Marc, You may want to give them a call. My notes on the blank I built indicated it was XH/Fast not XH/Mod as shown on their web site. Mike
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I picked up one at the Rod Expo & made it into a spinning flipping stick for a buddy of mine. He is using it for bass fishing in reeds, etc. here in Fl. It has alot of backbone but a fast tip. I would think it would be really good for Muskie fishing & casting smaller baits & maybe even some larger baits. Mike
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Thanks again everyone. I'll do some more practice & see if I can get it right. Mike
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I'm just finished building my first epoxy ramp. Used 5 min. epoxy & it came out pretty nice. The ramp is going to be built on a grouper rod so it is a little steep. My problem is when I wrap it with thread ( A - ncp), the thread wants to fall back over itself going up the steeper part of the ramp. Is there a trick to getting the thread to stay in place. Also, whats the best method for tyin
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Thanks Tom. I'm going to test it at various length to see which feels best for me. It will not be used with a harness or as a rail rod. So I'm thinking I need to have it a little longer in the rear.
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I getting ready to built a grouper rod using a Calstar 700H blank. It will be used mostly on head boats out of east central Florida. My questions regards the handle length front & rear. I've been told for the rear 8 to 10 inches & front 10 to 12". I put the handle with the reel together & the length of the rear handle seems short. It feels too close to my body even at 12"
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Thanks, I will check with them at the show.
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A good friend of mine wants me to build him a 7 ft. 1 piece spinning flipping stick. Wants it stiff for working heavy cover in florida lakes. He is not concerned about tip action wants to be able to pull fish out of heavy cover. Mostly flipping with some pitching under 10 feet. Will be using 50 lb braid. Needs some recommendations on blank along with guides. I was thinking micros since he
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Thanks guys for the input. I'm going to use double sided tape & see how that goes. Mike
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I just had to cut off a fish butt wrap because my thread loosen up so much I could not pack properly. What is the best method for holding the treads inplace during the wrap so they do not loosen. I was just using masking tap & it doesn't seem to hold the tread. Also, when doing the wrap do you use alot of tension or something lesser.
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Tom: What about the larger spool smaller reels. Like the US reels & some of the new Diawa like the new Coastal spinning reel (which by the way is a great reel for the money). They use the wide spool which from my use means longer casts. Using the 27x method the choker guide is almost at the tip on a 6 1/2 foot rod. The US reel has a spool diameter of 2.29 inches which means the choker wo
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Tom When you multiply the reel spool by 27 is the measurement of the spool in inches or mm. Thanks, Mike
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Not a 16 but th 25 for stripper.
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Do you use a leader? If so I would worry about the micro guides being too small to pass the knot. The set up with the 6s works for me because I do the same type of fishing using braid with a flour leader & the 6s seems to let the knot pass without much resistence. Mike is correct about the stripper guide. I would use a 16.
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I think you will love this blank. This blank replaced the LSJ841 which I have currently 2 rods built. I still have 1 blank left in case I break one. I use it to throw small jerk baits (Yozuri 3D minnow) for seatrout, reds, snook , ladyfish, etc.. No problem casting this lure a country mile with a US reel. It handles those fish without a problem. I also use it to work that jerk bait above w
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Andy: I've recently built 2 such rods & have used #8 fly guide with a forhan wrap. They really cast well. In fact they seem to cast better than the tradional method of wrapping a bait casting rod. Hope this helps. Mike
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I've put together a couple of these for smallmouth. Lamiglas LSJ721. MudHole as them on clearance at a very good price. I put them together with a Matrix spinning handle for a very sweet, lightweight rod. The blank is 6ft., 6-10lb line, 1/16-5/16 lure weight. Using this handle you can make it a 6ft 6inch rod very easily.
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Giorgio, I live in east central Florida around Cape Canaveral. Do you know what dealer handles Chaos blanks?
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Thanks for all the replies. I could go with less lb. on the braid since I'm using a pretty stout leader. Snook are pretty good at wrapping you around a barnacle encrusted pier & i thought a heavier braid would be the ticket. Sean let me know what you thing once you get finished with that build. Thanks, Mike PS: Does everyone think 6.6 is the length to use for skipping baits un
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Need spinning rod recommendations for a rod to be used to skip plastic/baits/shrimp under docks & mangroves for snook, seatrout & reds. What length, tip action, power size would you recommend. Will be using it with a 4000 series reel, 30lb braid, 30-40 lb flourocarbon leader. Thanks for all your help in advance. Mike
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I will be there for my first. I wasn't able to come this year & was in a funk when you thought you would not have one in 2009. This is great news & like everyone else will be saving my money & making a list. This works out great since it will be around my 02/14 birthday. It will be my wife's valentine gift to me LOL.
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I just built one with a simple spiral & it works great. I used a #8 ring on a single foot fly guide with a Forhan finish wrap to help keep it on. I'm not having any problems with line building up on my level wind reel. It's a Daiwa coastal. I been using the rod for top water spook fishing for trout & reds. I found in testing various size guides & guide frames the 8 single foot wor
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I have built both the spinning & baitcasting versions and have found them very easy to install. They are light weight, do not slip when wet & feel good in my hand. I especially like the spinning handle cause once the handle is tighten on the reel you just fell the smooth handle & not any rings, groves, threads, etc. I also like the ease in which I can extend a rod length. I have m
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I have done 2 tiger wraps using the following combinations: Gudebrod NCP HT Silver & HT Royal Blue with HT Royal Blue on top. All size A. Second one Gudebrod NCP HT Gold & HT Mettalic Green with HT Metallic Green on top. Again all size A. Both turned out great especially in sun when it brought out the mettalics in the thread. One caution when you are packing & moving the
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Thanks guys for all your imput. I was concerned about using the scratch method on graphite blanks. I found that Sharpie has now come out with an extra fine point marker. Has anyone used this new marker. It is a permanent marker. Do you think I would get any bleed thru using it.
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I'm fairly new to rod building & recently purchsed both Clemen's books. In both he refers to placing small scratches on the blank to mark for butt wraps axis etc. Is that still the proper method. If not what would you recommend?
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I would love a copy also. Thanks a bunch Mike Clements
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Recently purchase handle 14"kit & now want to shorten the handle. What method would you use to cut. I concerned about splitting, etc. Should I use my Dremel with a cut off wheel? Maybe use tape to cover blank where I plan to cut to keep splitting or cracking from becoming a problem.
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Recently purchased PacBay power rod wrapper & had a broken part on one of the rod holders where it attached to the rail. Call Donart on friday about the situation. Said usually PacBay would need to take care of but he had a part and would send it to me so I would not have to wait on PacBay. The part arrived yesterday. Great service & no hesitation to help me out.
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Starting my first heavy salt water rod and want to put a underwrap before wrapping guides. Do you coat the underwrap with CP or a light epoxy coating like Flex Coat Lite or no coating at all. I'm a little worried about thread on the underwrap moving when I put on the guides. I plan on using A size thread for both wraps. Or should I use a larger size for the guide wraps. Thanks for all respo
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