Hi all,

I was planning on grabbing a handful of blanks from NFC for black Friday - any recommendations for blanks to cast finesse lures like ned and dropshot? (Mostly ned at 1/16 oz)

I keep going back and forth on XF or more MF to play the fish without coming off. I've actually purchased a couple of rods this past year for this purpose and they're just not quite right - I got a 7'6 medium light 13 fishing fate black that is just a little to stiff to cast well and already had cheap Shakespeare 7ft light that I think might not get hooks in good enough often enough - although pulling in 4-5 pounders on that thing feels AWESOME!

I'm also torn between a longer rod with better castability and handling or a shorter rod to help with landing in a kayak.

Also I'm hoping to have more time for me and my wife to fish (in 1-10 years when the kids are older) and would like to build her a nicer spinning rod for ned/light rooster tail/small cranks. I'm putting the CRB color series grip on it because I think she'll like the bright orange flare but wanted to get a better blank for her.

I say NFC because its a crazy sale, and I at least have already heard good things about them - but if you have other recommendations I can find on black Friday please feel free to share.

Any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2022 11:16AM by El Bolinger.

I use the 703-1 delta for that app. If you want one for the yak, build it with a 7" handle. It helps while fighting and landing fish from a yak especially if you've got the "dad bod" thing going on.

I fish neds in that range on the x-ray SJ703. It is my favorite setup.

El -

The SB-722 Xray has interested me, some other suggestions I've received might be the P-703 HM or Sj-762 HM (if you want something longer) those are 75% off if you get 3 blanks in SM, IM or HM grades. I'm interested in trying NFC, currently using all MHX blanks so can't go by experience just research.

Thanks for the recommendations

@MARK - what is a typical handle length?

@PATRICK - which MHX blanks and how do you feel about them?

Double Post. P.S. I use the same exact grips and reel seat no matter the rod's power, fresh, or saltwater.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2022 05:49PM by Spencer Phipps.

I use 8 inches carbon grips on my rods so they are easy to get in and out of the rocket launcher behind me, they are long enough to stay in the rod holder but easy to remove, and short enough to not snag on me, lifejacket, or raincoat in any position I may have put myself in. More importantly a short grip puts more of the rod in front of my hand to help me maneuver the tip around the boat front, I use a longer foregrip to give me plenty of room to spread my hands under heavier loads.

Spencer, any specific grip you recommend? I’ve done a few flyrods with carbon grips but haven’t tried a casting or spinning yet.

I use a 25 mm doorknob butt cap, .980" ID straight carbon tube, 22 mm pipe reel seat, or casting reel seat to fit blank or reel, 5 inch Eva foregrip. You could use other components, but this is what I found that slips in and out of rocket launchers and rod holders slick and blind if needed. I have a few times used a 6 inch foregrip on heavier salt rods, I like the rounded grip designs vs the straight taper ones.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2022 08:00PM by Spencer Phipps.

Thanks! I’ll look at the tube. The lengths of the pre made carbon grips is what has kept me from playing with them as I wanted shorter. I was surprised I liked them after trying on some fly rods.

Aaron Petersen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I fish neds in that range on the x-ray SJ703. It
> is my favorite setup.

glad to hear. ill be building mine soon and plan on using it for similar.. handling the blank, ill say it feels like its gonna make an excellent small bait finesse rod

@El....gonna be hard to beat the deal on the NFC's right now but since ya asked about other manufacturers for finesse blanks....

1 power MHX spin jig blanks
66MLF, 70MLF St Croix/Rodgeeks
Phenix UMBX s700L (I like this blank for neds)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2022 05:43PM by Matt Ruggie.

Matt Ruggie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> glad to hear. ill be building mine soon and plan
> on using it for similar.. handling the blank, ill
> say it feels like its gonna make an excellent
> small bait finesse rod

I also use it to throw finesse jerkbaits like the X-75 and X-80 in shallow jerkbait situations. It does extremely well.

El- MHX is good, I like the elite pro line in spinning neps81MXF and NEPS81MLXF. Going to try a few NFC as MHX prices are bonkers, Mudhole used to have crazy deals.

Thanks y'all!

@PATRICK - yeah I was excited for black Friday to try some MHC blanks - but they only put the a sale on some OEM blanks so I'm gonna have to get blanks elsewhere.