I purchased this blank in 1982 for surf casting. I am rebuilding this rod and would appreciate information concerning the characteristics of the rod. my interest is long distance casting. I do not think this rod will perform as the specialty blanks for long distance casting competition. However, I will use it for fun -surf fishing. I use Penn 980 Mag - revolving spool reels for fishing.

Since this is an New "old " blank, I wanted information concerning the maximum weight this blank could chuck. I use a 170 gram fishing weight and use a pendellum type cast. Therefore, the rod will be stressed very near the "red line" limits. The tip size accommedates a size 20 guide; 14' 6'' in length. If 6" is removed from the tip it would accommedate a size 22 tip size. (These tip sizes may be in error-provided my the repairman. i will have them measured on monday with a micrometer). If i remember the reel seat maybe expoxied in place on the rod and placed about 28 inches from the butt and cannot be moved without damaging the rod.

I hope someone maybe familiar with this fiberglass blank and has some suggestions such as the best type of guides and the spacing and size of guides and the size of the real seat from the butt ( for fishing not long distance competition).

thank you

Del Fankhauser

That rod is a real "spring!" But they were never really meant for distance casting. Most of them got trimmed a bit just to bring them down to a reasonable length. I will say this, with just a little effort they'll toss a bait and sinker a country mile!

But if you really want a performance type competition surf blank you need to look elsewhere. Your current blank has way to much spring in the mid section. You need a faster action blank with more stiffness in the mid and butt areas.

my intent for the fenwick is just for fishing. i have zziplex for the competition casting.

how much were these blanks trimmed back for a fishing rod?

I used many of the 1686 and 1688 blanks during the 1980's. Normally, we cut them back to make 12 footers out of them. Seemed to be a good all around fishing length for that particular blank. I can't remember exactly how much was trimmed from each end, but seems like we took a foot off each.

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Tom, I still have one here that we bought on the last go around years ago. I think we used to take 6" off the top and 24 off the butt for a 12'6". If you take 6" off the top you can barely get by with an 18 tube and I think we used the 20-18's.

Delmar, you can easily throw 12oz. with this rod. Heck you can barely load it with 6oz. even with a pendellum cast. If a manly man was casting it, he probably could go up 10 14oz. I'm not that manly anymore LOL!

With the seat in its current location you are limited to the top size that will fit the amount you cut from the tip section. Trim that sucker slowly so as to not get it too big. You can remove the seat from the butt section and move it up to give you trim from the butt.

thank you for your response.

do you have a suggestion on how to remove the reel seat. it is a fuji non metal unit. i do not remember if i used a two part epoxy. I do remember that i had to build it up a bit with tape. i may have used flex-coat. this was in 1982 or 1983. following your suggestion. i will remove a little at a time. there is a fellow in beaumont texas that purchased a new old stock unit like mine. I will check with him.

if i left it at he original length,will this leave the rod to flimsy on the tip? i am not certain, if you saw a post i made correcting the rod number. My friend re read the blank number and now tells me it is a su1689. did they make a 9 strength. i have seen 6 and 8. the nine would be a significantly stronger rod.

shoot me an email off line and we'll discuss

reeldoc@triad.rr.com

The most powerful surf blank ever made has gots to be the Fenwick SU-16810. These babies will handle 16 to 20 ounces without a sweat! I have one left and it's all white with a 10 foot tip and a 4 foot butt. I think the butt diameter is about 1.5 inches or more in diameter.

I've never heard of a 1689 but if there is such a thing it would be almost as much of a beast as this one! Really, I don't see how anybody could fish such a thing.

I build alot of vintage fenwick surf sticks and if you are cutting this beast down ,I would suggest 6 off the top, 6 off the bottom and in 1 inch increments thereafter until you find your "feel". dremel the reel seat off carefully and reset for your casting comfort. The penn 990 is a great reel and that rod should put it out there.

I HAVE (4) 1689 FENWICKS 2 OF THEM ARE 13'6'' AND 2 OF THEM ARE 12'6'' WE USE THEM HERE FOR STRIPER, BELOW DAMS IN TURBULENT WATERS, LANDING EVERYTHING FROM 70 POUND SPOONBILLS TO 30 TO 40 POUND STRIPERS. USING EVERYTHING FROM AMBASSADEUR 6000'S TO 7700CL'S. THEY ARE BEASTLY. WHEN THE TIP IS CHOPPED MORE THAN 6 INCHES. UNLESS YOU WANT THE FEEL OF USING A TELEPHONE POLE, DONT CHOP MORE THAN 6 INCHES OFF THE TIP.I

Hello, I am inquiring about the rods in this discussion, particularly the 16810's. I am from Hawaii and I am looking for these rods for Ulua (Giant Trevally) fishing. Does anyone know of any for sale?