"one rod fits all" is probably not the best approach, as there is a huge difference between between heavy cover and open water frog fishing. Heavy cover means you need a beefy stick to yank fish out, but still has to launch a frog a good distance. Working the frog (walking the dog) really doesnt mat...

mix a test batch and see if it hardens properly for the epoxy.

I am guessing the CP will be ok, but might be worth it to test it out before using it on a beautiful wrap

I haven't figured out how to tangle these yet, though I'm sure it is possible. http://www.mudhole.com/BMNAT-Heavy-Spin-Cast-Tops DaveJ that one is probably the most tangle free... however you will still wind knot braid and get it to cinch on the blank. the BMNAT is nice in that you can usually slid...

there really isnt a true tanglefree tip top

if it is a modern, ceramic guide, you wont scratch it with a knife...

SC is my baseline, because that is what i use!

My example was to show potential the huge difference between a "MH" from one manufacturer to another.

The PB blanks are interesting, but they dont look to be anything revolutionary from the power/weight/efficiency numbers

Anyone hear cost yet?

very cool to see them use RDA

I respectfully disagree with some of the blank naming... The good news is that the RDA numbers dont lie!

for instance: the pb701MHF has a power of 525, a stcroix 5c70mhf has a power of about 700... HUGE difference

gently sand the blank tip for the guide to fit...

most of the time it is just some resin/finish you are sanding off and it doesnt take much if the tube "is a tad too small"

For the record, i never believe tip sizes from manufacturers. I always get blanks in hand and measure. Both tips and seats

i would go for it... it will be a good experiment and easy enough to change back to spinning if you wanted to

frog rods are a tough call. I personally use 2 of them. One for more open water where i need to walk (st croix 5c76mhm). I also whip out the big stick (4c79hf) when fishing really knarly rice and matted vegetation. Such a heavy rod makes you recalibrate the cast, but it does throw a frog well and it...

nice job for #1. Mine was not nearly as pretty.

how much did the blank weigh?

bummer on the handle... you could simply add a cork ring and blend it down to the existing handle diameter. Probably be better looking than the eva spacer.

Everyone usually posts positive things on this board. Instead, i think we might be able to learn something from "lessons learned" and things we would NOT do again. I have been building rods for about 10 years and have some of the originals that i have built, so i have seen how they have lasted over ...

on such a small blank, there really isnt much exposed blank anyways. I would build with a non exposed seat with good graphite arbors. The other alternative is to build a split seat and use arbors, the issue with that is a split seat with that small of a blank is very comfortable to palm because of l...

the stripper guides are smaller, but they are also not just round. Looks like they have an oval/ trapezoidal shape.