[Duckwump]

Gentlemen: I am new to this website but it looks like a really good one. I want to build a conventional one-piece, nine foot, E-Glass fishing rod for tossing clams, herring, and blood worms for stripers and I need some advice on what blanks to consider.

The weights would range between 2 and 5 ounces (in a pinch, I might go as low as one). I do a fair amount of fishing (at least two weeks a year) of the off Plum Island Jetty in Newburyport, Mass. The jetty has degraded over time so that it is now mostly an elevated ridge of boulders extending some 400 or so yards out. It is a really treacherous footing and I usually have one or two minor spills a season.

I have been using a 7 1/2 convential rod based on the Sabre live bait E Glass coast buster blank. I like the rod but I need something a little longer and stiffer so that I can better manuver fish around boulders. I think a 9 foot rod would be ideal. Anything longer would be too awkward. While I want a stiffer rod, I don't want a broom stick either.

I want to use Eglass because of its durability. My current rod has gouge marks in it from prior spills. I also think that fiberglass's provides a "softer" cast which is less likely to lose bait on. Distance is not that critical but I seem to be able to easily cast 70 yards with the coast buster and I would not mind being able to do that with my new rod.

I do a lot of surf fishing on Cape Hattersas with graphite rods so I am familiar with graphite's advantages and disadvantages.

I would prefer a one piece rod and plan to transport it out to the jetty on my back with a sling. However, if anyone feels strongly about any two piece E-Glass blanks, I am open to suggestion.

I am considering getting a lami SB121 3M and cutting a foot off the butt. I spoke with a rod maker by phone and he also recommended the seeker PS85. I am also wondering about another seeker E Glass blank, the SSJ90, that might meet my needs at half the cost of the SB121.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Tom (aka Duckwump).

 

[Captneilf]

Hi Tom.

I built a composite Lamiglas C6909. 9' , 20-50 #test line. A friend tested it at Montauk under the light. He fell in the rocks while landing a 30# striper. Blank had a wicked gouge in it but only real damage was a broken guide.

It cast a 1 1/2 oz bucktail fine and should make a great jetty rod.

I use it as a demo rod for my customers. You are welcome to test it out.

Capt Neil

Have Fun Fishing. Capt Neil
Custom Fishing Rods by Captain Neil

 

[616153]

Rainshadow has three 9' glass/graphite composite blanks availaible. SW1087 is rated 15-25 lb, 1-3oz.
SW1088 is rated 15-30 lb., 1-5 oz.
SW1089 is rated 20-40 lb, 2-6 oz.

 

[Duckwump]

My thanks to you both for this information. I am curious about composite rods, but have heard that they can not take a beating as well as E-Glass. This wouldn't much a problem if I were more agile.

Capt. Neil - wtih respect to the rod that you described, will it also handle up 4 0z of weight for casting. I will also have to lift some fish over some shallow rocks using the rod so it needs some backbone.

I am also curios about the rain shadow blanks. Especially with the numbering. Are they at all like the Sabre Series? Also, are Rainshadow and Batson the same company?

By the way, I have on of the older Sabre Plum Colored 1088 blanks. I was going ot use that as my jetty rod but I can't bring myself to mar it up on the rocks.

Thanks again,

Tom (akaDuckwump)

 

[Captneilf]

Hi Tom.

The Lamiglas C6909 is rated for 20-50 lb test line. It will have no trouble throwing a 4 oz weight. The tip is very flexible and the mid section is very strong along with the butt section. You should have no trouble moving fish around the rocks unless maybe a huge fish.

The fiberglass that is used in Lamiglas composite blanks is E glass. Matched with the proper layout of graphite is what makes these composite blanks so special. The demo surf rod took a tremendous fall into the rocks without breaking, the fish was not lost and the angler was able to use the rod as a support to climb up the rocks.

I must add that I have not made rods using only E glass. I have built on S glass but for less strenuous situations.

I believe that Rainshow blanks are built by Bob Batson.

If you feel comfortable using a rod built on E glass by all means stay with it.

The offer to test the C6909 is always there. Give it a try for comparison purposes. You might be surprised.

Capt Neil

Have Fun Fishing. Capt Neil
Custom Fishing Rods by Captain Neil

 

[Duckwump]

Thanks for the advice. I find that my blank choice for a jetty rod are expanding instead of shrinking. I guess I will have to try some out. Thanks again. Tom