Drop Shot Blank

[Chance_Taker4]

Looking for a good blank to build a drop shot rod. I am leaning towards the MHX Drop shot blank but mud hole doesn't carry Alps components and I prefer to buy everything I need in a order. So that means I am looking at get bit outdoors at rainshadow blanks. My budget is a blank around the $75 range and I am open to any brand.

[J Francho]

I know these are out of your range...  All but one of my DS rods are SCIII/SCIII in MLXF and MLX.  I prefer shorter, so I use the 6-2 length.  They also come in 6-8.  I'd save up my scoots, and get a higher level blank, if I was going custom.

[MickD]

Rainshadow Revelations are very fine blanks at a good price.  

S610MXF-SB

Drop Shot/Shaky head

6'10"

6-14

3/16-1/2

0.425

4.5

X-Fast

M

1.78

$65.83

[Chance_Taker4]

After some research I am favoring the Rainshadow Immortal Imms610mxf

2 minutes ago, MickD said:

Rainshadow Revelations are very fine blanks at a good price.  

S610MXF-SB

Drop Shot/Shaky head

6'10"

6-14

3/16-1/2

0.425

4.5

X-Fast

M

1.78

$65.83

I live within 10 minutes from Janns and they have the Revelations for $50 and Immortal for $70 so I am torn between those to blanks.

[MickD]

That's the next step up.  The finish on that blank is really nice, IMO.  It will go with just about any color thread.

[J Francho]

I've heard good things about that blank.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The immortal is a nice blank. 

[MickD]

I guess for $20 I'd go Immortal.  What are you going to do for guides?  If I were to do it I'd do Fuji Klh with a three guide reduction starting from a 16 and use 4.5 KB's and KT's for runners.  If you're interested consult their catalog, but I think it's 16-8-5.5M then a couple KB's, then Kt's to the end.  I have a number of rods I've done this with, use 10-15 braid, and love them.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

The Fuji kh is a great system. Can't figure out why Alps doesn't make a high frame spinnng guide. 

[Chance_Taker4]

3 hours ago, MickD said:

I guess for $20 I'd go Immortal.  What are you going to do for guides?  If I were to do it I'd do Fuji Klh with a three guide reduction starting from a 16 and use 4.5 KB's and KT's for runners.  If you're interested consult their catalog, but I think it's 16-8-5.5M then a couple KB's, then Kt's to the end.  I have a number of rods I've done this with, use 10-15 braid, and love them.

That's my next task. I've been looking at ALPS guides and Fugi K series but that will be something I start looking at over the weekend. Got the real seat, grip and blank picked now.

[MickD]

10 hours ago, Chance_Taker4 said:

That's my next task. I've been looking at ALPS guides and Fugi K series but that will be something I start looking at over the weekend. Got the real seat, grip and blank picked now.

One thing to keep in mind about all of the high ring/small diameter spinning guide systems is that they are very high.  That's part of their success.  However, if you want to put the rod with these guides into a rod tube, either to carry or in your boat, be sure they fit.  My boat is such that its tubes are far enough away from the butts so that the first guide does not enter the tube, but if your boat is laid out differently, check it out.  As stated earlier, I like the Fuji KLH system, lots of options in rings and finishes, it looks good, and performs well with the lines within its guidelines.  I just don't like the looks of the new tangle-free Alps guides, but that's just personal preference.  

[Chance_Taker4]

10 hours ago, MickD said:

One thing to keep in mind about all of the high ring/small diameter spinning guide systems is that they are very high.  That's part of their success.  However, if you want to put the rod with these guides into a rod tube, either to carry or in your boat, be sure they fit.  My boat is such that its tubes are far enough away from the butts so that the first guide does not enter the tube, but if your boat is laid out differently, check it out.  As stated earlier, I like the Fuji KLH system, lots of options in rings and finishes, it looks good, and performs well with the lines within its guidelines.  I just don't like the looks of the new tangle-free Alps guides, but that's just personal preference.  

The tangle free guides are what I looked at. I'm looking for small ring spinning guides for the exact reason you stated about rod tubes. I want to do the 16-8-5.5 and 4 setup. I'm only running light fluorocarbon through it so I don't have to worry about knots

[spoonplugger1]

If it's being used as a true dropshot rod you can go even smaller on the guides, cutting cost, weight, without losing any performance for anything you do with it that resembes a jigging action and casting distance.

Been done by some for 8-10 years, first one I saw was by Hunter McKamey on a 6 ft. smallmouth rod when his papa still owned Custom Tackle. Rod was very light and cast beautifully, losing nothing to an identical build with standard guide setup.

Test it yourself put a spinning reel on your lightest powered casting rod and test cast it, you'll be casting a worst case scenerio that will surprise you.

[MickD]

I doubt if most of us can tell the difference between 4's and smaller.  Until we get into cottonwood fluff or similar trash on the water.

[Chance_Taker4]

I think I got my guides all picked out. I'm going with the ALPS LF 16-8-6 and ALPS PMK Mini guides size 4 as runners.

[spoonplugger1]

I wasn't to concerned with the small guides, the big guides can be reduced in size on a jig and drop shot rod saving a bunch of weight. I'm talking a 10 J frame, 8 V frame,  a 6 ceramic fly and the rest 3s. Like I said the rod lost no casting perfomance with braid, or 8 lb. fluorocarbon blend.

I build to the needs of the situation, not to some general formula. Not all rods need a 16, or 20 first guide.

[Chance_Taker4]

39 minutes ago, spoonplugger1 said:

I wasn't to concerned with the small guides, the big guides can be reduced in size on a jig and drop shot rod saving a bunch of weight. I'm talking a 10 J frame, 8 V frame,  a 6 ceramic fly and the rest 3s. Like I said the rod lost no casting perfomance with braid, or 8 lb. fluorocarbon blend.

I build to the needs of the situation, not to some general formula. Not all rods need a 16, or 20 first guide.

I've never thought of staying with a 10. That just changed everything lol

[Angry John]

1 hour ago, spoonplugger1 said:

I wasn't to concerned with the small guides, the big guides can be reduced in size on a jig and drop shot rod saving a bunch of weight. I'm talking a 10 J frame, 8 V frame,  a 6 ceramic fly and the rest 3s. Like I said the rod lost no casting perfomance with braid, or 8 lb. fluorocarbon blend.

I build to the needs of the situation, not to some general formula. Not all rods need a 16, or 20 first guide.

I see all these application rods but they are the same as any of the others.  I applaud people thinking out of the box for a better result...

[MickD]

Keep in mind that building to a specific very light line application and choosing a reduction train starting with a 10 will mean the rod will not likely work very well with heavier line tests.  So in the search of the ultimate low weight you give up the versatility of using the rod for a different application.  The reduction guides are close to the butt, so don't affect the balance or sensitivity as much as the runners.  If I were building it I would not go below 16 in the interest of keeping the capability of lines (braid) up to 15 or so.  I doubt very much if 20 will work well with a 10.  

 

One way of checking it out would be to order extra guides and try it out.  Then you need no one's opinion but your own.  If the size 10 set of runners don't work to your satisfaction at least two of the guides will probably find their way into the reduction train of your next rod.  Possibly all three after a 16 or 20 first guide.

[Lyman X]

Chance, check out Utmost Enterprises some time as a source of components.

[S Hovanec]

A lot of people like the 610 MXF as a DS rod.  I do not.  I feel its too heavy (powerful) and prefer it for tubes.   It's OK for heavy line dropshotting, like 8#, with larger heavier baits.

[Chance_Taker4]

16 hours ago, S Hovanec said:

A lot of people like the 610 MXF as a DS rod.  I do not.  I feel its too heavy (powerful) and prefer it for tubes.   It's OK for heavy line dropshotting, like 8#, with larger heavier baits.

what would your opinion on a light line soft tip blank? I throw on 6# test  when I DS.

[S Hovanec]

7 minutes ago, Chance_Taker4 said:

what would your opinion on a light line soft tip blank? I throw on 6# test  when I DS.

My blank of choice for dropshotting is a St. Croix 5S610mlxf.  If you want something even lighter, look at a NFC DS6107-1 IM.  With the NFC, every fish feels like a 5-pounder.

[J Francho]

The mlxf from SC is a really special taper. My reference as well. Though I go shorter, with the 6-3. 

[spoonplugger1]

Chance Taker,

If you want the full specs on the build I mentioned just add gmail.com to my handle. Specs include reel used, lines used, casting performance tests done with each line, guide spacing from the reel, etc. All in the words of the developer, not my own.

I can also hook you up with the original posting with conversations by all if you want them.

I've got DS rods built on the St. Croix mentioned, the old design Batsons in RX7 and RX8+, and my oldest ones are Shikari P and PP7000 blanks. Still have a few of the Batson and Shikaris around if I break one. I like them all, fave probably the RX8+ Batson. Bet the new Batsons haven't fallen to far from the tree on that particular blank design.