I've heard good things about the Rainshadow 1145. For fishing really light surf, where I don't use over 2oz of weight, I have started building on steelhead blanks. My daughter tore up the spot and croaker this past July using a 1264 steelhead blank and 2oz of weight. I would also have ever confidence I could land a 30" fish with it; however, if he wants to throw 3 or 4 oz then I would go
Forum: rodboard

First, which color most closely matches the blank color? Second, in your opinion, which colors look best with the blank color?
Forum: rodboard

Camped out with a buddy and our kids last night, next to a farm pond, and got up to fish this morning. I was using a Rainshadow ISP843-3 with inlaid metallic trim wraps and Permagloss for the lightest load possible on the blank. Guide layout is new concept - the works. My 9 year old walks up with a Southbend, butt over tip ferrule piece of rod with a Zebco 33 probably twice his age. A Rapala
Forum: rodboard

Actually, I should say that I am using the new Forecast VS3 and FL guides, not the Fuji on this rod (I just tend to think in terms of "Y" and "N" and "L" designations. Ray, Robert and Kevin at Fishsticks hooked me up with all Forecast components and I love them; got my order about 2 days after placing it. The Forecast FL guides look a bit higher than the Fuji equiv
Forum: rodboard

Roy, Your e-mail didn't pop up when I tried to click on your name on a previous message about an IST1084; but I was wondering what guide setup you settled on, how you liked it and do you have any pointers. I am building a SH1084 right now for a light saltwater stick and will set it up spinning with Fuji concept guides and a Shimano reel. Right now it looks like guides would be BYAG 25, 16, 8;
Forum: rodboard

To give a little more detail, I already have my first guides figured - BYAG 25, 16 and 8. My running guides will be BLAG7s and will start on the ferrule and run out to the tip.
Forum: rodboard

I'm using a steelhead (SH1084) to build a light saltwater spinning rod - throwing 1/4 to 1/2 oz in on the flats and in the suds. I'm using a short rear grip and my reel upsweep seems to put the choke guide on the ferrule, which is fine with me. My question is whether or not 10 or 11 guides total seems like too much. I have about 50" to cover with my size 7 running guides and I don't want
Forum: rodboard

I would look at the RX6 Forecast steelhead blanks. I am building a 1084 right now for just what you're describing, though I will use heavier rods to throw 3oz. I'll bet you could lob 3oz with the SH1086 (the whiting are in close anyway) and it's only $45. The IST1087 ought to definitely do it for just over $80. Or, I hear good things about the new SU1145 (on sale for just under $80 at Fishsti
Forum: rodboard

I would defer to Tom on this, but I tie small knots (albright for my leaders) and have never heard even a click with 40lb leader on my Allstar 1266. I have also gone to BLG10 running guides on my most recent rods, though I used to use the BNLG10. Will you be banging the guides on the tip that much? You could try the LSGs and always go back to replace them if you found them to be a problem. If
Forum: rodboard

I would look at the black Electra thread for that white blank - should itself off at a distance and really sparkle when you get up close.
Forum: rodboard

Fran, I assume the Amtak blank you have is a 1087, 9ft, rated 3/4-4oz. I have never used it but it sounds like a light to medium surf stick. I assume you are not using it to soak bait in "big" surf so here are my thoughts. Where are you and your buddy going to fish? First, if you are fishing shallow, sandy beaches with relatively small fish, like I do in SC, then the rod needed to
Forum: rodboard

I'm assuming the weight range on that blank is up to about 4oz. I would look at the Fuji BSVLG or Batson equivalent and go "new concept"-ish. I did one for my brother-in-law last year using BSVLG 40, BLVLG 25, 16, 10 then BLG 10 (the single foot "fly" type guide) out to the end. I have the Fuji Hi V in a 40 and it will definitely get the line way off the blank, but seemed l
Forum: rodboard

I agree that seems like a lot; and why such big guides? I would think that the appropriate reels for an 8' rod would not need over a 40 guide at most. I would also seriously consider ceramic guides, but others here build a lot more surf rods than I do.
Forum: rodboard

Who makes that blank and what's the weight range? That would help narrow the choices.
Forum: rodboard

Building a Forecast 1084 for tossing light stuff while wading in the surf. It will be spinning using a light weight Shimano reel. What length do folks like their rear grip? I was thinking 8 or 9 inches.
Forum: rodboard

The last "surf" rod I built, actually a 10'6" steelhead blank for throwing lures and very light lead/bait, I used BMNAG (20, 16, 12) transitioning to BLAG (10, 8s...) and it works great. I did use the locking wrap on the single foots; no underwrap on singles or doubles but trim bands on the outside of each wrap.
Forum: rodboard

Would be light stuff on the SC coast; mostly small bait for smallish fish; 12-15lb line.
Forum: rodboard

What blank would ya'll suggest as a first surf rod for a 10-year-old. A few considerations: Kids are about 75 lbs with good fitness and coordination. Throwing 3 oz. max, but still easy enough for them to load with 2 oz. Set up spinning using Penn 104 (16 or 17 oz I think).
Forum: rodboard

Chris sounds like my mom did when I was growing up. Amusingly, my 3-year-old would quickly correct such speech very pointedly. She told my wife last night, as we were reading one of the Chronicles of Narnia books (my wife was only reading what C.S. Lewis wrote) that she should not say "stupid". Thanks a bunch Tom.
Forum: rodboard

Fishsticks4u has two Batson blanks on their site that I think would work: SW967F - rated to 2oz, 8ft, 2pc SU1145 - rated to 1.5oz, 9.5ft 2pc Both are rated at less than 3oz, but I'm guessing you could do it if you were careful.
Forum: rodboard

Looking at the park site, I would build him something that could do double duty for pier or light surf, probably 8 or 9 feet rated 1-3oz. The kicker is you usually don't need that much rod for the fish, but you need it to throw the weight. The beaches are basically shallow, clean and sandy but sometimes I use 3oz if the surf is rough (by our standards). Fishing from the pier you probably throw
Forum: rodboard

Where in SC? I'm from SC and vacation a couple of weeks each summer on the coast and fish daily when there. It would help me to visualize the pier if I knew which one and where it is. Having said that, most folk around here to not use really big stuff on the piers. It probably does not need to be too long, would probably never need to throw more than 3 oz and will honestly probably not need t
Forum: rodboard

I am looking at building a similar rod on a 9' steelhead blank - for throwing very light stuff in the surf for pompano and flounder. I would be curious to know what handle length and guide setup you end up with. I recently set up a rod for a Shimano 2000 size reel and very light braid, and ended up using BYAG 25, 16, 8; and BLAG 7s the rest of the way out. I don't think you need a 30 stripper
Forum: rodboard

I have limited experience, but all of the fly rods I have built for myself use ceramics and I love them. On a 9wt rod, I am betting most will tell you to use ceramics. You can do a search on this forum and find some data on guides weights and recommendations; but I imagine something like LVSG16, BLAG10, BLAG7s (however many) and an FST tip would work great. On a rod that heavy I have heard pe
Forum: rodboard

"Spiral Wrapped? - With a Bumper Wrap on them, those rods will be the talk of the School Yard and the Local Bait & Tackle Shops. " That's the plan to spiral wrap. I'm also going to use the loudest gaudiest colors of thread I can find. I've thought about painting the blank some hi-vis color but am not sure I can find a paint that will hold up.
Forum: rodboard

You used them in the salt?
Forum: rodboard

I'm going to be building rods for some kids this summer and would like to set them up for spincasting reels, just for ease of use. Will the Zebco work if I rinse it off after each use?
Forum: rodboard

Yeah, I admit it would be something of a cadilac pole! Then again, I always get outfished by the guy who bought his at Walmart.
Forum: rodboard

How would a 12 or 13 foot spey blank work for a nice portable bream/crappie pole? How stout is a 6/7 weight spey rod?
Forum: rodboard

I am building some kids' rods this summer and was interested in painting end of the blanks a bright color, or even glow-in-the-dark, to help the kids spot nibbles (and they'll think it's cool!). Can I use the standard hi-vis and glowing paints carried by Home Depot and then just cover with a coat or two of Permagloss? Will the paint tend to crack in an area that sees as much flex as the tip of
Forum: rodboard