Rod Building

[dgoff]

Here I go again, asking for more opinions. A neighbor of mine builds his own rods and I've caught the bug. I think I'm going to give it a try, but I'm kind of stuck on the weight. There are Lamiglas rod blanks specifically for kayak fishing and they come in 4 weights: 6-15, 8-20, 12-25 and 20-40 lbs. I'm stuck between 8-20 and 12-25 pounds, but I'm leaning towards the 8-20.

Time for everyone to weigh in and has anyone done this before? 

Dennis

[Toad Patrol]

Dennis, funny you should ask...
If your going to wrap one, go big and make a quiver. So that all your rods on your kayak are wraped identical??? If I had one to choose, then the 8-20, but, A light bass rod (6-12), a bait rod (8-20), and a troller with a roller tip (20-40) would be extremely excellent. Besides, if your motivated now, go BIG! you might never be again...
Back around 1975 my dad introduced me to an old friend of his, Paul McCann, who owned the Coral Beach Tackle and Bait, where the BeauRievage restaurant is today. He made and sold custom 10' surf rods and I scoped his method and built my own set of three rods. (Now in 2009? One broken, one stolen, troller left)
The motorized (with an old sewing machine motor and pedal) was a very nice addition my father built that clamped onto the butt of the blank and helped wrap the eyes. You can set it for slow and varnish the rods with no drips like the pros.
Anyways, thats my 2cents...Good luck and if you finish within a coupla of years... you're a better man then I.
-Scott

[dgoff]

Thanks, my neighbor makes it sound fairly easy but with a definite dose of patience! I kinda like the idea of three but only if I can finish the first one. I'm sometimes not real good at that darn finishing part.

[Spike]

Fishing the so cal bight, I'd aways want the extra few pounds for when the giants hit.  If I only had one rod, it would be 12-25#.  I don't much fish for kelp bass.  If I did, I'd go lower.

[dgoff]

I spend most of my time on the bottom looking for my next flatty. I've tried the kelp bass many times but don't seem to have the right knowledge and the fish know it. The only ones I've landed were incidental to dropping the bait to the bottom. That's one reason I want to hit the Black Pearl this spring; learn from some of the best. Spike, what line weight and type do you use?

[Spike]

Generally, I fish 20# test on the eastern Pacific, heavier if the big fish are around.  While they do become by-catch or incidental for many kayak anglers, kelp bass are fun and productive. Light tackle (10#) with small Fsh Traps (they really work) and you'll see some high count days.  Remember the conditions each time and you'll get good at it.  And always look in the water so you know when the WSB show up.
Enough lecturing.  I'm down in a week or so and hope we get a window to fish.

[JRD]

Dennis,

Its funny what manufacturers will market these days.  Often the "kayak" rods are cut down blanks or short blanks but with no special action.  Here is a few thoughts for you.  Don't fall for the short stick equals kayak rod myth.  7 foot seems to be a good lenght.  Also remember you are not fighing from a drifting boat or anchored boat so your action needs to be bit different.  The kayak will keep you from pulling as hard so you dont need a stiff tip.  I like a fast tip that shuts off around 1/2 way down the blank.  Phenix is making some good blanks and you can never go wrong with the big two.  For flatties I have found that the fast tip keeps me from pulling hooks but the back-bone helps lift them off the bottom.  This is using circle hooks with no hook set of course.  For plastics I like a little slower tip so you can actually set, although alot of bass fishermen will tell you not to set but to simply wind through the strike.

Now to really mess you up, I have been trying some acid wrapped rods on the kayak lately.  The theory is to reduce the torque by spiralling the eyes around the spine so you end up fishing a conventional like a spinner.  It greatly reduces the torque with almost no reduction in action or castability.  Your wrapper has to know spacing and placement but its a cool thing.  If your near the valley, give me a shout and you can come over and pull on a bunch of different actions including the acid wrap.

My normal quiver on the kayak is a 8-12(10), 10-18(12), 12-20(15) and a 15-25(20) pound stick, but that changes with local and target of course.  I guess if there was one stick to have it would be a 15lb for your every day single rod outing.

The last thing is dont be afraid to go with a distinctive color, it will help you identify it amoung the masses.

For your type question, its hard to beat Big Game for consistency and price.  Its not the best but its a good every day line.  P-Line is likely to be the most popular designer line out there for good reason.  Smoke or inshore green if you think color matters.  I always use flouro leaders so I am not convinced line color matters.

Randy

"If your reading this, thank a teacher - if your reading this in English thank a veteran

[dgoff]

Randy,

Thanks for all the info. The blanks I am looking at are Lamiglas 7'6" (a little longer than I would prefer) but don't mention anything about the action. I might have to do some more research on that and the Phenix. You mentioned the "big two", is there another company you consider to be real good?

Funny you mention the spiralling eyes, my neighbor does that on all of his rods. I was down at Bob Sands one day and asked their rod guy about it and he said there was no advantage, strickly a gimick. But I like the idea alot, and with the neighbors help, I'm going to try it.

As far as line, do you see any value in the braids? I tried one a while back and liked the sensitivity alot, but it was a nightmare of managability. A simple twist could turn into a knot, not to mention the little finger slices (obviously just me mishandling it).

Lastly, I love your quote at the bottom. I assume you are a vet? In July, I will be celebrating (maybe not the right word) my 40th year in the Air Force and Air National Guard. I finally retire in Sept.

Thanks,
Dennis

[Sea Weed]

Guy's thanks for serving. I hope to speak English for years, but not sure it will happen.

[JRD]

Hey Dennis yes 6 years in the Marines as crash fire and rescue, I guess that counts huh?  I also did a very short stint in the Guard but I am embarrased to admit it   .  The quote actually came from our very own Lou Dog and I stole it from him years ago.  He sends me alot of stupid stuff in the emails but every once in awhile even Lou can give out a jewel!

You talked to Robbie?  I guess there is not tons of benefit in a smaller line class unless you do hook a bigger fish and really put a bend in the rod.  The difference becomes more clear when you are really bent down in the butt section and your rod will want to "walk off the spline" to either side.  I wish this happened more often to me lately.  On the other hand, try a light spinner and you'll see there is no crooked rod bends with the guides on the bottom even in ultra light gear.  Robbie is a a good guy and I have a whole set of long range rods he did, some guys swear by the new style and some dont.  Take a comparable line class rod over to  your neighbors and really pull on them, I think you will be surprised at the difference.

As I wear out all my factory wraps I will be replacing them with spiral customs ( just cant get my current set to break for some reason no matter how hard I try).  The big two of course meant Calstar and Seeker.  Lamiglass makes a good blank, just not sure what their "kayak" blanks are, or why they are specific for the kayak.  You've been around so I know you can pull on the blank and tell the action.  For me, 7'6" wont fit in my truck and is a pain to get into the kayak for launching and landing but nice when you have to get the line around the front 8 feet of your yak. 

Spectra is on all my reels with top shots varying from 3 feet to 10 yards depending.  It is a night mare in the lighter classes and I have had to cut alot of overruns out of faster reels like the 200GT where you really need to watch the spool, and coz I have had guys pick it up and toss it thinking its just another calcutta.  I can't really say I have ever needed the capacity braid gives you except when hooking an incidental Ray, dog or BSB and then I have been down to the knot a few times.  For me its also a cost factor as I change my line every second trip, its alot cheaper to change 10 yards than 150.  Sensitivity can be a bad thing also, it can turn a nibble into a full blown bite making you try to set the hook too soon.  Maintenance is increased, you need to take it off twice a year and rinse it or risk it eating your spool.  I read all the info when I first switched and everybody recommended cleaning once a year, I ended up buying two new trinidad spools by following that advice, not I clean it twice a year or if I get deep into the spectra in the salt I will take it off and rinse it.  For myself I am leaving it on my reels.

So post up what you go with so we will know. 

"If your reading this, thank a teacher - if your reading this in English thank a veteran"