[ksong]

I got my custom popping rod from Ralph today.
It was so beautiful that I got to post a few pictures of the rod here. The tuna picture weaved by him is incredible.
He builds most my jigging and popping rods for me as he knows what I want since he is a great fisherman himself as well as he is a master rod builder.

The blank is Japanese Smith 80P/35 which I purchased from Anglers Proshop. It is really hard to get Japanese jigging and popping blanks as blanks are not available to the public in Japan and we are fortunate to get those blanks from Angers Proshop.
Smith 80P/35 is kind of first generation blank for GT, but I found the blanks is still good for GT and tuna popping. It is light, durable and cast very well.

Nice GT caught with Smith 80P/35 rod.

And the rod's action.

 

[Guest]

wow thats a great looking rod - really cool looking wraps

 

[paul708]

very nice rod Kil.

 

[Fishhead56]

Holy smoke's thats a Classy custom rod..

Plus the below qoute is the funniest post I think I've seen in along time
................................
.ksong
Senior Member

Who can cast farther with conventional reels ? If you do, you are really skillful or you suck with spinning reels.

 

[Uncle Russ]

Kil: I love my stock 80P/35, although I have not caught anything with it yet. Did you shorten the blank or go with it at the full 8 feet?

Russ

 

[gman]

Its all about the girth Russ ha ha ha ha

 

[Uncle Russ]

You lost me there, gman, but I can assure you my girth is greater than most!

 

[ksong]

Kil: I love my stock 80P/35, although I have not caught anything with it yet. Did you shorten the blank or go with it at the full 8 feet?

Russ
It is full 8 ft. There is no reason to shorten the blank.
I don't think you have any problem to land a tuna upto 100 lbs with the rod though I feel OTI 80 lbs popping rod is stronger, but heavier.

 

[fishr1989]

nice rod!!

 

[Ragman]

That tuna weave even has a mean look on its face! Beautiful!

Great pic of the GT with the Komodo! I hadn't seen that one! Was that in Fiji?

 

[ksong]

Great pic of the GT with the Komodo! I hadn't seen that one! Was that in Fiji?
Yes, it was on the Fiji trip. I sent a few pictures to TJ.

 

[Deep_Sea_Gull]

Sweet rod there Kil. The tuna weave is great and so is the butt weave.

I will shave my beard off if you will just adopt me!

 

[Uncle Russ]

Kil,

I may be wrong but I think Randy was going to build one on that blank with a few inches chopped off the butt. Maybe I dreamed that.

Russ

 

[gman]

You lost me there, gman, but I can assure you my girth is greater than most!

you asked about the length, how long is it. I countered its about the girth .... its a woman's phrase never mind

 

[gman]

beautiful rod Kil hope it raises some big fish for you

 

[Snagged]

Beautiful rod KIl.

 

[rtran]

i dig it

 

[Uncle Russ]

gman: Duhhh. Uncle Russ is a just a bit slow. But hell, I probably come up short in both departments!