Blanks- 101

VaRandy

Have been doing what research I can do about heavy jigging sticks. OTI apparantly is the ONLY (or close to only) one represented on most threads I read.

Lamiglass, Calstar, Seeker, etc. are West Coast mfgrs often mentioned.

What should I know about the construction techniques, strength, durability, of the various manufacturers. Since only the highest Japanese use Boron, etc. i presume they all offer the same composites.

How is one superior to the other. Forget price for this discussion.

Why are the other high end Japanese mfgrs not represented in the states? Too high a price for our worthless US dollar?

Have not seen this discussed on any of the threads.

Uncle Russ · 06-04-2008, 01:06 PM

vaRandy,

In addition to this thread--which I look forward to learning from myself--it might be profitable to go out and search the posts of some of the rod-builders on the forum--txseadog, Paul708, and Anglers-Pro-Shop just to name the ones whom I know do it professionally,--and I THINK some of it will be covered in those threads--but no doubt they will answer as well.

Russ

txseadog · 06-04-2008, 02:28 PM

I'll start this...
OTI apparantly is the ONLY (or close to only) one represented on most threads I read.
I think one of the main reasons is OTI offers a high quality products at very reasonable prices.

Lamiglass, Calstar, Seeker, etc. are West Coast mfgrs often mentioned.
Calstar and Seeker really don't have true Japanese style blanks in there line-up, however, Calstar does have the GFX jigging blanks which I have never pulled on but I think they are just medium action versions of the 7' graphiter blanks targeted at the East coast guys. Lamiglass has the CHJ series (blanks and finished rods) which are "true" jiggers but they don't seem to have gotten the market penetration as other brands.

What should I know about the construction techniques, strength, durability, of the various manufacturers. Since only the highest Japanese use Boron, etc. i presume they all offer the same composites.
I think its more about what you like, track record and how well the manufacturer stands behind the product. Think of jigging rods as the race cars of the fishing world - high performance, high-tech instruments that can let you down if not treated properly.

How is one superior to the other. Forget price for this discussion.
That's a chevy-v-ford kind of debate. What makes a rod superior to one person may be a disadvantage to another.

Why are the other high end Japanese mfgrs not represented in the states? Too high a price for our worthless US dollar?
This style of fishing is relatively new in the US and most anglers don't have the experience with jigging to truly appreciate the virtues of $500 Smith (or $260 OTI) when compared to a $100 Trevala, Penn, etc. when they first start.

Say what you will about the Trevalas but the marketing folks at Shimano almost single handedly created the jigging market in the US with those dang butterflies.

Uncle Russ · 06-04-2008, 03:35 PM

vaRandy: I own 2 OTI jig rods-300 and 600 and I have pulled on both. I own one high-end Japanese rod which is lovely and cost more than both OTI s together. I happen to like its appearance more than the OTI s but most people would disagree with that AND performance is more important to me than appearance anyway. As to action, I confess to not being well-versed in how a jig rod imputes action to the jig. I keep hearing that the Japanese rods are so much lighter than American rods--but when I weigh them--popping rods to popping rods and jig rods to jig rods (apples to apples) there is not that much difference in weight--even to someone jigging all day.

And with the OTI rods, I am virtually certain that any greater weight in their finished rods over the comparable Japanese ones, is attributable to the material used in the grips--the stuff OTI uses appear to be denser, larger, and formed to fit the grip--(not sure what that's called)--and I happen to like that feature enough that a couple of ounces doesn't matter to me. (in the interest of full disclosure, though, I don't jig all day and all night.) So I would not get rid of either my Smith Nirai or my two OTI jig rods, but if I could afford only the two OTI s or the one Smith, I would take the OTI s in a heartbeat.

Russ

A.whitman · 06-04-2008, 05:26 PM

the price difference comes more from the components than anything else. fiji sic guides and reel seat aren't cheap. however i really don't know much about the blanks myself. will watch closely.

jureal · 06-04-2008, 05:30 PM

I'll chime in with a few more for consideration.

Jiggingmaster.... I believe Paul has these on hand and are available as a blank. Looks like a good buy. Not sure where they are mfg but has a good following.

Phenix..... New ownership and new blanks on the market. Produced in China with materials bought in Japan. I have a few of these that are boron composite.

Hopper.... Blanks available as well as finished rods. Don't own one but price seems very reasonable and has some following.

Graphite USA... Been around a long time and has blanks configured similar to the Japan models.

OTI.... just built a 600 gr blank cut down to 5' . Nice blank and very sturdy. Wife wants to grab this one so I may need another...

paul708 · 06-04-2008, 05:47 PM

OTI apparantly is the ONLY (or close to only) one represented on most threads I read.

OTI are very well made and seem to be working very well for jigging.
hopefully they will become more known around the country
they are on alot of threads .and mostly good reports

Lamiglass, Calstar, Seeker, etc. are West Coast mfgrs often mentioned.

The GFX calstar..seem to light for the jigging we do, i have played with them for a while, i still build with the GF series..not the X series for jigging
the CHJ series of Lami..were out a few years..good design. blank weight a little heavy compared to some, not quite as parabolic as some, i have used them when they came out, not to bad. but i have other choices i like a little better

What should I know about the construction techniques, strength, durability, of the various manufacturers. Since only the highest Japanese use Boron, etc. i presume they all offer the same composites.

construction....alot of blanks are made on the same mandrels,
and different, amounts of glass/ graphte are used to get actions and ratings
the cheaper blanks may not have the quality control or use the best type of material

How is one superior to the other. Forget price for this discussion.

different actions, different materials,
superior is hard to "type" about..
you can feel it

Why are the other high end Japanese mfgrs not represented in the states?
Too high a price for our worthless US dollar?

they actually are, just not that much to get alot of talk
except from the guys that use

Have not seen this discussed on any of the threads.

there are alot of jigging forums talking about this
maybe just not at the same time

paul708 · 06-04-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jureal

I'll chime in with a few more for consideration.

Jiggingmaster.... I believe Paul has these on hand and are available as a blank. Looks like a good buy. Not sure where they are mfg but has a good following.

Phenix..... New ownership and new blanks on the market. Produced in China with materials bought in Japan. I have a few of these that are boron composite.

Hopper.... Blanks available as well as finished rods. Don't own one but price seems very reasonable and has some following.

Graphite USA... Been around a long time and has blanks configured similar to the Japan models.

OTI.... just built a 600 gr blank cut down to 5' . Nice blank and very sturdy. Wife wants to grab this one so I may need another...

love the Jiggingmaster,,sweet.
the GUSA are nice..i actually worked with them to design the GUSA WahooJR..a nice 7' jig blank. it fills the gap betwen the 8' and shorter rods
its all graphite works well..
the OTI are a powerful short rod/ blanks in 300g and 600g for lighter work or heavy duty jigging
guys have been cutting them, and liking them

i am not looking at to many "other" brands..

we have actually..made our own blanks to "mimic"

some of the other blanks mentioned...

its pretty neat to have access to "similiar" materials and choices

VaRandy · 06-05-2008, 03:08 PM

"how well the manufacturer stands behind the product". Since you mentioned this and I don't have a clue....How Do the various manufacturers stand behind their product.

Nothing short of a replacement is worth a damn and I doubt they do that. In conventional rods, I only buy Loomis and Shimano high end stuff that is replaced no questions if broken by a fish...period.

How proud of these blanks are the manufacturers because now is the time to find out how confident they are about their products.

Seeing how we have bukoo time to rebuild a replacement, replacing the blank seems reasonable insurance, right?

Flame helmet on!

Billy 40 · 06-05-2008, 06:22 PM

I can only speak for the company who's blanks I carry, GUSA. Anyone purchasing GUSA's from me and has a warantee issue, I will take care of it and replace the blank provided I have a similar in stock.

06-04-2008, 01:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
Uncle Russ Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,136	vaRandy, In addition to this thread--which I look forward to learning from myself--it might be profitable to go out and search the posts of some of the rod-builders on the forum--txseadog, Paul708, and Anglers-Pro-Shop just to name the ones whom I know do it professionally,--and I THINK some of it will be covered in those threads--but no doubt they will answer as well. Russ __________________ "Tschirhart: Helluva deal. You bait the hooks--I catch the fish!--Grimm."

06-04-2008, 02:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
txseadog Super Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: tx Posts: 328	I'll start this... OTI apparantly is the ONLY (or close to only) one represented on most threads I read. I think one of the main reasons is OTI offers a high quality products at very reasonable prices. Lamiglass, Calstar, Seeker, etc. are West Coast mfgrs often mentioned. Calstar and Seeker really don't have true Japanese style blanks in there line-up, however, Calstar does have the GFX jigging blanks which I have never pulled on but I think they are just medium action versions of the 7' graphiter blanks targeted at the East coast guys. Lamiglass has the CHJ series (blanks and finished rods) which are "true" jiggers but they don't seem to have gotten the market penetration as other brands. What should I know about the construction techniques, strength, durability, of the various manufacturers. Since only the highest Japanese use Boron, etc. i presume they all offer the same composites. I think its more about what you like, track record and how well the manufacturer stands behind the product. Think of jigging rods as the race cars of the fishing world - high performance, high-tech instruments that can let you down if not treated properly. How is one superior to the other. Forget price for this discussion. That's a chevy-v-ford kind of debate. What makes a rod superior to one person may be a disadvantage to another. Why are the other high end Japanese mfgrs not represented in the states? Too high a price for our worthless US dollar? This style of fishing is relatively new in the US and most anglers don't have the experience with jigging to truly appreciate the virtues of $500 Smith (or $260 OTI) when compared to a $100 Trevala, Penn, etc. when they first start. Say what you will about the Trevalas but the marketing folks at Shimano almost single handedly created the jigging market in the US with those dang butterflies. Last edited by txseadog : 06-04-2008 at 04:18 PM.

06-04-2008, 03:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
Uncle Russ Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,136	vaRandy: I own 2 OTI jig rods-300 and 600 and I have pulled on both. I own one high-end Japanese rod which is lovely and cost more than both OTI s together. I happen to like its appearance more than the OTI s but most people would disagree with that AND performance is more important to me than appearance anyway. As to action, I confess to not being well-versed in how a jig rod imputes action to the jig. I keep hearing that the Japanese rods are so much lighter than American rods--but when I weigh them--popping rods to popping rods and jig rods to jig rods (apples to apples) there is not that much difference in weight--even to someone jigging all day. And with the OTI rods, I am virtually certain that any greater weight in their finished rods over the comparable Japanese ones, is attributable to the material used in the grips--the stuff OTI uses appear to be denser, larger, and formed to fit the grip--(not sure what that's called)--and I happen to like that feature enough that a couple of ounces doesn't matter to me. (in the interest of full disclosure, though, I don't jig all day and all night.) So I would not get rid of either my Smith Nirai or my two OTI jig rods, but if I could afford only the two OTI s or the one Smith, I would take the OTI s in a heartbeat. Russ __________________ "Tschirhart: Helluva deal. You bait the hooks--I catch the fish!--Grimm."

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06-04-2008, 05:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
A.whitman Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 191	the price difference comes more from the components than anything else. fiji sic guides and reel seat aren't cheap. however i really don't know much about the blanks myself. will watch closely.

06-04-2008, 05:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
jureal Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 294	I'll chime in with a few more for consideration. Jiggingmaster.... I believe Paul has these on hand and are available as a blank. Looks like a good buy. Not sure where they are mfg but has a good following. Phenix..... New ownership and new blanks on the market. Produced in China with materials bought in Japan. I have a few of these that are boron composite. Hopper.... Blanks available as well as finished rods. Don't own one but price seems very reasonable and has some following. Graphite USA... Been around a long time and has blanks configured similar to the Japan models. OTI.... just built a 600 gr blank cut down to 5' . Nice blank and very sturdy. Wife wants to grab this one so I may need another...

06-04-2008, 05:47 PM	#7 (permalink)
paul708 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pa Posts: 412	OTI apparantly is the ONLY (or close to only) one represented on most threads I read. OTI are very well made and seem to be working very well for jigging. hopefully they will become more known around the country they are on alot of threads .and mostly good reports Lamiglass, Calstar, Seeker, etc. are West Coast mfgrs often mentioned. The GFX calstar..seem to light for the jigging we do, i have played with them for a while, i still build with the GF series..not the X series for jigging the CHJ series of Lami..were out a few years..good design. blank weight a little heavy compared to some, not quite as parabolic as some, i have used them when they came out, not to bad. but i have other choices i like a little better What should I know about the construction techniques, strength, durability, of the various manufacturers. Since only the highest Japanese use Boron, etc. i presume they all offer the same composites. construction....alot of blanks are made on the same mandrels, and different, amounts of glass/ graphte are used to get actions and ratings the cheaper blanks may not have the quality control or use the best type of material How is one superior to the other. Forget price for this discussion. different actions, different materials, superior is hard to "type" about.. you can feel it Why are the other high end Japanese mfgrs not represented in the states? Too high a price for our worthless US dollar? they actually are, just not that much to get alot of talk except from the guys that use Have not seen this discussed on any of the threads. there are alot of jigging forums talking about this maybe just not at the same time

06-05-2008, 03:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
VaRandy Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hanover Va Posts: 55	"how well the manufacturer stands behind the product". Since you mentioned this and I don't have a clue....How Do the various manufacturers stand behind their product. Nothing short of a replacement is worth a damn and I doubt they do that. In conventional rods, I only buy Loomis and Shimano high end stuff that is replaced no questions if broken by a fish...period. How proud of these blanks are the manufacturers because now is the time to find out how confident they are about their products. Seeing how we have bukoo time to rebuild a replacement, replacing the blank seems reasonable insurance, right? Flame helmet on!

06-05-2008, 06:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
Billy 40 Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 64	I can only speak for the company who's blanks I carry, GUSA. Anyone purchasing GUSA's from me and has a warantee issue, I will take care of it and replace the blank provided I have a similar in stock.

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