Use Nanofil line for added casting distance. I tried it last month for the first time. My very first cast at my normal casting strength went well past the bank and 10' up in a tree.
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My personal drop shot rod is built on a MHX HM-DS8515 blank paired with a Shimano 2500 spinning reel. I used a Fuji SK split grip (for the exposed blank), cork grips (very light) and a foregrip with a cutout for my thumb that exposes the blank. This rod is very light, sensitive and rather stiff and strong. The strength helps get the fish out of brush piles and the stiffness helps "twitch&
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Mostly rivers from the bank or pier
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Thanks everyone for the great advise!
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Either a spinning rod or a casting rod. Not a fly rod
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My son just moved to Seattle and I want to build him a salmon and/or steelhead rod. I know nothing about catching these fish in the Pacific Northwest, so I'd appreciate suggestions as to appropriate rod length, action, line and lure weights. Any recommendations for rod blanks would be welcome. Thanks!
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The last cranking rod I built (for myself) was on a MHX blend cranking blank spiral wrapped. Couldn't be happier.
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I use Micro Wave casting guides and follow the spacing recommendations that come with the guide set. Works great and is much easier than trying to figure it all out by yourself.
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I just checked my yellow tape from Mud Hole. It's off by 1/8" per foot.
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Unfortunately the SK2 casting rear grip Get Bit Outdoors carries is only 2.5". If only it were an inch longer!
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I'd like to build a matched set of casting rods using the Fuji SK2 reel seat and Winn Grips. Unfortunately, I've not been able to find properly sized grips in basic black. M.H., A.W. and G.B.O. have grips made for the SK2 but either are the wrong color or don't seem to come in a 3.5-4" rear grip. Does any one: 1. Know of a source of a properly sized casting rear grip? 2. Or h
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Fished a bass tournament Saturday and my partner and I caught all our keepers on Mr. NED. Build your rod for sensitivity! Blank I used was a MHX SJ842-2 (2 piece for traveling) Reel seat was Fuji SK2 with cork front, rear and butt grips. The foregrip has the blank exposed right where your thumb goes. I use a 2000 size spinning reel spooled with 20 lb. braid plus an 8 lb. flurocarbon le
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What I haven't seen mentioned is Gorilla Glue. I've used it in the past for an absolutely indestructible waterproof bond. This glue sets up with water so you need to dip each ring in water before applying the glue. Gorilla Glue will expand to fill in gaps and will likely expand outside of the ring. So you'll need some extra sanding to remove the excess glue.
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I have the laser alignment tool. Great concept but you're right. Getting it straight in the reel seat and stable is near impossible. I also have issues seeing the laser line towards the tip of the rod.
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For Canadian walleye fishing I prefer longer rods (7-7.5') and 2-piece rods. The length gets the bait further from the boat while trolling and it's much easier to travel with 2 piece rods. I've been using the MHX blanks with lots of success this past summer while on a fly-in trip. Build for sensitivity as walleye nibble rather than bite. A drop shot blank or 2 power blank works great for jigg
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I use the MB843-MHX or MB783-MHX for fishing traps
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If you are looking to put travel rods in carry on luggage, the airlines limit the size of the bags to 21 or 22 inches in length. These are outside dimensions so you'll need to limit the rod pieces to about 20" each.
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I'm currently building a 7' 2" spinning rod for a Shimano 4000 Symetre reel using Microwave guides. I placed the tip side foot edge of the stripper guide 22" from the center of the reel stem.
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I made a beginner's mistake yesterday while gluing on a handle and left the reel seat nut all the way unscrewed so that a little glue from the rear grip locked the nut in place. Pliers with the jaws covered in cloth would not budge the nut. After picking out a bit of glue with a dental pick I put a few drops of Goo Gone on the joint between the nut and the handle and let it stew for a hour. Bo
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I second your thoughts on Mudhole's customer service! Twice they have corrected issues I've had free of charge and without me having to speak to management. I recently visited their location during a trip to Florida and they were very helpful in showing me products that would be very hard to evaluate from online pictures and descriptions. They also gave me a tour of their warehouse.
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Older Fenwick blanks periodically sell on @#$%&. There is an @#$%& for 3 Fenglass CA 557 blanks on now. Bid was $61 last time I looked. And I just lost an @#$%& for 2 Ferilite spinning blanks. The pair went for a bit over $50. If you have any brown fiberglass spinning or casting rods 6.5 to 8 feet, let me know! Doug
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My first priority when building a finesse spinning rod is sensitivity. I'll take every opportunity to expose the blank - a notched foregrip, a split reel seat (Fuji SK2) and a split grip handle. I think the first 2 "exposures" are the most important
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I just build for myself but do live in Georgia on Lake Oconee (Eatonton)
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On the telescoping flippin' rods I've built, I embed a dowel in the butt that will gently hold the upper rod piece in place when the rod is collapsed. The dowel is sized to the inner dimension of the upper piece
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I use a MHX 843 for my jig fishing with 20 lb fluro. I can easily throw a 1/4 oz jig
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I use a 2 piece MHX 844-2 for my Carolina rig fishing. It's rated for up to 1 oz but I find when I use a 1 oz sinker that it's a bit much for the rod. The blank handles a 3/4 oz sinker much better
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I've only done this once but it worked well and seems easier than scraping hard epoxy off by hand ... After the guides and reel seat and handle are removed put the blank in a small diameter PVC tube plugged or capped at the bottom. Then add MEK to cover the blank and let it cook just enough to loosen the finish without damaging the blank. Wipe, scrape or sand the epoxy off. I needed to coat
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Edge shaving gel is a good lube
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I've used a tack cloth for years without issue. Key is to use minimal pressure on the threads.
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I used to wrap Fenwick HMG blanks almost exclusively way back when ... The SP stands for spinning The 1st 2 digits are the length of the blank in inches The last digit indicates the power of the rod with 1 being ultra light and 8 being a pool cue A HMG graphite blank #4 is good for 1/8 to 5/8 oz lures. A 5 is good for 3/8 to 3/4 oz lures There maybe some difference between Fenwick's
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