power. which to me means that the type of casting I most often do, would play into my blank selection. If you're making quick little short stroke type of casts, then I would choose the blank with the faster action. Its' tip will load more easily which is a benefit when you're making quick short casts with lighter baits.

The only thing is, a soft tip on a somewhat light powered rod doesn't lend itself well to hook sets with Texas rigged baits, or weedless jigs that use a bristle type brush guard versus a wire brush guard. Of course if you'll be using braided line, then that will help somewhat in the hook set department.

If open hooked baits are used most often and the fun of the fight on even smaller fish is important to you, I would go with the SJ 732. The longer length and softer tip will make even smaller fish a lot of fun to fight. But if 1 1/2 - 2 lb is the average size smallmouth you're catching, I'm going with the SJ 703. River smallmouth are strong fighters, more so than lake fish of the same size. Because of that, IMO that little bit of extra power and slower action would be a benefit if your average fish is in that size range.

I agree with David on needing "..extra power and slower action". You will be able to throw a wide gambit of lures with a rod like that.
The only thing else to consider is the length. I waded rivers for many years and have always preferred a shorter rod.

Thanks for the thoughtful replies folks.
Based on your comments and experiences I am going to go with either the SJ703 or SB722 - similar flex profile (as per rodhouse comparator), the SB722 provides an additional 2" of length which is unlikely to really matter. I appreciate the comments on extra power and slower action - on my waters a 2 lb fish is a pretty good one with about 1 - 1.5 lb average. I plan to head to some other rivers in W Va and Va next year where I hear there are bigger fish favoring the more powerful of these rods. What's the worst thing that could happen - I would have to build another different rod!! LOL
Mark Talmo - the state and local sportsman clubs stock trout in the same river with the bass so you never know what might show up. Sorry but the trout photo I tried to add is not showing up

Chris Catignani Wrote:
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> I agree with David on needing "..extra power and
> slower action". You will be able to throw a wide
> gambit of lures with a rod like that.
> The only thing else to consider is the length. I
> waded rivers for many years and have always
> preferred a shorter rod.

Thanks - I do have a handful of rods from 5.5' -6.5' so wanting to try a 7' range for this one - if it turns out I like the shorter rods then I have a reason to build another!

I have both the SJ703 and 732. I haven't gotten around to building them yet.

To me the 732 is a little bit more powerful with a softer tip and a more moderate action. It feels closer to a popping rod. The 703 is a nice crisp feeling traditional spin/jig type blank. I would definitely choose the 703.

I also have a mudhole sj900-2. They call it a spin/jig but it is clone of a hot shot blank. Very light tip with a very strong backbone. One of those blanks that I think everyone should try.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Well, for better or worse I went with the SB722 - similar flex profile to the sj703 but a couple inches longer. NFC describes it as being good for "Finesse / Tubes / Small Crankbaits & Stick Baits / Spy Baits".
If it works out great, if not I'll build up something else like the 703.

Thanks again for all your comments.

Ed Rose Wrote:
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> Well, for better or worse I went with the SB722 -
> similar flex profile to the sj703 but a couple
> inches longer. NFC describes it as being good for
> "Finesse / Tubes / Small Crankbaits & Stick Baits
> / Spy Baits".
> If it works out great, if not I'll build up
> something else like the 703.
>
> Thanks again for all your comments.

cool keep us informed when ya get it.

i ordered the XRAY SJ703 and the SB684. I will also be building on an Immortal IMMS68ML. these 3 should take care of alot of my smallmouth finesse needs.

Matt Ruggie Wrote:
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> cool keep us informed when ya get it.
>
> i ordered the XRAY SJ703 and the SB684. I will
> also be building on an Immortal IMMS68ML. these 3
> should take care of alot of my smallmouth
> finesse needs.

Will do. There was also a comment on this forum from Aleks Maslov last year that indicated the SB722 was the NF blank with the closest flex profile to the Loomis 872s, which receives a lot of great reviews.