Brian, from what I was told, the ones posted in your original post's link are still available, but now have a bikini/bra top covering now, which is not what some customers want. Your best best is to search around to see who has those.
Forum: rodboard

Yes. They've taken tuna up to and/or over 300#s this year on the Cape w/ 80# braid commonly used and 100# leaders at times.
Forum: rodboard

GSB1201L, SSU1201M, Spr Seeker Baby ULUA I cant comment on the CSW1008, but I have heard good things about it. I have played w/ the Baby ULUA and it's as close to a glass rod you can get w/o the weight. It's a nice pencil popping rod up the weight you need. The GSB1201L has been around for a long time and still fills many voids. Very durable graphite blank. The SS is more expensive, but light,
Forum: rodboard

Tom, that's the only reason I'd recommend a 8' rod, or something slightly longer than 7' is if the boat had a transom where it as difficult to get the rod around if a tuna went around it or for the bow. The guys fishing 8'6" or longer still make my scratch my head. I have a guy that I built 4 matching 7' rods for and asked him specifically if he wanted a 7'6" or 8" rod after fishin
Forum: rodboard

Tom, as Billy said, I have a couple of the Herc SS rods built. One is the 70H as a spinner and the other is a 60XH as a jigger. I've casted 2-4 w/o a problem on the 70H and wouldn't hesitate to suggest it for that application. However, I'm worried about the tuna over 200#s on the rod. Not that it can't handle it, but that the tuna is at more of an advantage with the power of that blank. Billy is
Forum: rodboard

I have customers that have taken fish up to 300 pounds on topwater spinning gear so far. Lots of fish in the 150-180 # class have been taken. I'm scared already thinking of what to build these guys for next year when the fish may be another 100 pounds heavier. The fish over 200 have really been pushing the spinning gear to the extreme. A topwater tuna spinning rod must have 3 important components
Forum: rodboard

As a couple already mentioned, single foots have no place offshore. I have pictures of guides and guide frames smashed due to hitting the deck, anglers falling, tuna running hard down at the last second the the rod hits the side of the boat, aluminum gimbals smashed or broken gimbals, etc. Granted, these were usually caused by Cape tuna in the 100-350 pound class and topwater. There, you may thin
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What size reel and line? I'd recommend a 8' blank for PB fishing. I'd also recommend a composite in whatever brand you decide as there are many. Batson is a good inexpensive blank if that is the route you are going. Where are you fishing and how deep is the water?
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i wouldnt recommend 30# mono. unless you are using a casting reel and around heavy structure maybe and i do use that on those type of outfits. for spinning rods, 20# mono is about the norm for heavy spinning rods w/ mono. but, just to braid and use 40#-65#, with 50 about the norm. note: this is typically used in areas with heavy rips, tides, and/or structure. if you are in sandy areas w/o this st
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How large of a reel are you using and how wide is the spool? You may be able to get by with a 30 or even a 25 catch guide, especially if you are using braid 30# or less. Just because it's a 9' surf rod doesn't mean you need a 40mm catch guide. Match your reel to the rod. I would agree with Tom on double-footed guides for the trans and then go to singles if you wanted to. You could even look into
Forum: rodboard

Or, come to a NERBS event. They are held in NY, NJ, and MA thru various times of the year, except for the summer. There may be a CT NERBS event at some point this fall or winter too. Check out the NERBS website for events.
Forum: rodboard

I've bent the SS's Billy has in 6'. They are pretty impressive. He had the blanks w/ no guides and we had those things bent in more than a 90 and the blank had more. Again, w/o guides; just him holding onto the tip. It's impressive when you are shaking from the stress you are putting on the blank and the blank is saying it has more. These blanks were light too.
Forum: rodboard

Can't you bend those SS blanks into that backpack? They won't break. It may just be a hazzard when you open the bag at Mike's. Everyone, please put on your eye protection...
Forum: rodboard