Do any of you builders do a decent amount of building for inshore saltwater rigs?  I'm sure the building process is largely the same as freshwater, but I'm considering a build and hoping to find someone with inshore saltwater experience for discussion of relevant components and design considerations.

Thanks guys!

I've done some dual use rods. Inshore tackle and techniques are very similar to bass tackle. Biggest thing is use titanium frame guides for corrosion protection. Of course you want to choose the right blank power, action etc. What are you looking for?

We have a lot of our customers and rod builders that build a ton of Inshore Rods!! Typically they use our inshore popping rod blanks and sometimes our Graphite CrankBait rod blanks as well. 

I built my saltwater striper rod on a crankbait rod - as Batson mentions - that needed repair. I stripped all the components off and rebuilt using titanium framed guides as DVT mentions. I've been fishing with it for about 6 years now and still going strong.

I'm sure you'll find someone here who can help you.

5 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

I've done some dual use rods. Inshore tackle and techniques are very similar to bass tackle. Biggest thing is use titanium frame guides for corrosion protection. Of course you want to choose the right blank power, action etc. What are you looking for?

I'm looking for a spinning rod to target reds, trout and flounder in the bays, creeks and flats of South Carolina and the Florida Panhandle.  Most times it'll have DOA Paddletails/Jerkbaits or Gulp shrimp/swimming mullets on 1/8 - 3/8 oz jigheads.  On occasion, will also throw Mirrodine topwaters or twitch baits, or perhaps a popping cork with one of the plastics mentioned above or a live shrimp.

It'll likely be paired with a 2500 or 3000 sized Shimano spinning reel with 10 or 15 lb braid.  Braid will have a mono or fluoro leader tied on, so no micro guides.

I've already got 2 St Croix Tidemasters, the 7' M/F and the 7' ML/F.  The M/F is a great rod for other techniques.  The ML/F is what I currently use for the above, but it's a bit whippy for my tastes.  Definitely does NOT feel like a fast action to me, so one of the main parameters of this rod is that it be crisper than the ML Tidemaster.

Hoping to stay in the $200 area

Ok.. in your area, Riley Rods is a great company to get a custom from. Also on here DVT can make you a rod too. We sell a lot of blanks and components to the Private Label market. And in this market there is a plethora of inshore rods that you can get. If you need any more info, call into our office and ask for sales. We can help direct you if you need any more info or direction. 

If you will be transporting the rod in a tube, pay attention to how high the guides are on spinning rods.  Some of the new high spinning designs won't fit in normal tubes.

I ordered 5 RodGeeks C2SW70MM blanks todays for light saltwater/freshwater builds.  These are designed to be great popping blanks and the moderate action allows you to throw live bait also.