The RX8+S822.5 is listed as "Medium" power and the RX8+S823 as "Medium-Heavy."

I know that each manufacturer varies in their interpretation of these terms. Do these descriptions seem about right, or would these blanks be closer to ML and M blanks from St. Croix? The 822.5 is often mentioned as a drop shot rod, which to me, brings to mind a "soft" medium rod.

The 822.5 is listed as weighing .23 oz more than the MH 823, and I would prefer the lighter blank, but a true MH rod would be over powered for the spinning rod I have in mind.

The rod will be for casting 1/8 to 3/8 oz. jigs with 3/0 aberdeen hooks for walleye and smallmouth, and I'm aiming for something that has an action similar to my 6'8" MXF Shimano Crucial (very similar to a St. Croix Avid of the same dimensions.)

Which blank would you recommend?

Thanks.

Dan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2010 11:00PM by Dan Ertz.

Dan.

I would pick the 823 for your application. I dont think you will get good hook penetration fishing a jig with the 822.5 as it has a much softer tip.

I agree with mike, unless you are fishing the hooks exposed
If you are pulling the hook through the bait before getting penetration in the fish I would opt for the 823.
With exposed hook set ups in the weights you’re referring to I would opt for the 822.5
Both of them are fantastic blanks! Light, crisp, and transmit sensations very well.

Thanks Mike and Steve.

The rod will have 8lb test mono, and be used mainly with exposed hook jigs and some jigs with very light snag guards. It will be for mostly short casts to relatively shallow rocky areas in a river where an XF reacting blank is a must to minimize snags. It will also be used for some longer line drifting in 15 - 25' of water and I was concerned that the 822.5 might be a bit soft with stretchy mono line?

I've tried to use a 7' MLF Shimano Compre (IM-8 blank) for shallow jig fishing and while it's reasonably sensitive, it's SO SLOW that by the time the rod reacts when I feel the jig touch bottom it often times ends up sinking into the rock and snagging. With my 6'8" MXF Shimano Crucial (IM-9 blank) the rod is much more responsive and gets snagged much less, so I am trying to avoid having a rod that's too soft, but also don't want it to be overpowered for its intended purpose.

So from the responses to the original posting, it looks like the 822.5 is the choice of the two blanks for this rod, or does the additional information above change this? They both sound like great blanks, and I hope to put this together so that it is as sensitive and responsive, or more so, than a 6'8" MXF SCV factory rod.

Thanks again to everyone that has responded to this and my other posts. The knowledgeable and friendly members who post here, plus the amazing amount of information that the site contains is remarkable.

Dan

The only change I would consider it going to a fluorocarbon line. It will increase the sensitivity immensely which may further reduce your snag issue

Dan,

I have and use both blanks. I built the 822.5 mainly for swimming 1/8 and 1/4 oz. ball heads, but both blanks perform the task very well. Based on the info in your second post, the 823 would probably be the better choice. The tip of the 822.5 just won't move the heavier jigs as quickly as you would like.

Joe