MickD

I don't even know what "handle size" means. I've never found a reel that didn't fit onto all my rods I've tried them on. I'm not sure what the point of this is.

Cutting 3 inches from the butt will affect the power and action only slightly, slowing the action and slightly decreasing the deadlift capability. Cutting from the tip has a much higher influence on both. I have never liked a rod which lost even only an inch of length from the tip. You can easily simulate cutting from the butt by taping guides on and taping the reel seat on in two different positions and comparing the results.

I only have experience with the Phenix M1 7 foot 2 inch MXF blank. Its action measures consistent with what I call XF (about 82 degrees CCS) and the power is similar to other M power spin blanks I've measured. It is what I would call a "premium blank" with respect to sensitivity. Its true natural frequency is among the better ones I've tested but not the highest. So I expect that their other offerings will be fairly true to their designation. It costs about twice what the Rainshadow I recommended does and is lighter. For what you want to do I prefer a F or XF and not a moderate fast action, but that is personal taste. A mod-fast Rainshadow popping rod I built for my son pleases him for drop shot and tubes. I think I need to repeat that the Rainshadow blank I recommended is truly XFast action (82 degrees CCS) and much more powerful than one would expect from a "medium light"l power. Its tip is soft (remember, XF rods of power similar to a F action will have the softer tip) so it casts lighter lures well, but the powerful butt comes into play quickly making it suitable for big fish. It reminds me of Point Blanks. It handled a 4 foot cuda quite nicely. While they don't advertise it, blank companies either have CCS data or will get it for you if you ask. I have it for the blanks I've built but have little experience with MHX rods you are considering. When this is done you will understand action and power more than most fishermen do and more than a few pro builders do. I just looked at the specs for the MHF Phenix and based on its power and weight it has to be a high modulus blank, but if it's truly a mod fast action its tip will be a little stiffer than what I would want for your use. Its recommended casting weight seems a little high indicating its power is truly MH, probably higher than 25 ERN.

I should have said "a distinction without a difference."

Thanks, Spencer. Regarding the SS, yes stainless steel Fuji KLH reduction train. Go to the anglersresource.net web site and use the KW software to see the reduction train recommendations. I almost always go 20-10-5.5 because it is more versatile than 16-8-5.5 at almost no weight difference. And any difference is away from the tip where it really counts. The only issue with micro guides is the difficulty in holding them onto the blank while stress testing and wrapping. Use the two line stress test on the same site to locate the running guides; it's easier than a single line test because the guides don't take the load of stressing the blank and they can be moved without removing the stress from the blank. Much easier. But I have more than an opinion, I have data that support the fact that the less weight you put onto the tip area of the blank, the higher the true natural frequency the rod will have. Most believe that the higher the natural frequency, the higher the sensitivity. There is no issue that I see with posting your plans. You will get different opinions in response, but look through them with an eye out for something that can be called a show stopper, a big mistake. Most differences of opinion on build recipes are differences without a distinction. Nowadays there seem to be two major schools of thought, the Fuji K series guides and the AmTak Microwave guides. I like the Fuji's because the running guides are lighter and there are more options on size and finish than with Microwaves. Both work well. If there is an advantage of one over the other for casting distance, it's a moot point, IMHO, since both yield casting distances that are satisfactory, and I don't have the equipment or desire to try to find the difference, which certainly is minor with the braid most of us use. Minor at most. My Fuji's cast "a mile."

If you find the MHF rod works well with that lure rating then other blanks with the same rating should work too. I figure my spin builds will come in at about 2 ounces above the blank weight. My most recent Point Blank 701MLF came in at 3.8 oz on a 1.78 ounce blank. I use a size 17 Fuji DPSSD seat which weighs about an ounce. I use split grip with a butt knob and only small ramps of cork off the seats. For guides I generally use Fuji SS KLH 20-10-5.5M + 2 KB4's and 4 KT4's. (most 7 foot blanks) . I would not use 4's if you are not confident of a good, small, knot for braid to leader. 5's would make more sense. Pic is of my typical configuration for spin.

Please clarify, Spoonplugger, if the Loomis blanks are no longer available and the GLX Escape is a rod and not a blank, then. . . ? I think you need to consider the weights of the lures to be cast rather than the cover/water type/spin or cast. The rod needs to load properly on the cast for it to be a good caster. Whether built as a spin or cast.

LurePartsOnline and JStockard, for the most part. Saltwaterflies.com, too, and many others. Do a search for fly tying materials.

You really think that the splash makes a difference in drop shot? With bonefish on the flats, yes, but drop shot?

My experience and that of a friend who has used the Z-man minnows, both large and small, on drop shot has been that when the Z is hooked very lightly in the nose it tends to go "tail-up," and we've done better when that happens. We thought it an advantage, with the minnow looking like it's feeding head down tail up.

If I had to choose just one tube it would be Strike King coffee pro in watermelon candy. A couple commments to add to the pretty complete article by A-Jay. Smallmouths can be very picky at times, so picky that one thinks they are not there. But sometimes they just want something different than what you are offering. So little changes like the jig weight, which affects fall rate when doing a lift and fall can be a game changer. Color too. Size too-once they wanted smaller tubes and I didn't have them with me, but caught a few by cutting my longer ones down. So don't think that because something worked yesterday it will work today. Be creative and try some changes to your tube offering.

Daiwa Fuego was mastered by my granddaughter in about half an hour, reasonable cost if your dad doesn't take to it. But it's a very competent reel, so you could take it off his hands and enjoy it.

Hard to beat SCV material, and the variety offered is almost unbelievable.

The only way to make a 4 piece rod from a one piece blank is to add the old metal ferrules which will result in a lot of added weight and an action with two or three flat spots. Not a good idea. Better to compromise on three piece blanks if you cannot find a four. A 3 piece 7 foot rod rod breaks down to about 28 inches, which travels pretty well. Rodgeeks has a travel series of 4 piece blanks up to 6 ' 6" . It would not be difficult to fit a grip section onto one using a metal ferrule and you'd have a rod up to about 7' 6" . I would go with a designed 7 foot 3 piece blank-I have a Rainshadow RX6 that works just fine, very versatile rod. SB841-3. The catalog description isn't quite right-it actually is an X-fast action with a lot of butt section power which makes it very versatile rod from very light jigs to pretty heavy lures. It's my backup for bones and cudas, and does both jobs very well. I have CCS numbers on it if you're into those.

Electrical tape, like suggested above, stretched very tightly over the threads and nut should work fine. For a little more "grippy" solution you can try tennis racket grip tape or Winn's grip tape. All should work. Is your profile pic from Wawa, ON?

I'm using Suffix 1"lite mono camo now, and it seems pretty hard to see from the boat. I wonder if fish are really spooked by a long thin "something" that is shaped and colored like a long plant.

Ever hand your card to a waiter and have it taken to the back room? Probably more risk than dealing with reliable vendors on line.

Use Paypal. Most on-line sellers allow it and by using it the seller never sees your card info. Of course Paypal could get hacked, but Paypal also has a feature to protect you from a scam. You guys can get as ticked off as much as you want at TW, but buying on line is not as safe as going into a sporting goods store and paying cash. You already knew that. So deal with it. All this complaining and I don't think I remember one person posting who wasn't covered by his card company. We should make this forum a "no whining zone."

And the more you need to stop it.

I am forcing myself to stop in the middle of the day and go over what worked, didn't work, where I've been, and "ask myself "what am I missing?" And "What have I not tried that might work?"

Like a tube, but insert the jig into the skirted end, work slowly along the bottom, or hop if they like it. Very good smallie lure. Used to be much more popular, I think , but sort of went out of style. Maybe the smallies have forgotten that it's bad news. Good for both smb and lmb. I like subtle shades of green, red flake if you can get it.

Gotta ask-what do bass use to capture their prey? I don't mean to be a smart aleck, but I must be missing something here. thanks

If going with a longer rear grip make sure it doesn't hang up on the elbow of the fisherman when going from up to down or vice versa. I had to cut about 1 1/2 inches off the butt of my first spin build because the length behind the reel seat was too long. I also added weight to a casting rod once thinking that balance was very important. Then it almost torqued out of my hands and into the lake because the inertia had gotten so high. Now I do like has been suggested and make them as light as reasonably possible (keeping good ergonomics in mind-I don't like skeleton seats or similar "drastic" measures) and choose as light a reel as I can get that will do the job. Yes, shorter is easier to balance than longer. But I like rods that are on the longer side, so I sacrifice balance. I don't think it's that important compared to other priorities. Keep in mind that as soon as a lure is tied on the balance is affected. Negatively. Also, even with a slack line, when the tip is high balance is not of much importance.

Go hunting.

Gotta comment, all reel seats are not the same for doing their function, which is "seating the reel." And holding it securely. And all reel seats are not the same for ergonomics. Simply the difference between a size 16 and 17 is significant. But there are other differences, too, which may mean something to some but not to others. Some cork on factory rods is so bad that it doesn't last. It's not just about cosmetics, the pitting in some cork is so bad that it breaks down in a few years. I've done repairs on some of the rods that are very popular and considered "premium" on this forum, and the seats were coming loose and the cork was disintegrating. You most likely will not find a seat coming loose on a St. Croix or a J. Loomis. And if the cork looks highly pitted, it most likely will not last. Watch out for fillers which closely match the main cork color, but fill the pits and often come out in a few years. I will argue that the rods which cost $300 and those that cost $100 will not have the same material in the blank. I have a method of measuring the natural frequency of rod blanks, and sure enough, the pricier premium blanks have a higher natural frequency than the cheaper blanks. While it is just my opinion, backed by some testing, I don't think that you will find a $100 rod with the same modulus as the $300 rod. You have to define your requirements, what your definition of quality is, and then you can define YOUR sweet spot.