Hi, I am looking for recommendations on a blank to make into a spinning rod mainly for tossing soft plastics. Looking for a 2-piece, MF, L, around 6'6" plus or minus a few inches. What are your favorites?

Look at the Rainshadow Revelation series and their RX6 series. They both are excellent blanks and I think there are some two piece blanks there that will fit your requirements.

I am really tempted to ask if you're looking for a spin jig Light, a popping rod Light, a mag bass Light, or a drop shot Light, but I won't.

Look at the lure weight recommendations to best find the power that best matches what you plan to do with the rod.

I checked out the Rainshadow recommendations and they are close but still nothing that fits exactly what I'm looking for. As far as SJ, DS, etc, aren't these just marketing terms to kind of steer customers in a direction? This rod will be an all purpose, probably used for several fishing types and techniques, not one specifically. Any other recommendations that are similar? TIA

rod geeks C266MLF2 6'6" ML F 4 - 10 lb 1/8 - 3/8 oz 5 0.473" 2.24 oz might be an option for you, depending on how heavy your soft plastics are. I have the St. Croix 6' casting equivalent, and the St. croix 3S66MLF-2 6-1/2' that fish well for me.

I have the 1 piece RodGeeks C266MLF that I use for trout on streams and ned rigs, weightless Texas rigged finesse worms and other finesse soft plastics. It’s a great rod for the price. Not the most sensitive but it’s also a cheaper blank. Action is great. I’ve caught up to 20” browns and 3lb bass on the rod. Handled everything fine.

Equivalent store bought would be a St Croix Premier 6’6” ML if you have a shop nearby to get a sense of the action and power.

Adam,
what weights and plastics ya throwing ?what's the target species? Your looking for modfast?

Matt asked the $10,000 question. Gotta give way more specifics if you want to get a good suggestion. Hard to believe the Rainshadow Revelation REVS 68 ML REVS 68 M two piece blanks wouldn't fit what you're looking for, depending on how heavy of weights and the type of cover you plan on fishing.
s
And no, SJ, DS, etc. aren't really marketing ploys. The SJ blanks I have experience with generally have a little faster action (softer tip) than an MB of the same listed power, and are a little less powerful than an MB type blank. DS, (drop shot) blanks have faster actions still and soft to very soft tips. They generally don't have a back bone of any length. The flex well into the mid section of the blank under the load of a fish.

Different designations have different characteristics. Of course they'll crossover somewhat, except for a drop shot blank. They will handle multiple tasks, as long as the weight of the bait is paid attention to, and I certainly wouldn't use a Texas rigged soft plastic on a drop shot blank. At least not of the power of the drop shot rods I've built.

Adam
CTS AIR 6'6" for 3/16 - 1/2 Oz.
Herb
CTS

Thank you all for the suggestions and clarification on the different styles of blanks. I am leaning toward the NFC FW 702-2(IM), Rod Geeks C266MLF2 6'6", or MHX SJ842-2. I would love to build on a CTS blank but unfortunately in this case it is a little out of the customer's budget. Maybe for my next personal build. Thanks all.

I was gonna reccomend the MHX SJ782-2. The SJ781 IF they had it on 2pc. In my hands they are more sensitive then any of the ML SC2 graphite st croixs I own BUT all those rods are factory and old so can't speak for any improvements in the current C2 blanks.

The FW 702 sounds like it's way lighter powered than the other 2 blanks ya mentioned. Ya can look in the CCS database to see if it's listed



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2023 11:41PM by Matt Ruggie.

CRB 2 Piece Color Series Rod Blanks

Since its going to travel a lot, Why not the above series?
multiple colors-
I built several of these for grandkids and have given a few away. I have had no complaints on breakage-

Even my wife when she was able to fish with me has one still.

They are inexpensive, not MHX's but what the hey.