I just got a Shikari Heavy bait rod, JB8050 and a aftco reel seat. The blank is a live bait rod with a lot of taper. The butt is 1.08 and the seat is 1.00. This seat is the largest seat that aftco has ( I think ). To the point, when I put the seat on the blank it stops about 30 inches from the butt. This is to far up the blank. Does aftco offer a bigger seat. I cut the blank by about 8" so it would fit. This is the first live bait pole I am building. I just thought that it would taper a little faster than what it did. Thats the reason behind the 1" seat. Any suggestions.

Hi Jim-

You have a few options at least...

You can do a cork tape wrap (seine cord or reelseat optional) for the handle and use the reel clamp to hold the reel, or...

try a Fuji DPS-/FPS- style seat. They are available in sizes up to 30mm I.D. or...

Use an Aftco ARS4 or Pac Bay AH28 seat. Both are aluminum seats with an I.D. of 1.188" (Aftco) or 1.12" (Pac Bay). IMO, these seats are overkill for this type of blank, though.

If you need help picking components or anything else, feel free to email thru my site. Just click on "Petrochemical" in the sponsor links to the left.

Good luck and hope your rod turns out great!

Tom Kohl
Petrochemical

Jim
If the blank is thick walled you can do like what St Croix does with there blanks they grind it down to fit the reelseat so they use no shims.
Neal

Tom, I did what I thought needed done at the time. I wacked about eight inches off ( before I went through my books and found the ARS4 ). I also used cork tape for the bottom half of the handle. Cork tape, Red Aftco seat, EVA top. Hey its custom right? Tom I'm going to take some pictures of this one, I think it will be published in your magazine!!! You got to brag your own projects up, RIGHT? Tom I need a address to send the pictures. Thank Jim.