Greetings,

I am trying to find a 14' fiberglass rod blank, hollow to make a snagging rod out of. Only problem I am having is I can only find 10'. I have a customer that wants the 14', because that was the size he had before his house burnt. Which the fire took out his rod. My father used to make rods back in the 70s and 80s, he used the Fenwick blanks before the company was sold. Does anyone know where I can get a blank for my customer? I live in Arkansas, and know that some of the rod producers work in other states. Meat Hunter is about 2 1/2 hours from my home, but I haven't heard back from them yet to see if they had that size blank. What would you guys suggest for a secondary place to buy if Meat Hunter doesn't have that size in stock?

Thank you for reading and answering.

Cindy Middleton

Shipping for a one piece 14 ft blank would be horrendous if you could find a way to get it to you in one piece. You could fund a 2 piece which would be easier and cheaper to ship and than glue the ferrule together.

I understand that there is a huge shipping fee, however, wouldn't a two piece break at the connection? I can only imagine if my customer hooked a 45 or 50 pound striper and it broke.

A 35 - 40 lb. striper doesn't have the power to break a 2 piece rod, not even close.

Modern multi-piece ferrules are incredibly strong and certainly designed to withstand whatever the blank is designed to handle.

Most likely, your dad built on one of the Fenwick yellow fiberglass one-piece surf models. They have not been available in some time although Lamiglas might possibly have something similar if you want to stay with something similar.

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

Why not just use dynamite.
Herb

Herb Ladenheim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why not just use dynamite.
> Herb


I wondered about that. Snagging any game fish (if that's what's going on here) is typically illegal in any of the 50 states.

.........

I live in the state of Arkansas and it is not illegal to snag in the Arkansas River, by the dams. These are the rules for snagging in the state of Arkansas. www.agfc.com and [drive.google.com] Page 18 of their guide book


SNAGGING
Snagging game fish may be done only from
a bank within 100 yards below a dam.
Exceptions:
1. Snagging from a boat may be done
only on the Arkansas River from 100
yards below a lock and dam to the
downstream entrance point of the lock
and from 100 yards below Dam No. 2 to
the boat ramps immediately below the
dam.
2. Snagging is prohibited below Upper
White Oak Lake Dam.
3. Snagging is allowed from the bank
below Beaver Dam from the “No Fishing
Beyond This Point” sign downstream to
the first boat ramp only April 15-June
15.
4. Snagging is allowed for catfish on the
Black River (from the Missouri state
line to the Spring River confluence) and
the St. Francis River (from the Missouri
state line to the Payneway Structure)
with a daily limit of 5 catfish (no more
than 2 flatheads and no more than 1
paddlefish) Jan. 1-Feb. 15.
Where it is legal to snag game fish, any
game fish snagged must be kept and
applied to the daily limit. Half the game
fish daily limit may be taken by snagging,

or the lesser whole number nearest one-
half the limit, although a full limit of catfish

and paddlefish may be taken. Snagging
must cease whenever a limit of any species
is attained. Check your destination on
pages 57-81 for area-specific special
regulations regarding snagging.

Lamiglas used to make a 13 ft. 8 in. one piece fiberglass Heaver blank, but they quit making them 10 - 11 years ago. Not counting shipping, they were around $ 250 back than. They weighed 27 oz. and I remember all the versions had a 13 tip. 20-50 line weight were the ones we used. Wouldn't be easy the find a pipe reel seat that big anymore, plate seats would be the best option.

Herb Ladenheim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why not just use dynamite.
> Herb


Snagging is big in Eastern Oklahaoma and Arkansas for paddlefish. It's the only way to catch those fish and is managed by the local F&G associations to ensure appropriate harvest.

We have enough external forces trying to limit our sport that all legal forms of fishing should be protected and respected even if its not your cup of tea.

Absolutely, Mr. Coco. My household and my customers always make sure to follow those rules, just because there are only a few places that will allow the snagging of the paddelfish. We are only allowed to, according to a few of my customers, that have been snagging for years, be in the Arkansas River. Most of the other lakes and rivers are off limits. My dad would only go to lock and dam #2 at Tichnor and #4.at Maumelle. However, there are some that go to the other dams. These are the only ones our family goes to.

I appreciate everyone's opinions and suggestions. I wonder how hard it is to make one from scratch?

Lamiglas has one of the largest, if not the largest oven for baking these long blanks ever made to my knowledge, you'd have to come up with something similar on a scale that fits your needs, you would have to come up with something to roll the blank on a mandrel that doesn't exist yet. Then you would have to access a reel seat that fit your needs, 26-28 mm seems to be the max available readily form our sources, though if you bought on a large scale, you could probably get some made from old molds, and this is just a small part of the process. Lastly, I seen a lot of people buy these long heavers that didn't have what it took to use them effectively, technique and body strength is needed to get these things to work, and many with shorter, lighter rods would just flat out smoke them, there is a point of diminished, if not nonexistent returns in all things.

Thank you for your insight.

Tom Kirkman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Herb Ladenheim Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why not just use dynamite.
> > Herb
>
>
> I wondered about that. Snagging any game fish (if
> that's what's going on here) is typically illegal
> in any of the 50 states.
>
> .........
X2

Add an extension?

Under specific regulations, it is legal to snag Paddle Fish in Montan:

A video:
[www.youtube.com]

Montana laws and regulations with respect to Snagging Paddlefish:
[fwp.mt.gov]

Note:
It is illegal to snag any other species of fish in Montana except for Paddle fish and then only under the strictest regulations.

Further note:
The paddle fish are primarily snagged for their eggs. Their eggs, or Cavier is quite similar to the Famous - Sturgeon Cavier found in Russia, as well as some rivers in Oregon. The Sturgeon caught in Oregon are caught on a hook and line. (Typically in the Columbia River.)

Also, there is a sturgeon fishing season in MN on the Rainy river - which is a river that runs along the US / Canadian border. I have fished that fishery. We normally use 50 lb braid, 4 ozs of lead to keep the bait on the bottom a big circle hook and a gob of nigh crawlers on the hook. A surf rod makes an excellent rod for this sort of fishing due to its length and its ability to absorb a big run. Even though there is a short season of catch and keep- most of the folks who fish this fishery release the fish. It is not unusual for some of the larger sturgeon to be 50-70 years old. So, why would somone want to keep such an olde timer. Release the creature and let him live the rest of his life. ----- How old is a 700 lb sturgeon?
around 110 years old
River Monster Adventures estimated that the nearly 700-pound fish was around 110 years old.

700-pound sturgeon caught in Fraser River near Lillooet | CTV News

ctvnews.ca

I know about the sturgeon. When I was in grade school we lived in Sunnyvale, CA. My father, older brother, and neighbor would all go fishing in the bay area. They would bring home, flounder and sturgeon. Back then (and I think still now) there was a size limit. It was the green sturgeon they were catching. I was small enough that my dad set the hook, but I brought the fish in, 45" long, 38 pound Sturgeon. I think at that time the minimum was 41" long.

The Arkansas River, White River, connects to the Mississippi River. Each of the rivers have been know to have shovel nose sturgeon caught in them.

Thank you for sharing.


roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Under specific regulations, it is legal to snag
> Paddle Fish in Montan:
>
> A video:
> [www.youtube.com]
>
> Montana laws and regulations with respect to
> Snagging Paddlefish:
> [fwp.mt.gov]
> h/regulations/2023-paddlefish_regulations.pdf
>
> Note:
> It is illegal to snag any other species of fish in
> Montana except for Paddle fish and then only under
> the strictest regulations.
>
> Further note:
> The paddle fish are primarily snagged for their
> eggs. Their eggs, or Cavier is quite similar to
> the Famous - Sturgeon Cavier found in Russia, as
> well as some rivers in Oregon. The Sturgeon caught
> in Oregon are caught on a hook and line.
> (Typically in the Columbia River.)
>
> Also, there is a sturgeon fishing season in MN on
> the Rainy river - which is a river that runs along
> the US / Canadian border. I have fished that
> fishery. We normally use 50 lb braid, 4 ozs of
> lead to keep the bait on the bottom a big circle
> hook and a gob of nigh crawlers on the hook. A
> surf rod makes an excellent rod for this sort of
> fishing due to its length and its ability to
> absorb a big run. Even though there is a short
> season of catch and keep- most of the folks who
> fish this fishery release the fish. It is not
> unusual for some of the larger sturgeon to be
> 50-70 years old. So, why would somone want to keep
> such an olde timer. Release the creature and let
> him live the rest of his life. ----- How old is
> a 700 lb sturgeon?
> around 110 years old
> River Monster Adventures estimated that the nearly
> 700-pound fish was around 110 years old.
>
> 700-pound sturgeon caught in Fraser River near
> Lillooet | CTV News
>
> ctvnews.ca

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Under specific regulations, it is legal to snag
> Paddle Fish in Montan:
>
> A video:
> [www.youtube.com]
>
> Montana laws and regulations with respect to
> Snagging Paddlefish:
> [fwp.mt.gov]
> h/regulations/2023-paddlefish_regulations.pdf
>
> Note:
> It is illegal to snag any other species of fish in
> Montana except for Paddle fish and then only under
> the strictest regulations.
>
> Further note:
> The paddle fish are primarily snagged for their
> eggs. Their eggs, or Cavier is quite similar to
> the Famous - Sturgeon Cavier found in Russia, as
> well as some rivers in Oregon. The Sturgeon caught
> in Oregon are caught on a hook and line.
> (Typically in the Columbia River.)
>
> Also, there is a sturgeon fishing season in MN on
> the Rainy river - which is a river that runs along
> the US / Canadian border. I have fished that
> fishery. We normally use 50 lb braid, 4 ozs of
> lead to keep the bait on the bottom a big circle
> hook and a gob of nigh crawlers on the hook. A
> surf rod makes an excellent rod for this sort of
> fishing due to its length and its ability to
> absorb a big run. Even though there is a short
> season of catch and keep- most of the folks who
> fish this fishery release the fish. It is not
> unusual for some of the larger sturgeon to be
> 50-70 years old. So, why would somone want to keep
> such an olde timer. Release the creature and let
> him live the rest of his life. ----- How old is
> a 700 lb sturgeon?
> around 110 years old
> River Monster Adventures estimated that the nearly
> 700-pound fish was around 110 years old.
>
> 700-pound sturgeon caught in Fraser River near
> Lillooet | CTV News
>
> ctvnews.ca


Typically it takes a Sturgeon a lot of years to get to the point of spawning. White Sturgeon don't spawn until they reach about 6 feet and that is about a 25 year old fish. So if they are over fished it would take a long time to recover as compared to a Salmon 3 to 5 years spawning cycle. The limits on Sturgeon used to be no limit on yearly numbers, you could get more than one punch card and the daily limit was two fish from 48" to 6 feet slot and two fish 38" (I think) to 48" slot. Then Salmon fishing became really poor and many people started fishing for Sturgeon as I did and after a bunch of years the limit was changed (rightfully so) so now you can only catch a couple a year and the size reduced. I am out of touch with the numbers as I haven't fished for them 20 or more years ago.