[Rottweiler22]

Hello I just stumbled onto this board a couple of days ago. This seemed like to perfect place to help me sort out my dilemma. Thanks for having me.
I am planning a trip down to Venice, LA on June 9th.
I am looking for a rod to throw poppers to blackfin maybe yellowfin. I am probably going to fish 50-60 pound test and either will put a saltist or a LX-2sp or a Hoo-x. Mostly depending on my budget.

I have a 40/2 with a 80lb. roller rod. I am very pleased with it and love the two speed. I caught a hundred pound yellowfin last summer in about 20 mins. But it is way to heavy for 80% of my saltwater fishing.

I want to lighten up, and have an all around rig. I need a rig I can go snapper / grouper fishing with and have fun on 10-15 pound fish. Plus put a 60 pound yellow in the boat if I can get one to grab the popper. I don't mind a little abuse; I only get the opportunity a few hours a year and sort of enjoy it. I also want a rod that will cast a 2-3oz popper well. I fish in hatteras, NC and surf cast with a 12'-6" rod and 8oz sinker plus bait. I really enjoy loading a rod. But I don't have allot of money to spend. I am 26 putting myself though college and about to graduate in three weeks.

The good thing is I also build rods. The bad thing is that I have allot of different options in mind, but I live in atlanta and have no real access to pull on saltwater blanks or rods. A bass pro shops is close though.
Will someone take the time to guide me through these blanks.

1) A calstar graphiter 700h for about $88 bucks is about the most I am willing to spend on a blank. gf700m is about $85. That means the rod will probably cost me about $150-160.

2) Rainshadow makes a 700m knock-off that is $63 and weights about 10ozs.
RCLB70M Clear Gloss 7'0" 1 20-50 LB n/a 0.910 7.5 Extra-Fast Medium 10.01 oz. $63.26 I could make the rod for about $130.

3) Most people say the 700m is a 30-40 pound rod, Rainshadow also makes a 800m knockoff. What do you think would happen if I got the RCLB80M - 8'rod and trimmed about 3" off the tip and about 5" off the butt. That would leave me with a 7'4" blank, which could be light enough to cast a lure a mile but still have the backbone to turn fish? Or would this rod snap with 20-25 pounds of drag?

4) Budget options - I still might re-wrap it bumper spiral style.
Offshore Angler® Offshore Extreme™ Freestyle Jigging Trigger Rods
$99.99 38-154-456-00 //30-80 LBS // 2-1/2-7 OZ 6'6" M OE66MT
$99.99 38-154-458-00 //50-100 LBS // 5-8-1/2 OZ 6'6" MH OE66MHT
Has anyone pulled on these rods?
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_89460_151002003_151000000_151002000_151-2-3

5) Or just pick up a Ugly stick custom for 75 bucks and and see if I can bust it.

I appreciate any opinions. Thanks everyone.

 

[Backlash Scott]

Rottweiler, I live on the west side of Atlanta.I don't have a 700H, but I do have a Calstar 700M you are welcome to check out.I also have the Seeker BlackSteel rod that is comparable to a 700H.Personally, I would rather have the 700H than the 700M if I'm hooked up with a yellowfin.You might like the action of the Seekers even more than the Calstars.It's personal preference.Just let me know if you want to check out the 700M or the Seeker.
Scott

 

[Rottweiler22]

Thanks Scott, I will probably take you up on your offer. I think pulling on the 700m will tell me alot. Coming from bass fishing, then striper fishing it is hard for me to tell a rods action by the manu. decription. I work around Grant Park and live in East Point. I will shoot you an email.

 

[DeepBlueGulf]

I use the Calstar 700m and 700H, but the poppers I am throwing are the 3-4 oz bigger models. I like the 700H, especially for Yellowfin.

I've used the 700M with a Torium20 and 40lb mono and have done pretty well on poppers for the Yellowfin too, but for 50lb line, I'd go 700H. It's a great stick for bottom fishing, live bait, and even chunking and fishing live flyers. Good choice!

Tom

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

rainshadow warranty on my G-Blanks bass rod is only 1 year.. what is the warranty on offshore size blanks?

 

[Rottweiler22]

I went up to Bass Pro Shops and looked at their house brand Jigging rods. They were way to wimpy. It bent way into the foregrip with mild pressure.

Looks like I will be getting the 700h.

Now just have to figure out which reel, saltist 40, LX6/3, or HX5/2

 

[jig]

I have an LX6/3 I love. I put about 200yds 65# spectra and about 200yds 40# mono. It is my go to for about 95% of my fishing. You're set with the 4/02 for the bigger stuff.
Most of us are finding out that the spinners are the way to go for tossing topwaters to YFT. There are some inexpensive alternatives. I like the Shimano Spheros 14000, at $123. I was a Newell guy for years and years, and finally admitted I just could not cast as far as I could with a spinner. So I switched, for that purpose only, and am happy with the results.

 

[newman]

Now just have to figure out which reel, saltist 40, LX6/3, or HX5/2


Definately the Avet! The LX will actually max over 20# (both of my JX's get 20# AT STRIKE).

Now for your BIG decision...LX or HOOX??? Look at how you are planning to fish. For casting a conventional reel you will want a long mono topshot because picking a backlash out of braid during a hot topwater bite SUX in a BIG way. A 50lb mono topshot will cast better than 60lb. Both reels will pack 500yds of braid and plenty of 50lb. But when you want to fish DEEP being able to whack off all but 20' of topshot for sensitivity is really nice. With the HOOX you have a real shot at landing a bigger fish while on the hook without it taking forever. Also you can load the HOOX with 80lb spectra and change topshot from 50lb to 60lb, or 80lb and maximize on the reel's full drag capabiliy.

Now to change your thinking...How about a Cabo 80 spinning reel on the Calstar 700H? You can load it with 65lb spectra and a 3'-5' 50lb-60lb leader. You will have great casting distance and be able to still drop for snapper, grouper, and AJ while maintaining 20lbs of drag. As long as you load up the spectra TIGHT you won't have any problems. You already have a "Go To" all purpose rig for trolling and chunking so getting a spinner with muscle will allow you to throw small baits to mahi, cobia, and crashing tuna without sacrificing casting distance. I landed a pair of 65lb class YFT last Sept on a Cabo 80 in very short order.

 

[Rottweiler22]

I know spinning is the way to go. But I sort of want a conventional.

1) I already have a big nice Tica Spinner, that I have yet to destroy on a fish. Decent rod that I re-wrapped with alconites. I am going to fish it until one or the other explodes. Plus I have built many spinner and want to build a spiral wrapped conventional.

2) Plus Looking towards getting a center console in a year or two, and sort of want to fill out another big fish killer, I was thinking about a penn or tiagra 16, then saw the Hoo-x perfect for 60-80, and Now I am leaning towards the LX because of castability.

3) Ok this is really the main reason. I live in atlanta and only tuna fish once or twice a year, the other times I just sit at home and play with my big game tackle and dream about it. Spinners just really don't do it for me. I mean since I bought my 4/02, My tricked out Abu surf casting reels are feeling neglected, But at least they get to go striper fishing. Tackle-ho wanna-be.

 

[Uncle Russ]

Rotwieler: Although it will soon change big-time, currently, I too spend far less time fishing than I do sitting on the rowing machine I bought to get in shape for standup, playing with my rigs, and watching Jimmy Houston kiss 2-pound bass. That having been said, I am just the opposite from you--conventional tackle doesn't do it for me, whereas I consider the big new spinners to be God's gift to the uneducated thumb (i.e., me.)

I think it is all what you grow up with. I spent my early years fishing with a bunch of old men born before 1900, using reels with linen line and leather dingies for thumbing the reel. I got my first casting outfit and could never get it more than 20 feet or so without creating the nightmare from hell bird's nest. Then, one day when I was about 12, someone gave me an old Garcia fishing catalog and it had a Mitchell 300 in it with a list price of about $9.95. There was also an article entitled "My Mitchell and Me". I fell in love. I saved for months and finally got my hands on one. Half a century later, very little has changed: I still can't cast with a casting reel, and buy spinning outfits like my wife buys necklaces.

'takes all kinds, don't it.

Russ

 

[sachin2021]

I would go the Calstar GH700XH which is rated to 80 pounds but has a lot more in reserve.
I know guys who use 130lb braid on it for XOS giant trevally and dogtooth tuna.
It may seem overkill but the stiffer rod has a umber of advantages for yellowfin tuna popping.
You can cast and retrieve heavier poppers from a distance if the tuna are sppoked and have a better chance of a hook up. (I use poppers up to 5.5 oz on mine)
The rod works for you by snapping the popper back faster and I have found yellowfin to prefer a quick retrieve.
Have caught countless yellowfin popping and a heavier action rod helps a lot when the fish decide to slug it down deep
Lifting power in case that 60lb tuna you want turns up weighing 100.

 

[Uncle Russ]

sachin2021: Actually, the 700H is rated (by Calstar) for 30 - 80, and the 700XH is rated for 40-100. I have the 700H in both conventional and spinner, made on a one-time basis by Calstar for Accurate, and I just ordered one of the last batch of 700XH spinners from that production run. I am not yet experienced with tuna so will not try to represent anything about their performance, but I have read enough about how brutal the 700XH is to already be terrified by it.

What would you say the heaviest poppers would be that you could cast with the XH? And have you ever jigged with it?

I am planning to mount the Twinspin 30 on it, and I am so worried about what I have been reading about knotting strength in spectra and by the results of my own limited experiments with it that I am thinking about putting 130 on one spool and 100 on the other, just to have a super strong rig. On the other hand, I guess if the stuff breaks at even 50 percent of stated strength, then 80 pound would be enough.

I have heard various people say that a 700H would be almost impossible to break, much less a 700XH. Smith LTD lists "maximum drag" assuming a 45 degree angle. I wonder what a 700H or 700XH could hold up to in maximum drag.

Russ