# 14' Surf Casting Rod



## 01milburnsc (Aug 16, 2006)

I'm new to building rods. I have done guide replacements. My dad has been building rods for years.

I have been talking with him about this project for about a month, but he says this is a little beyond his knowledge. He mainly builds casting rods for bass and bay fishing needs.

We have always bought our surf rods, I'm looking for something I can't afford to buy already made.

I am looking at using the CUI F2-1402-PC HEAVY14'0" 25-50lb 1.200Butt 15.0Tip

I'm looking at a 2" Butt Cap, 7" Rear Grip, Fuji "DPSM" Reel Seat, and 10" Fore-grip.

I am confused on the eye spacing though. I cannot find a chart for this type of application. 

Has anyone built something like this before, or have any info on what route I should go?

Is my grip configuration way off? I'm looking for long distance but not do not like the long buts on the 12' surf rods I am currently using.

It is mainly for Jacks and Reds in the surf.


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## kneekap (Nov 13, 2012)

Fished the surf a lot. Total distance from butt to reel seat should be
about 24". Any longer than that and you will be splashing water on the
cast when you are out there.

Guide placement is easy to figure out if you bend the rod and check
for minimum angle between them. Then tape them on and try it with
a line.

Good luck.


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

The most important part of surf rod building is placing that reel seat. Best distance from the butt depends on the size of the user. Long arms or wide chested will take a wider spread. Take that pole and tape the seat at different areas where it feels most comfortable thru the motions of casting. But most important where you will have the most leverage to get what you are casting out there. I made the mistake once on placing the seat too close to the end of the butt and worked me to death on each cast because of lack of leverage. Just my 2 cents.


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## 01milburnsc (Aug 16, 2006)

johnmyjohn said:


> The most important part of surf rod building is placing that reel seat. Best distance from the butt depends on the size of the user. Long arms or wide chested will take a wider spread. Take that pole and tape the seat at different areas where it feels most comfortable thru the motions of casting. But most important where you will have the most leverage to get what you are casting out there. I made the mistake once on placing the seat too close to the end of the butt and worked me to death on each cast because of lack of leverage. Just my 2 cents.


Thanks. I found your posts of your CUI rod builds after I posted this and hoped you would chime in.

I was only doing the short but to allow more people to be able to handle the rod on the retrieve. I have been toying with a hand in front of the rear style cast and was designing it for that.

I will have a chance now though. I found an old 11.5' old berkley surf rod in storage and am going to rebuild it. Hopefully I will be able to learn a little more about component placement with that as well as all of the advice I can gain from the guys on this forum.


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

The beauty of a surf rod is it can be AC/DC. Meaning if you place the first eye the proper distance from the seat you can use it for a spinner or bait casting reel. This is because there's hardly any flex on the first four foot of a long pole, at least as far as the line touching the blank. The first couple of eyes depending on the lengh of the rod would be a little larger size. Don't forget the front or fore grip will be getting the most use whether its a spinner or caster. Make sure there's plenty of epoxy under that one. I'll quit rambling after this, don't worry about weight just make sure it's sturdy.


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## TomCat (Jan 6, 2006)

Hate to burst your bubble, but you can't get near the velocity with a 14' rod as I'll get with my 10' rod. I made a 13'-9" with a Calcutta cane and I couldn't get the distance my 10' Calcutta got. Besides that a 14' rod is a pain to transport. 
Good luck.


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## hunterjck (Sep 30, 2010)

*14' Surf Rod*



TomCat said:


> Hate to burst your bubble, but you can't get near the velocity with a 14' rod as I'll get with my 10' rod. I made a 13'-9" with a Calcutta cane and I couldn't get the distance my 10' Calcutta got. Besides that a 14' rod is a pain to transport.
> Good luck.


I'm glad you posted that. I'm hoping to put a calcutta rod together soon and was planning on a long one. Seems like the ones Dad and I made many years ago were closer to 10'.


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## gordaskipper (Feb 26, 2010)

*Old school rod building story...*

I read your post I understand the enthusiasm not quite the logic for our waters East coast yes and I learned the hard way. I had a 2-piece 12 ft. ugly stick spinner with my Penn 309 right from Academy all brand new (wrong reel but what did I know salesman was sharp HA). I brought my son we were fishing out on the Galveston pier tee head and I thought I was the king of casting...yea right 
Then the pro's who some of which were custom rod builders were out casting me by 30 yards with 8ft rods and far less effort. The moral of the story as I learned from that day forward, the reel seat has to be fitted to you dependent on your casting technique and with spinning rods it is more critical. Less guides less resistance for line travel and how does the blank load up prior to casting. Which length of leaders and weights are all factors to be personalized for your own sucess.







When you're in the surf shorter is better especially if you happen to catch a black tip your at a disadvantage just from the physics and give the advantage to the fish with a longer rod. I don't care if you have a Stella with 40lbs of drag your arms will hurt after a while even with a bull red on long rods. Try lifting a 40lb weight with a 14ft rod forget it being two piece.
I am currently building a custom surf rod for a client. He lives out on his 5 acres went to the field and casted several different reel seat lengths to find where his comfort zone was. He too wanted a long rod over 10ft and I convinced him to go short after we went to the surf and he saw me cast. 
When I go out on the Matagorda pier I have helped others with the 12ft rods improve their casting technique as they watch me cast the 8footer they think the same thing I did 20 years ago because I ask them. So build your 2 piece but learn to cast no matter what rod you use and hopefully this helps someone new to rod building. Still have original rod and reel my son laughs at me now but I use to be cool...no I don't wear old school rules tee shirts
In the pictures the beginning of the reel seat is 2 feet from the butt to fit him.


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## 01milburnsc (Aug 16, 2006)

Gordaskipper,
That was a very helpful post. I understand the physics behind the butt length and also know that the many bull reds I have caught on 8' rods have worn me out. Wear as the 10-12' that I have recently been fishing with don't seem to do the same, due to the fact that they force my hands higher by the reel seat wich is 24-30" from the butt.

My thought was to give the rod a "boat rod" style configuration. A longer foregrip to work the rod with my left arm while comforting my right arm, by reeling in closer to my body.

I am assuming that this configuration will force me to cast in more of a competition style by placing one hand at the reel and the other on the fore-grip. But, also keep the butt short for the surf.

My reasoning behind the overall length is to keep my line out of the water at longer distances. Similar to short rods in a shark rack. Theoretically, reduceing wave, current and seaweed disruption of my line.

I will be the first to admit I am not the greatest at casting or know everything about surf fishing. That's why I am on here asking for advice from seasoned fishermen/rod builders.

I am currently re working a 11'6" rod that was pretty broken down and plan on testing the butt placement to see what I like.


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## gordaskipper (Feb 26, 2010)

What guides do you have in mind? I understand your comments it ultimately relies on what your use to and comfortable with. They use to cast over the Astrodome imaging that? I met the champ or so I was told on Galveston fishing pier his reel seat was a foot from the butt.


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## 01milburnsc (Aug 16, 2006)

Fuji - BNLG hardloy or PacBay - BTVHG hialoy.

Also thought of going with some single foot toward the tip to leave some action for loading, and reduce a little weight.

That's kind of what I was thinking for the butt length. Haven't tried it yet of course.


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## gordaskipper (Feb 26, 2010)

*Guides and spacing*

There always some forgiveness in taller guides they sit up higher off the blank especially for spacing as you had concerns about that...I don't usually build spinning rods if I do they are short and one piece. As you mention weight can become an issue if too many guides are used obviously. 

As talked about here by others you have to load your blank up with guides attach the reel you're going to fish with provided you should have that section built. Here is what I do: I tie my line to a bumper hitch tighten the drag all the way down and look at guide spacing by lifting really hard. I don't like to see a sharp angle on my rods one extra guide could fix... so this planning is critical.

I don't build rods of your type however if you use braid Hialoy material would not be my choice of ring unless it is budgetary... nor would using single foot guides they are fragile for a surf rod IMO. Maybe someone else has more experience and can chime in? This is a spinning rod so not sure of cause and effect?

I'm currently building a Tuna spinning rod for on a Calstar GF775XH with Fugi TitaniumTKWSG guides and the roller guides and tip...sounds crazy huh? pics to come


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