I would like to build a couple of rods primarily for perch/bluegill/crappie in the 9/10 foot range. I would like a fast tip, light/UL,reasonably inexpensive blanks. Is there such an animal? I haven't found any in any of the catalogs (sponsors) I have been thinking about Fly rod blanks. Can anyone give me suggestions? Are Pac Bay Rainforest, Forecast, Tiger Eye reasonably fast?? I don't want a buggy whip. I need inexpensive because I would like to build them as gifts for fishing partners and myself for a canadian perch trip

Appreciate any suggestions

Mike

Any 10' light power rod, will feel somewhat like a "buggy whip." That's just going to be the nature of something in that length in a light power. If you settle on the very highest modulus blanks with the fastest possible action, you can reduce this to a noticeable degree, however.

Inexpensive, though not meaning "cheap," will usually mean lower modulus. So, more weight for the same stiffness which again returns you to the "buggy whip" feeling in a blank in the length you mention.

I'd try to stick to a 9 footer if at all possible. You might check Bob Hesser's Common Cents Rod Data website and look for the highest AA possible. www.superbob.org/CC.htm

Hopefully somebody here will have experience with those blanks you mention and can let you know what to expect. One other thing you might consider, is the lightest possible power steelhead blank you can find.

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Hi Mike I would look at either the PacBay Traditional Steelhead blanks or the Allstar Elite steelhead. Most of the Pacbay fly blanks are a mod/fast. Let us know if we can be of any help. We stock most of the steelhead blanks.
Scott Melton
Rod-Blanks.com
206-372-9998

I build crappie jigging poles on the Forecast 9 foot two piece blanks that are made for other fish with a light one foot butt extention. Do not try to make such a pole from a fly rod - not enough meat in the butt to handle fish to the boat nd the "buggy whip" just does not work. Be careful if you try to balance this thing because the amount of weight added some times makes the whold thing just too heavy. Tournament crappie fishermen are real particular about their tools of the trade. Must me light enough to fish all day - fast enough tip to feel fish - strong enough tip to allow getting jigs free from submerged brush tops - economical due to extreme level of tip breakage. This is a tough request for the blank manufacturers to deal with. A tournament guy would not think of leaving the landing in the morning with fewer than four jigging poles. Need to do a little hybrid work to meet all of the above demands. Again Tom's comments above are right on target for this subject.

Gon Fishn

Yep.. Forecast steelhead SH 1081 blank ..works great !! Love it for Lake Erie perch.

I second the Forecast steelhead 1081. The price is right and it is perfect for crappie and bluegill. Just soft enough on the tip to not tear out those paper mouths on the crappie. I wouldn't consider them fast, but medium fast might be about right to me. I haven't put mine to the CC tests, and I haven't found any info from anyone testing one yet. So all I can give you is my feeling for the rod. I like it!

I believe a fast 9 ft. 6 or 7 wt. fly rod blank will make an excellent Perch/Bluegill/Crappie rod. I've built several for Crappie rods here in Alabama and a small group (getting larger every year) swears by them. The fast action fly is sort of a moderate spinning action but I, and a few others have accidently hooked and landed Stripe up to 8 - 10 lbs. on 4 or 6 lb. test on a 9 ft. 6 wt. wrapped as a spinning rod. the softer action protects the light line superbly. I caught a 6 1/2 lb. catfish on a cricket Bluegill fishing in July this year on one of mine. E-mail me and I'll tell you the guide setup I use.

Hey guys,

Thanks for all of the input. I'm seriously considering the 9' Forcast light steelhead blanks and extending them about a foot (which I believe will make the action a little faster??) and maybe using a split butt grip to cut down the weight (and I like them). Does this set up seem to far out of line???? Any input?

Mike

Think about the Sevier Tiger Eyes in a 9 ft. length. These are faster than Forecast or PacBay Traditions and are only about $35 retail.

Try Neal's, Platte River or Dan Craft links at left.