# Rod Building/Design Advice



## SSNJOHN (May 21, 2004)

I don't hang out on this forum, but occaisionally browse here. I am impressed with the pictures and work that I see on here. I typically look at the Blue Water at least once a week as I am a tuna junkie. 

My delima. I just bought a Shimano Stella 20000 NIB, but substancially discounted as someone needed the money. I don't have a rod for it and want to build one. I have built about 4 that are not pretty, but very functional. Two were from $12 mudhole bargain blanks and I have caught up to ~110 lb tuna on them. 

I am looking at a Calstar 850H or 900H blank. I really like to throw topwaters for tuna and think farther is better. I realize all the pain of having 8.5 or 9' rod and have broken ones to prove it. 

Would you recommend one of these blanks and if not why and what would you recommend? Also, if you have a recommendation on guides, grip, reel seat, & thread color, I am grateful for your time and opinion. I am not really willing to commit time into weaves and bling, more focused on the line of strength, durability, and function. With a black rod and the Stella Gold & Silver, what color mix of thread do you think would be good?

I will post a picture when I am done, regardless of how ugly it is.

Thanks,

SSNJOHN


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## Raymond Adams (Apr 17, 2008)

I have not fished that environment in many years but every jig stick I saw back in the day was built "DeckHand" style. The handle/grips on deckhand rods are cork-tape or cork-tape & 3M non-slip tape without a reel seat. Reels clamp on. One of the reasons behind that design is weight savings which is very important with any rod meant to be casted a lot like a "iron launcher". If that design doesn't appeal to you I'd look at the Alps line of seats and put cork-tape below and hypalon in front with the length determined by your comfort.
If you want to go shorter on the blank look at the Batson RCLB 80M or the Seeker CJBF 80H both are 8ft. Rods are subject to damage during transport more than anything else so take the reels off your rods and transport the rods inside a schedule 40 PVC tube.
For guides I would go as small & light as possible. Again, for weight savings. The lighter you can keep the rod especially the upper part, the faster the tip velocity and thus a farther cast. Titanium frames are about the lightest possible if you can afford them but there are some stainless guides that are very light as well. Alps comes to mind there too.
Black/Sliver/gold color combos always work and you can throw in just about any other single color into that mix and be fine too.


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## SSNJOHN (May 21, 2004)

Raymond,

Thanks for your recommendations. I was conscious of weight, but probably not as focused as I should have been for building my super "plastic-wood" top water launcher. I did realize after reading your response, that I did not specify this will be a spinning rod. I think I will have to have a reel seat as the Stella does not come with built in clamps. I can't say cost is no issue, but I am probably trying to stay around $200-250 for the components.

Thanks again,

John



Raymond Adams said:


> I have not fished that environment in many years but every jig stick I saw back in the day was built "DeckHand" style. The handle/grips on deckhand rods are cork-tape or cork-tape & 3M non-slip tape without a reel seat. Reels clamp on. One of the reasons behind that design is weight savings which is very important with any rod meant to be casted a lot like a "iron launcher". If that design doesn't appeal to you I'd look at the Alps line of seats and put cork-tape below and hypalon in front with the length determined by your comfort.
> If you want to go shorter on the blank look at the Batson RCLB 80M or the Seeker CJBF 80H both are 8ft. Rods are subject to damage during transport more than anything else so take the reels off your rods and transport the rods inside a schedule 40 PVC tube.
> For guides I would go as small & light as possible. Again, for weight savings. The lighter you can keep the rod especially the upper part, the faster the tip velocity and thus a farther cast. Titanium frames are about the lightest possible if you can afford them but there are some stainless guides that are very light as well. Alps comes to mind there too.
> Black/Sliver/gold color combos always work and you can throw in just about any other single color into that mix and be fine too.


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## Raymond Adams (Apr 17, 2008)

Oh! My bad SSJohn,
I should have reconnized the "Stella" to be a spinning reel.
Fuji make a "Plate" style wrap-on seat. It's flat and it is attached by wrapping it with thread on 3 locations of the plate. Not sure if it would be strong enough for a 30-60 or 20-50 rod though. Surf guys love the seat though. Never mind, the ALPS would be the one I would go with.


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## Rebelsharker (May 4, 2009)

Try http://www.360tuna.com/forum/f74/
http://www.360tuna.com/forum/f67/


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## OwenD (Mar 31, 2008)

John,
I have one of the RCLB80M's that Raymond mentions.
I use it for throwing large poppers and metal surface slugs (I think you call them jigs over there). We usually call a jig a metal lure you drop to the bottom and retrieve quickly.
Anyway, the thing casts a country mile and has a ton of guts.
I'd continue the gold trim theme of the Stella (awesome reel btw)

A silver Alps CAH18LX reel seat would look great, but it looks like they only do 17mm ID 
Not big enough for the RCLB80, so maybe a CAH??
And black thread with gold trims will look very classy.
Maybe even silver & gold guides like an Alps S6-GCVXGG or similar

That rod & reel would be a killer GT (giant trevally) stick!
I think you call then Ulua or something over there.


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## venturarodandlure (Feb 14, 2009)

Built a Calstar 850H recently for a customer. He used it to crush wahoo and tuna on a ten day San Diego trip. We built it acid-revolver style with Fuji HBSG guides and the Fuji wrap on plate seat that Raymond mentioned. Held up fine fishing 60lb.


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