What is your favorite rod you built

[corey90]

mine is a rod geeks carbon 5 7'0 medium heavy blank used Fuji cork grips and a exposed reel seat.

the thing can handle anything I cought a 3lb with another 3 pounds of grass and I boat flipped it and it didn't break plus its the best custom fit rod I have built. I just interested what other people got for more rod ideas

[KCFinesse]

I built a bushido CB72/6-12 specifically for wiggle warts, rock crawlers, and small cranks in the Ozarks... I put pac bay minima guides and made a big knobby burl split grip for it... That rod fits so well for the application...

 

A sneaky one I really ended up liking was a custom rod components AHX72H in teal with large black camo EVA split grip. It was an inexpensive build, it looks kinda obnoxious, but it has just the right action for a big worm.

 

- Jared

[twofishy4u]

Currently I am in love with my 6'6" light power point blank.  Setup in a spinning configuration paired with a 2000 tatula reel.  Super sensitive and light.  

[S Hovanec]

No matter how many I build, I keep going back to the 5S69mlxf St Croix I built many moons ago, even though I gave it to my wife when I built a replacement on the newer 6-10 blank.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

There are two very close. One is a casting rod on an original Rodgeeks c473 MHXS. The soft tip and good backbone are a unique and versatile mix. My favorite was not on a high end blank but fished great. It was an MHx 6’9” MLxf DS blank with a Tennessee handle on carbon fiber tube. It had my Minima guides and an Alconite tip top. The experiment of the spinning rod was to build a high performance rod on a budget. Both have since been sold to customers. 

[spoonplugger1]

Lamiglas EC 862, Castaway reel seat, spiral wrapped Alps micros to 3 mm. custom Fluor cork 2 1/2 inch split grips 8 1/2 inch spacing, no foregrip. Pac Bay G 16 winding check, Gudebrod Garnet wraps, and silver 3 wrap trim bands.

[S Hovanec]

7 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

One is a casting rod on an original Rodgeeks c473 MHXS. The soft tip and good backbone are a unique and versatile mix. 

 

That Rod geeks is a good blank.  I built that one tossing tubes.

[Alex from GA]

Rainshadow Immortal IMMWS68MXF-TC, cork split grip, CRB palm swell reel seat, Mudhole SSR guides.  Use with 2000 reel with 12 or 15 lb braid and 8 lb FC leader.  Use for finesse worms and 1/16 or 1/8 oz TR. 

[MickD]

Point Blank 701MLF built as a spin, split grip, Fuji KLH to KB/KT runners.  Super rod for finesse, and just about everything else within its power range.  Power is what many would consider medium (CCS numbers) but it fishes like a ML and M power.  It's so good I built one for a very good friend whom I owed a favor.  

[crypt]

7-3 MHX casting rod med. heavy ecsm reel seat micro guides. best worm rod I have. has a shorter than average length on the handle I like a shorter  handle length ,always have. more like the old Trigger stick handles from way back.

[spoonplugger1]

My Rainshadow IC847-3 rod, now that I think of it, would be a tossup for the rod mentioned above, a much more versatile multispecies fresh and salt rod.

[Jrabbit82]

On 10/5/2024 at 4:41 PM, MickD said:

Point Blank 701MLF built as a spin, split grip, Fuji KLH to KB/KT runners.  Super rod for finesse, and just about everything else within its power range.  Power is what many would consider medium (CCS numbers) but it fishes like a ML and M power.  It's so good I built one for a very good friend whom I owed a favor.  

All my builds are on NFC but I’ve been eye ballin the PB701MHF along with the PB701MLF.  I’ve read many great things about these blanks.  IP is definitely higher on PB ML and MH compared to NFC.  

 

I’ll probably try the ML first.  I have some Atlas carbon guides I want to try out. (Had a thank you coupon, got them a lot cheaper).   Fuji guides will always be my go to, just trying these out.  Atlas Spinning guide height mirrors Fuji KLH guide height.  

To date: 

 

Mine is on the NFC MB-725 X-Ray C6O2.  It’s a medium heavy (light side of medium heavy).  IP is around 685.  Grip is a XO Skeleton.  Guides are Fuji KW’s then KB/KT’s.  

 

Sadly, I’ve done a lot of building but it’s been my 15 year old son and FIL using the builds.  Haven’t had the time to fish much.  I’ll be getting out tomorrow to fish some of them.  

On 10/5/2024 at 4:41 PM, MickD said:

Point Blank 701MLF built as a spin, split grip, Fuji KLH to KB/KT runners.  Super rod for finesse, and just about everything else within its power range.  Power is what many would consider medium (CCS numbers) but it fishes like a ML and M power.  It's so good I built one for a very good friend whom I owed a favor.  

Love the look of your Point Blank!!! 

[papajoe222]

Mine is a 7ft. ML/Fast casting rod I built using a Forecast spinning rod blank I acid wrapped the Fugi guides. I paired it with a Daiwa Alphas 103. The biggest fish I've landed on that combo was an 11.5lb cat just today. I never doubted the equipment and it performed better than I'd hoped for.

[dwtaylor]

Depends on the day and what the fish are biting.

 

I built a lime green MHX FP885 that I love flipping tubes or other t-rigged soft plastics with.  This and the next rod below caught most of my fish this year.

 

I have a 7'6" ml-f rainshadow revelation that I love for traditional tube jigs that I have caught many smallies on.

 

I also have a 7'6" ml-xf st croix scv which is my nicest rod that I throw light neds or marabou jigs on.  Its almost too nice that I don't use it a lot because I can't replace the blank anymore.

[1984isNOW]

On 10/24/2024 at 5:23 PM, Jrabbit82 said:

, g

How does that c602 MB725 do for moving baits, spinnerbait chatterbait? 

[spoonplugger1]

The MB725 I have handled and fished a short time, I believe like the MB705 HM it is rated to 3/4 oz., I would not even go there on either rod, the 725 being the lighter powered of the two, my max. would be 1/2 oz. and the tip throws little, light stuff beautifully. The MB705 HM is no more than a 5/8 oz. rod, and stiffer tipped, not the light bait rod the 725 is.

[webertime]

NFC 807 with a spiral wrap.  They most amazing carolina rig and football dragging rod.  Seems soft/moderate in the hand but when you get to dragging it's immediately an "Ohhhh I get it now" moment. 1/2-1oz is it's wheelhouse.

 

I know this will sound goofy but it's also a great chatterbait rod.  

[Lyman X]

On 11/5/2024 at 1:29 PM, dwtaylor said:

Depends on the day and what the fish are biting.

 

I built a lime green MHX FP885 that I love flipping tubes or other t-rigged soft plastics with.  This and the next rod below caught most of my fish this year.

 

I have a 7'6" ml-f rainshadow revelation that I love for traditional tube jigs that I have caught many smallies on.

 

I also have a 7'6" ml-xf st croix scv which is my nicest rod that I throw light neds or marabou jigs on.  Its almost too nice that I don't use it a lot because I can't replace the blank anymore.

SC-5 blanks are still available:       https://rodgeeks.com/collections/frontpage/products/rod-geeks-carbon-5-series?variant=43394162589943

[dwtaylor]

On 12/9/2024 at 5:45 PM, Lyman X said:

SC-5 blanks are still available:       https://rodgeeks.com/collections/frontpage/products/rod-geeks-carbon-5-series?variant=43394162589943

I am aware of those, but the blank I have is actually the legend elite blank which had a size 3 tip instead of the 3.5 tip that is specified on this site and the normal legend extreme blank.  At the time I bought my blank they actually offered both...one with the teal green (extreme) and the light green (elite) of which I bought.

 

This smaller tip makes it much lighter and more of a true xf action than the 3.5 tip size.  

[MickD]

Ever wonder what the blank mandrel that can produce a 3.5 diameter tip looks like?   And how one would even handle it?  Have to admit, I'm impressed with the quality of the blanks I am seeing, and amazed that they can be produced.

[Smirak]

3mm is “only” 1/8. I used to buy precision ground rods down to 3/16 for space applications. That’s only 1/16” above 3mm. Wonder if they have any problems with it. I wouldn’t guess, but then again, I’m not their design or manufacturing engineers!

[MickD]

And that 3mm is the OD of the blank, so the mandrel inside is ????  And at the end of probably a 7 foot mandrel.