dv616

I only buy from well known sources. Not oddball and obscure. I think all my rod building vendors are from the list on the rodbuilding website, except for Versitex (but I am done using them). I try to use PayPal or Apple Pay when allowed so there do not actually get the card number. I know I was hit in the Tackleware hack from a few years back. Lure building stuff is from the usual mold makers typically, sometimes a smaller mold maker, but most are from the commonly used companies for supplies and molds. I wonder if buying from small companies sometimes means less robust security which allows for easier hacking? Probably need to only pay that way and never enter numbers directly, but a lot of small shops don’t support that.

It seems like the credit cards I use solely for online purchases (which tend to be for rod and lure making) are frequently getting hacked. Is anyone else seeing this? It has become a several times as year occurrence. I am about ready to set up a virtual card for each fishing supply vendor and see where the leak is.

Are you building fishing rods now? There goes my hope of getting you to invite me on a fishing trip for smallies in exchange for a custom fishing rod.

Took it out in the backyard pond tonight. Casts great. Fishes fine even though not “balanced” but the heavier reel did help with that. My usual approach is to set the handle length based on preference or technique. Usually I set the rear handle length to be so the butt rests where I like it against my forearm and not extend to the elbow. Usually about 1.5-2” so shy of the elbow. Allows it to not get in the way when working a lure. Heavier rods (musky or swimbait) may be a little longer, light power stuff or shorter rods may be a little shorter handle.

Good to know. I have probably fallen for the “lighter is better” hype a bit too much.

Well, I put an old 2007 Stradic 3000FI on it. Reel should weigh about 9.5 oz (only found weights for a 2500 online) But it almost balances level where the rest of my spinning rods do. But, the first reel I put on it was a 7.2 oz reel. So, more than 2 extra ounces at the reel vs. 3/4 oz at the butt. I think it feels different to have weight at the butt end though. Just an fyi. It is finished without adding weight.

I typically put the reel stem between ring and middle finger which I think limits the effect of a heavier reel. But, for those who grip it more forward a heavier reel should help more.

Also, for what it is worth, the rod I swapped the handle out was a 3.8 oz rod according to St. Croix website (2017 version). Now, it is 3.870 oz rod when changed for the NFC XO skeleton handle. Not bad at all. I did shorten the blank. I did more overlap than needed in the handle, about 6" with a full arbor under the reel seat portion.

I only added weight once to a rod, and did not like it, actually the very first rod I built. I thought it might be time to revisit it in light of a 8’ rod. Most of my spinning rods balance right in front of the down locking reel seat. The 8’ would need some help to accomplish that balance. Sounds like the consensus so far is to stick with not adding weight.

Would you add 3/4 oz weight to a 8’ ml spinning rod to make it balance level. I replaced the handle in a 80mlf sc4 legend tournament wallleye rod with a xo skeleton. Weight is 3.870 without adding weight. I would epoxy lead into the EVA but cap (it is already hollow on the inside). I was going to give the rod away (I hate the sk2 split spinning reel seats) and had barely used the rod but realized that the front part of the reel set was loose. Now it has a handle I like!

Well, that sure is discouraging news on the PB 701LXF and 701MLF! I guess I will keep my NVSS TCH reel seats for something else. Too pricey for a rod that may be prone to breaking.

Fat guys fishing has a lot of size options for tubes with a spline so you do not have to cut tails. They shoot 10 at a time too. Expensive mold to start out with but worth it if you use a lot of tubes. Much nicer than 1 cavity molds.

Even with in one company power ratings seem more confusing than they need to be. Take the NFC SJ series blanks. The new SJ 706 HM is a remastered Loomis SJR842. Rated for 6-12# line, 1/8-3/8 oz lures. Called a medium. The SJ704 IM is also called a remastered SJR842. Same ratings as above. Called a MH. Why is one listed as a 4 power and the other as a 6 power, and they are both SJ series rods? Throw in the X-ray SJ736 with a 1/4-1 oz lure weight and a 10-17 line weight (and Delta and IM series SJ706 blanks) are called heavy power. So what is the difference between a 4 power and 6 power SJ rod from one manufacturer?

Here is this Michiganders take on it (who fishes smaller lakes than MickD fishes). 2” and smaller soft plastics on 1/16th or less jighead weight = ultra finesse or BFS. Light power rods. 2.5” tubes, 1/16th oz Ned’s, 2.8” swimbaits, smaller wacky rigs= finesse. 1/16-3/16th oz jighead weight. Medium light power rods. 3.5” tubes, 5” wacky, 3.3 and 3.8” swimbaits. 1/8-3/8 oz jighead weights. Medium power rods like the St. Croix 70MF spinning rods. I consider these “general purpose/regular size” lures. A great all purpose rod, but not a finesse rod. I was flexing my PB701LXF and PB701MLF blanks in the shop today and comparing it to my SCV70mlf blanks. I would say the 701MLF is not a finesse rod. The 701LXF does have a light enough tip to probably cast light baits well, but the transition to power is pretty abrupt and does not have the give that I like in a finesse rod after the initial tip flex. But, I suspect it would cast my definition of finesse lures well, not sure I would love how it bends when fighting fish. For the record, I do not love my SCV76mlxf either due to the abrupt transition to power after the initial tip flex. I need to spend more time with it still, but when fighting smallies I noted that I would prefer to see a bit more give after the light tip flex. I much prefer the bend profile of the SCV70mlf. I need to build the Point Blank rods and fish them, but that is my reaction to comparing flex in the shop. They seem like great blanks though. I freely admit my strong bias to the SC 70mlf rods. I have caught more bass on those rods than probably all my other rods combined. Dropshot and Ned rigs mainly. The second rod I built was a SCIII 70mlf. I still fish a factory SCV70mlf. The NFC SJ703 does feel very similar. I think the carbon air DS 710 X-ray C6O2 will also fall into this category. Note: yes, I have too many blanks I am waiting to build. I need to retire and free up some time.

I came here specifically to look for a first report. Was thinking you might still be snowed in.

I built a Sc5 7-6mlxf spinning rod (what you can get from rodgeeks) and of a more recent vintage than Spoonplugger1’s. I would say it has a much lighter tip than I would use for 5” senkos. It transitions quickly to backbone. The flex is very much in the tip. I can see why Big Hands can fish senkos with it, but not really the intended purpose of that blank. The NFC DS 76 mlxf carbon air, I have the blank but not built it. I would say that it transitions more gradually into the backbone/ lock up point of the blank. For BFS, I think it would be smoother for casting. The SCV 76mlxf has the most abrupt cut off to the light tip of any MLXF I have handled.

I listened to two different podcasts this week on Smallmouth tubes, specifically on “cracking a tube” for smallmouths. One said the weight needs to be forward since it is a bottom technique that shakes the tube on slack lone and you want it to rest nose down.” The other said you want the weight further back so the bait sinks horizontally. I guess there is a place for both. 60 vs 90 degree hook eye was up in the air.

It is a banana jig from 3rd Coast CNC (on eBay).

Is that the worm nose jig mold without putting in the screw keeper?

Hmm. That is the one I do not have. I have the more tear drop shaped mold. Also a 3rd coast one that is for 90 or 60 degree hooks, but it does not fit the smaller hook size. It does allow for a stupid tube hook though as well.

Going after this style: https://www.greatlakesfinesse.com/mini-pro-tube-jig-head Northland, Bite me, 2k jigs have similar styles. It might be a swing and a miss on my part.

It is a northern smallmouth thing for deep, clear lakes. Especially ones with gobies but I do not (yet) fish the lakes with gobies. I am going to try it on a secondary point which reaches 30’ deep that I usually fish a drop shot on.

I think I found a mold that will work for me 2.5-3” tubes for smallies. 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 (other sizes too). 60° size 1/0 or 2/0 hooks. What do you think?

They release a few more Carbon Air Swimbait blanks as well from NFC. I am going to order those up to check out too. I hope the power and actions are similar to the non-Carbon Air blanks, but I am guessing they will be different like the 807 was. Hopefully not. It makes it hard to know what to order when it changes between materials but has the same power ratings.

After all your posts about Point Blank, I finally decided to order the PB701MLF and the PB701LXF. Time to see how they compare to my favorites. I may need to switch up my preferred guides though. I have been using the MicroWave Nanolite guide train for spinning, love the simplicity and versatility in case I shuffle reels around or give them away to family or friends (I have more blanks to build on an try than I can possibly carry in a boat if I get them all built). At some point, I need to get everything built and then part with some of my finished products. With the microwave setup, I feel confident that who ever ends up with the rod will get good performance with a 2500 (plus or minus a size) reel and not have to worry about what reel they may end up using.