I have had a request to build a crappie rod for a friend. He wants it to be an 8 footer for jig fishing. I would like to know what you all recommend. I am thinking about either a hot shot or steelhead blank. His request is that it has a sensitive tip but a solid butt.

Thanks,
Tom Kaufmann

A steel head rod is the perfect rod for this application.

any in particular company that you would recommend as I have never had one in my hand.

THE RAINSHADOW LINE FOR STEELHEAD BLANKS ARE AWESOME WITH AN AFFORDABLE PRICE POINT. CLICK ON UTMOSTENTERPRISES ON THE LEFT. LOOK AT THE RX7 or RX8 line...

Just to offer a different opinion....keeping in mind I love hot shot blanks. I think a hot shot blank is best used where you detect a bite by "seeing" it. I think the stiffer tip of a spin/jig blank is better if you want to "feel" the bite. Finding an eight foot spin/jig might prove impossible though. Your friend might be totally okay relying on visual clues (not to say you can't feel a bite with a hot shot blank), so that needs to be factored in.

For a few year period in my life (in the 70's) I was into crappie fishing. I used a shimano bantam with a 7' fenwick blank. Lure of choice was an 1/8 ounce home made jig, plastic curly tail, coupled with a clip on spinner blade....think bettle spin but with curly tail. Worked well in Tenn. deep water reservoirs. In other types of waters live bait and visual detection ruled.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

I would go for a 5/6 wt. fly rod blank. Have made a number of them and the were well liked.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I will give him some options and see what direction that he may like to go.
Thanks again,
Tom

I'm building a 9' bobber rod for crappie fishing right now. I'm using a rainshadaow RX7 9' 4wt fly blank. Love the action of the blank. I think it will be perfect for crappies. Good Luck.

I build lots of 8' and 9' crappie rods in 5wt. on the rainshadow and rainforest blanks

here is the website: www.rainshadowrodblanks.com If you have any questions, you can call any of our retailers as well as our office. We will be happy to help answer your questions.

R. McBride

Batson Enterprises
BatsonEnterprises.com | RainShadowRodBlanks.com | ALPSForeCast.com | Build2Fish.com

1084 salmon/steelhead blanks work very well...9 ft though....my favorite.

thanks again for all of the help.

Tom

Steelhead blanks can work, I'd go lighter though. Softer, faster tip with backbone, the Rainshadow IST993, Pac Bay also makes one. The MHX HS 9600 in one or two piece if you still find one, the tip on the HS 9600 is the lightest of any hotshot blank I've ever used.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2015 01:19AM by Spencer Phipps.