Was just curious if I were to cut a 2 piece rod would I have to cut the top and bottom half or all off the top? Would like to make a fast action into a medium in a 2 piece that's a shorter rod but there hard to find

Thanks Trace!

You could cut from either or both, but always at the butt and tip, not the mid-points or else the ferrule will no longer mate properly.

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It can be done to a certain extent, with more info we can help more. Do you want the same power? Does it have to stay within the lure rating of the original blank? If not where can it change?
Lastly action may not be your problem, it could be power. Action is the relationship between tip power and butt power, dropping the power can also get you there depending on the blank and application. You can use a fast or xfast rod blank for casting crankbaits for instance if the power is right, after all it's the mid to lower blank the fish is fighting against, not the tip.
You can see what you'll get without cutting the blank, put a guide where you think you want to cut the tip, install the rest of the guides and test it. With no tip top the blank will perform pretty close to what a cut blank would do.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2016 10:00AM by Spencer Phipps.

Trace,
If you cut a two piece blank, there is better than an even chance that you will end up with a blank that consists of two different length pieces. That is just fine if the finished rod meets your needs.

I often trim blanks to get the speed, action, or power that I need for a client. If the tip action and speed is what I want - I will do all of my trimming from the butt.

If I need more power, I will trim from the tip.

Basically take your rod, assemble the two pieces and then either tie on a piece of line at the spot on the tip that you want, or move your hand up the butt to have your hand to the location where you get the function of the rod by what you would have by trimming the butt.

Good luck

Spencer from what I have gathered you live in the northwest!? Have you ever hover fished the mouth of the klickitat? The rod I'm going to build will be for that, I would like a shorter rod around 8'2 or so the one I'm looking at is a cousins CIHS8512 xf 8'6 10-20# lure weight 3/8-1. I don't think I really need an extra fast action but I would like to keep the power the same or maybe even bump it up a 1/2oz. What kind of blade do you use when cutting a blank?
Thanks for all the replies just finished my first build last night! You guys make applying epoxy look like a breeze but turns out it's not as easy as it looks! Thanks again for all the advice.

Trace Butkovich.

Another thing will cutting a blank effect how you feel the bite? I'd like to be able to tell if a fish even breaths on it:)

As long as you cut only from the butt of the blank, cutting the rod blank from the butt will have 0 effect on how you feel the bite.

Good luck

Trace,
Yes, I've fished all of the Klickitat that's legal to fish, a lot of the upper stuff in an inflatable whitewater kayak. I've seen people use the light powered backbouncing rods to specialty rods, virtually all of them one piece and 7 ft. 6 in., or less in length. Most have fast, or x fast tips, the tips are soft so that you can also see the take, without the fish knowing your there. I've watched a few takes, the best description I can think of is a nose bump to a nose take.

Spencer do you think a mag medium hot shot would work for this application? It's the same rod I mentioned in last post but just found out it's a mag medium.....tell you the truth I've never heard of a mag medium.

Trace,
Sounds like a Lamiglas blank, is it the 8'9" or 8'6" version? Those blanks will carry the 2 oz. or less weights used in your application and than some. My Dad's steelhead, and coho rod is on the 8 1/2 ft. blank, though he's used it for Springers on the Cowlitz, using bait. Lamiglas used to make an 8' 3" version of the blank in Certified Pro, I think I have one or two left. Want me to look?

8'6" but an 8'3" is would be even better! Is it still a 2 piece and be good for hover fishing? Yea that would be great if you could.

Thanks a bunch for the help!

Trace Butkovich

8'6" but an 8'3" is would be even better! Is it still a 2 piece and be good for hover fishing? Yea that would be great if you could.

Thanks a bunch for the help!

Trace Butkovich

Trace, the XSH 99 2MT has virtually the same action and feel of the XSH 102 2MT. May be a slightly faster tip. I would think it would do OK. It's not my choice. I like a much shorter rod, they are lighter and more sensitive, and the one I use has an excellent durability record besides. I see no reason for a long rod in a short line, vertical presentation.
The original Hover rods were all short, the GLX Loomis rod was 7 ft. 4 in. long. The downfall of the original designs were that they were extremely technique specific, of little use for other salmon/steelhead fishing techniques.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2016 01:58AM by Spencer Phipps.

Could a guy cut it down? Yes I agree you would want a shorter rod but nobody makes that short of a rod in 2 piece and I really like 2 piece:)

Trace,
There's a recent 2 piece blank out the that St Croix originally developed for the Russian market after years of persuasion. I picked up on it when the factory rod was mentioned to me by a kayak angler who prefers her rods 2 piece, didn't immediately come back on my radar till last night late. It's the 5C70MHF2-B. I've had the factory rod in my hand, but never fished it.
I've used the 1 piece version since 2011 or so and it's a very versatile blank that has been used for a Hover rod by a guest once, though I don't think it's caught anything using that technique. It's one of those blanks that seems to be in the "sweet spot" for lots of techniques, makes a great bass rod that does many things well, and a awesome walleye rod for the heavy jigs, blade baits, and even trolling done in the Columbia River. Caught a 23 lb. Chinook on mine under the 205 bridge while trolling a walleye worm rig, the rod wasn't overtaxed in any way.
Might be more info on the 1 piece version in the archives here in 3C, 4C, or 5C70MHF in the search function, though I bet not so much for salmon, I know I've mentioned it a time or two. If your familiar with Lamiglas and G Loomis rods, you'll find the St. Croix line a bit stiffer, able to carry a bit more weight than a comparably rated rod from them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/18/2016 10:40AM by Spencer Phipps.

Sweet thanks Spencer I'll look into it!

Thanks Trace.

Sweet thanks Spencer I'll look into it!

Thanks Trace.