Heavy very short Stroker rodblank

[Reinaard van der Vossen]

I'm just back from a trip and was able to land a good mid size tuna( BFT) . It was about 240-250 LB and a relatively short length of 5 ft 8 inch. It was a real fatty guy and round as a skippybal. The fight took about 40 minutes and was stand-up on a Pinnacle 60-100 rod and a Makaira 50W with 130 lb braid and a thick 100 lb+ topshot.

The fish took a very long first run of about 400 yards and I initially thought it would have been much bigger.

That's why I put reasonable hurt on the fish with a drag setting of 35lb. With one third of the spool reduced in diameter it must have been in the good 50 lb of drag and even than It took the first half hour fighting with no significant line retrieval. Not all tuna fight the same, apparently.

It must be noted that we were fishing on a mount where the top is 500-600 ft below the surface and immediately next to it, it drops to 6000 ft.  It is much different when your tuna is in shallow water.
The fight was good but though. I have an Black magic XL wide plate and the drag was very ok for me. In fact I could do more but have not done this stand up for hours.

Still, I'm wondering what happens when an equally fit really big tuna would hit my stand-up gear. On the same spot they have caught tuna in excess of 9 feet.  The rod had a little spare but generally would like to see not much more than 50 lb of drag. The makaira can do more but I never tried it to the rated drag. The rod is with short bent but approx. 5 ft 7 inch in length

Although I already blown my fishing budget for this year (and part of next years) I'm looking with one eye to a heavier rod. I'm thinking of a extremely short rod, something amongst the lines of the Dennis Braid Short stroker but I would like it to have a little shorter (I'm a short guy myself, at least by Dutch standards)
So I'm looking at blanks to build me a 4 ft 5 inch super short stroker in the 80-130 lb class (or 60-130 lb)

I found a couple of blanks that qualify for further investigation. The main problem is that with a 20 inch bent butt I would have to cut off almost half of the blank in some cases but still a significant portion for the short blanks.

Brand    Type   Length blank   Blank Rating   Fibre glas or Composite   Tip diam   Butt Diam   Supplier   Price USD   Possible Butt #   Action American Tackle (ATX)   AXST56XXH   48,5 inch (4ft 0,5")   80-130   E-glass?    15 (6mm)   0,865   MH   44   2   F Calstar   Baja Boomer   5ft 6 inch   60-130   E glass   15   1,175   MH   105   6   XF Calstar    6455XXH-B   5ft 6 inch   50-120   E glass    14 (5,6)    1,09   MH   105   6   XF Calstar Grafighter   GF410 XH   5ft 6 inch   40-100   Graph/e glass   12   0,92   MH   133   4   F Seeker   S6450XXH   5 ft   50-130   Graph/E glass   14   0,965   MH   85   4   F Seeker Super   SS-CTSF55XXXH   5ft 6 inch   80-130   Carbon S glas   17 (6,7mm)   0,95   MH   161   4   F Seeker Super   SS-TSF55XXXH   5ft 6 inch   80-130   Carbon S glas   17 (6,7mm)   0,95   MH   161   4   F Pack Bay PBXII   X2ST56XXHS-B   48,5" (4 ft 0,5 inch)   60-130   E-glass   15   0,86   MH   44   2   F Phenix (black Diamond Hybrid)   PHD 660X3H   6'6"   60-130   Carbon-Kevlar   9   0,84   MH   189   2   F Calstar Grafighter    GF755XXH   5ft 6 inch   60-unl   Graph/e glass   12   0,89   tackle24   122 €   2   F Batson Rainshadow   .695"X.250"X65"   5 ft 5 inch   60-130   solid glass   16   0,695   ?   ?   2   mod F

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Is it feasible to cut 2 feet or more of the butt of a Baja Boomer  or am I missing something

I would appreciate your comments/answers

[Cor]

Hoi Reinard
Congratulations on catching a very nice fish and that on stand up tackle, no mean feat!

I am presuming you intend to build this rod yourself.

I've built many casting rods (as a hobby) but don't have experience with this type of heavy tackle.   Just as a general statement I've never hesitated to modify the characteristics of a blank by cutting the but or the tip, or for that matter strengthening the but area or even extending it.   It is OK as long as you know what you wish to achieve and have tried to test what you wish to do by bending and pulling and lifting etc.   Also work in small increments, rather cut 5cm when you think it should be 10cm and so forth.

Cutting 2 ft off a blank that is only 5' 6" sounds a bit extreme, but then again as I understand, the intention is to add an equal length aluminium butt, so maybe it will work.

If you shorten a rod a rod from the butt side you usually reduce the backbone and will lose some of its pulling power.   I don't think I would be tempted to cut 3' off the blank, then add the 2' but and hope to end up at 4'6", would need to do that differently.

Why not start with the Seeker  S6450XXH if you want to go so short?

Only some comments as they come to mind, sorry no answers!

[Shark Hunter]

I am no rod builder, but the only blank that I think can survive a chop like that is a Gator Glass Unlimited blank.
I fish stand up and heavy tackle. I have a Baja Boomer and Several Rainshadow EGlass Rods 80 to 130, but they are all 5'6".
The Rainshadow has a lot more backbone than the Boomer.
You might want to consider an IGFA Rated Blank too. They are Huge. Most tuna stand up rods are built on 80 IGFA Blanks.
JMO

[Reinaard van der Vossen]

Thanks for the replies gents,

I've found two other rod blanks from united composites that are possible contenders

They are short, only 4 ft long

It is the CX 40XOS which is an unlimited class rod and the CX 40XO wich is an 60-130 rod. The blanks do not have a very large diameter but are heavy wall.

I cannot find to many builds for short strokers that are below 4'8" on length.

Maybe I'm pushing it too much

IGFA blanks are ussually to stiff for stand-up use.

[Shark Hunter]

An 80 igfa is way different then a stand up blank rated for 80, whether it is a 30 to 80 or 50 to 80, those blanks would be super soft, like a igfa 30. An igfa 50 would be comparable to a 50 to 130 stand up or something like that, or a xxxh stand up blank.
For my particular setup, I use an IGFA 80. I can't see it being any more difficult to bend than the rod you are suggesting.
Next to a 80 to 130 Boomer, 5'6"

[Reinaard van der Vossen]

Hi shark hunter,

Maybe i'm wrong about IGFA rod classes. The IGFA rods that I used to drill fish on where not that suitable for stand-up fighting but I only have faught fish on 80's and 130's. They were quite stiff with very thick rod tips.

If they are not all like that than my ignorance is because of lack of experience. Luckily I'm still young enough to learn (Those few grey hairs doesn't chainge that)

What I'm looking for is reasonable flex (specialy at the tip) with still a strong backbone to fish high drag if necessary. That is why a thought a 80-130 blank would suit the needs.

That boomer is on my list

I've got some feedback from some people using short strokers, one uses a melton 5' and the other uses the Brais short stroker and both are happy with their chice for stand-up heavy tuna.

I think I need to investigate some more but I got plenty of time as my next big tuna trip is next year.

[Shark Hunter]

Sounds like you are on the right track. I too am no expert, but have some experience using heavy tackle.
I'm fishing 200lb test on that IGFA 80 blank. I know a builder who specializes in this type of rod.
If you are looking to get rainbowed up, you will like that boomer.
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=15590.0

[Tightlines667]

Congratulations on that catch!

It is simple physics really, a short rod with a longer butt section will provide greater leverage, and allow you to put greater pressure on the fish.  I know published numbers of ~35lbs max on properly fitted modern standup gear seems awfully large (especially in an extended battle), but I am aware of some testing that suggests it is actually possible to hold (at least temporarily) ~65lbs of force at the reel end.  This translates to even greater numbers at the tip.  From a practicality standpoint drag settings in excess of 35lbs at the reel on standup gear is excessive.  

If you are looking to build a short, stout, non-parabolic standup rod, around an eglass blank.. I would focus on blanks that are already designed to fit your need.  The Milton,  Seeker  S6450XXH, United Composites CX 40XOS, Brais, ATX, and others mentioned would likely fit your needs.  Here in HI alot of guys use short 5' or less, Rainshadow, Seeker, or those Australian stubbie blanks to fight the fish from a shotgun holder.   I have often thought tuese blangs on a long bent butt would work great for standup.  5Os7Ss uses a custom-built Rainshadow Stub130 blank that is actually solid glass.  It is supper stout, heavy, yet has a fast tip section.  Might be an option for you.  

[Reinaard van der Vossen]

Yeah,

It used to be "so many girls, so little time"

Now I have that a little with choosing rodblanks...

The rod is intended for stand-up fishing with a black magic XL harness and plate. For my purposes I think a short bent butt is best although I might order a second short traight but juts to be able to choose depending on circumstances.

Both the Calstar Graphiter GF755XXH as wel as the Boomer are high on the list although both blanks are relatively long (5'6") and I would need to cutt a lott of the butt section of the rod.

That's why I am still also looking at the United Composites  CX40XOS (4'), the American Tackle AXST56XXH (48,5") and the Pack Bay PBX X2ST56XXHZ-B (48,5")

I'm still a little reluctant to cutt so much of a blank but if  really want a short rod than I might just need to take a plunge and grab s saw