I'm working on a specialty build for casting 5 1/2" rapala husky jerks for walleyes. It's a slow, pull-pause retrieve that benefits greatly from increased casting distance, a very light and sensitive blank, and to a slightly lesser extent a soft tip section that quickly transitions to a more powerful backbone. These are spinning rods with 10" rear grips. My preference dictates that it must be a one-piece blank. 8' or even a hair longer would be ideal. I mostly come up with hot shot blanks in my searches.

I've built two rods on the NFC 790-1(IM) blank and it's good but not perfect. That one is 7'9" and 2.47 ounces. It's rated as a mag medium for 1/4-5/8 lures, but like others I've found NFC's ratings to be less than perfect. Bottom line, the 790-1 is very nice for this for this but it could be a little longer, a little stiffer in the tip section, and a little less powerful. I also built one on a NFC 821-1 and while I don't have much fishing time on it, it seems a little too powerful. I do need it to bend when I reel in a 15" walleye!

The PB801MXF blank from Point Blank seems like it could be perfect, but at $200 I'm reluctant to order one without at least some first-hand information. Has anyone here built on or handled this blank? Anyone know what it was designed to do? It seems pretty unique in my search.

Lastly, I'm all ears for other recommendations. Thank you

It's funny, I just read the other thread blanks for throwing jerkbaits (megabass 110). I think I basically want an 8' blank that does that well!

Have you used a hot shot blank before? I'm new but I've been reading a ton and watching videos and doing a lot of research and bumped into some things encouraging me to try things outside of their prescribed use if necessary or beneficial. If there isn't a casting or spinning blank you can find that fits the bill have you explored the specs and function of how a fly blank would work for you or some other atypical use for other non-spinning/casting blanks?

Sorry I can't offer any data or firsthand experience, but sometimes just being reminded that a trash barrel isn't a trash barrel if you don't put trash in it can be helpful. Goodluck with your search and your build!

Have you looked at the NFC SJ804-1? It's got more backbone than their specs would make you believe. They make a chinook salmon hover rod out of it at Edge Rods so it would not have a real soft tip, give them a call and see what they think, they have never steered me wrong.

Talking about interchanging hot shot blanks and fly blanks is, IMHO, really not feasible. What works for one most likely will not work well for the other. Hot shots often have AA's of 80 degrees or over. Even "fast action" fly blanks are more like about 70. They are really quite different.

It is possible that a hot shot would work for this application, but remember that its bend will be pretty limited to the tip area. But XFast on a long rod is not nearly the same as XFast on a short rod. It will be more forgiving than the same AA on a short rod.

I will be ordering a PB801MXF for a friend who wants a long rod for inshore saltwater fishing. I’m pretty sure the power and AA specs listed on the PB website for that blank are RDA numbers not CCS numbers, but will check to make sure.
Norm

Both of the NFC blanks that I've tried are hot shot blanks. I totally agree that it's worth considering blanks designed for other things. I don't think a fly rod blank would work but maybe there's an 8'6" one-piece 8-9 weight blank out there that I'm not aware of.

NFC's SJ 804-1 looks like a potential option. On their chart the power and action looks similar to the 821-1 blank but a little better for my purposes. I don't think I found that one in my search, and I honestly thought I had considered every NFC blank (I've purchased a lot of blanks from them). Thanks for mentioning it!

Still hoping to get more info about PB801MXF.

I have an 804 I’m about to wrap, if there is any info you need, let me know

Norman, I think you're right about the numbers being RDA. 65 is not very fast for a Point Blank "fast" as described by CCS. I presume you are checking to be sure. That looks like one light blank for its capability. Less than two ounces and casting that range of weights!

Mick, I emailed Jim Ising about it’s spec.
Norm

I'm wondering if there is any more information about the spec on this blank? Does anyone have specs on NFC SJ804-1? Tim Scott, I'm wondering if you could comment on the action? I ideally want a tip that will hold up to twitching a stickbait/jerkbait (like a #14 rapala husky jerk or a Megabass 110) but a blank that will still load up when fighting a fish like a 15" walleye or a 2# bass.

I bought the PB801MXF blank when voodoo had free shipping on blanks right after new years. I also bought NFC SJ804-1 in HM sand IM. I went a little overboard in buying all three…

Anyway, they’re all great.

The PB801MXF is the heaviest of all. Definitely more material in the tip and midsection compared to the NCF blanks. A little more power, a little faster, and a little more tip heavy.

The NFC SJ804-1 IM is in between the two. Compared to the PB, it’s a little softer but has just about the same power.

The NFC SJ804-1 HM has the softest tip and is the lightest feeling of the three, but still plenty of power. I don’t know if I’d call it an XF action, but it’s close.

Honestly, all three of these blanks are reasonably close in comparison as you’d expect. If I had bought just one of the three blanks, I’d be happy with it. I think the NFC SJ801-4 HM will be the best in terms of what I was looking for, but I’ll have to build and fish them to decide honestly which one is ideal for the application. I don’t have a CCS setup but might try to set that up so I can compare them quantitatively.