Hi, This is a follow up after a summer of fishing this rod. I used Fuji KL H guides and placed them as per the AR guide calculator. I did add an extra running guide after testing the bend profile with guides on - so a total of 9 guides. I used a VSS seat with cork grip and hidden threaded hood at the front of the grip. I fish the rod with a 2500 reel - shimano sahara - and use 6 and 8 lb P line CXX or Fluoroclear. The rod has performed great as an all purpose spinning rod. I use 1/16 oz ball head jig with 2 or 3" grub up to 3/8 oz top water lures, flukes and helgrammites on EWG hooks, weighted and unweighted, Rapala minnows, rebel crawdad crank baits, and other similar lures, especially senko type wacky rigged. I only wade fish rivers and creeks, mainly for smallmouth. The rod has performed great and will cast all of those lures anywher up to 65 - 75 feet with that setup, possibly farther with heavier lures. I was surprised how well it did with lighter lures. Sensitivity is very good but I don't have a lot of experience in this area - it is better than my nymphing fly rods. I fish some lures (unweighted helgrammites) dead drift just like euro nymphing fly tods, and I have picked up a lot of bass, some with hard strikes and some very subtle.
I like this rod so much I have just ordered the SB724 for some heavier lures. One thing is it is a bit long for smaller creeks but is a great all around rod for me because I like to only carry one rod on my wading trips. Sorry I don't do CCS so don't have quantitative data but with a nice smallmouth on (16" around here) the rod bends in the upper 1/4 or so. Hope this helps.

Hi Ed,
Thanks for the follow up. A 16” er is a nice smallmouth in the creeks I wade. We usually use shorter rods in our creeks. I was wondering if the hellgrammites you are using work pretty much all the times you wade?
I am glad your build is working so well for you in the places you fish.

Gary - The SB blanks come in shorter lengths and I went back and forth on getting one in the 6'6" range but ultimately went with the longer because I'm pretty well stocked up on shorter, lighter rods. Regarding helgrammites - I use the plastic ones from BPS and for me they work some days and other days fish won't have them. Yesterday I cycled through Twister tail grubs, helgrammites, tiny torpedo, rebel crawdad and wacky 4" yum dingers and the only thing they would eat was the purple sparkle yum dinger. Last week on a different creek it was the black/blue helgrammite - but I know fish in this creek/river eat a lot of helgrammites and crawdads - have caught and ate a couple trout from that water and they were loaded with them. Other days it's the rebel crawdad so I just try the above menu til I find something they want. Sorry I can't be more specific but I also check under rocks for crawdads and helgrammites too.

Ed,
Thanks for the reply. We use the rebel crawdad, mepps aglia, various Ned baits. Usually if they bite they will take one of these. I plan to try the hellgramites.

Gary - I've been rigging the hellgramites with a Lazer/eagle claw EWG 1/0 or 2/0 hook as this guy does at the 5 minute mark of this you tube video: [www.youtube.com]. I've also had good luck with the wacky rigged senko/yum dinger - try those too. The SB722 has worked well with both those lures and is sensitive dead drifting them.

Ed,
I looked at the video, thanks for sharing the info and your experience.