Please help me choose a fly rod blank

[JasonGotaProblem]

I've been looking at charts etc. And theres a million that give the authors opinion on which size is appropriate for what fish. But that's sorta subjective. Im looking for a fly rod blank to build a spinning rod out of that would be roughly equivalent to a 6-12# blank.

And while we are at it are there any of the "more economical" brands of blanks that don't suck? Definitely not made of money here, and i need some room left in the budget for decent guides.

[oldmanjoe]

 Start looking around the neighborhood for bamboo and make your own stick !

[thrasher]

Not sure if you are still interested in a fly rod to use as a spinning reel but this is a decent rod https://www.grizzlyjig.com/p-380-sam-heaton-super-sensitive-with-bottom-seat-and-touch-system.aspx

I was Lake Okeechobee Pier last week and a guy had this rod with and UL spinning reel and it was a nice set up. He said he usually uses it as a vertical jigging rod but he was casting it that night. The little finger cut out in the cork was a nice touch.

[Rivverrat]

    I have never understood the use of a fly rod for a spinning reel. Understand it will work but never as well in most all cases as a spinning reel attached to a spinning rod. A true fly rod is by design made to sling heavier line.

    Personally I keep my distance from fly rod toting fisherdoodes 

   
         

[thrasher]

    I have never understood the use of a fly rod for a spinning reel. Understand it will work but never as well in most all cases as a spinning reel attached to a spinning rod. A true fly rod is by design made to sling heavier line.

    Personally I keep my distance from fly rod toting fisherdoodes 

   
         

I don't think that rod is a typical fly rod however I could be wrong because I never used a fly rod. The advantage to this type of rod is being able to vertical jig for crappie from the bank when you need to get past the shoreline weeds.

[Rivverrat]

   

        OK, what I'm not understanding is how longer spinning blank wont work & work noticeably better than a fly rod with spinning reel.  Long ago I remember my grandpa & his friend walking the banks of the river two fly rods with spinning reels mounted on them. Working jigs & or minnows as they walked along fishing vertically. It was & still is a very effective way to catch catfish & other river species.

   However that was then this is now. Plenty of lite spinning rods from 9' - 12' length that will work much better for this... Jeff

[oldmanjoe]

  MAN        i am on the fence with this so i went 50/50
  7 -8 of twitchy stick ,  i still have to  guide it ...

[JasonGotaProblem]

I am so very confused by what I'm looking at here.

[Rivverrat]

  
  What's a matter with ya ? Nothing to be confused about at all. 

 O'l Joe jumped his neighbors fence & is catching Koi for bait.  Problem was when he landed he broke his rod & had to stuff a twig / stick into the remaining part of his rod to carry on.

[philaroman]

Jason,

just forget long light fly-blank spinners & real Noodles that are slower than Moderate Action
they are not casting tools, except for gently lobbing EXTRA-delicate snotty baits like raw oyster, mussel, urchin, etc.
IMO, SSH Mod-Fast seems like best middle ground for what you intend (shell-on shrimp & some lure/jig -- correct?)
maybe, go up to Fast for better accuracy & sensitivity working artificials
or, go down to Moderate for better shock absorption w/ zero-stretch & lightest mono
don't get stuck on 6-12#, either -- if your total terminal weight is 1/4 oz. ballpark, 4-10# might be better
if you mostly throw 1/2 oz. or more, some 8-15# Medium SSH tips are plenty light-enough for smaller fish
also, glass/comp. is more likely to have wider range -- 4-12#, 6-15#, 8-20#
I'm still kicking myself for not getting the old Howald Ugly 10' 4-20#
you could smack around bait-stealing gulls, territorial geese, rabid coons...  and go right back to fishing

[Rivverrat]

Jason,


I'm still kicking myself for not getting the old Howald Ugly 10' 4-20#
you could smack around bait-stealing gulls, territorial geese, rabid coons...  and go right back to fishing

   I've a story of a fella who attempted to steal my bike. A 6 oz. sinker with treble hooks above it were tossed over him as he attempted to ride away. After stopping him & with him wanting a fight I set about leaving permanent marks with my 7' United Composites Challenger Platinum.

[philaroman]

you told it, before & I believe, but methinks the rod keeps changing    wasn't it a BPS CatMaxx, last time? 
or, maybe you wished it were the CatMaxx, for an even better expression of righteous rage 

[wfjord]

Refitting a fly rod for use with a spinning reel was how Gary Loomis got his initial inspiration.

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewinterviewgaryloomis.html

[JasonGotaProblem]

Ya know, fishing isn't supposed to be violent. But I definitely beat someone's #### with an ugly stik with my old spheros FA attached (reel to the face, no damage to reel) when he decided that he owned a section of railing at a state park and pulled a knife on me and got super insistent. He never got to fish that day.

Just about all my rods are fast taper high mod graphite. I know the feel of such rods and in general strongly prefer that feel (which is why that category dominates my collection) And if I'm being perfectly logical, that's what I'll stick to. And odds are that's exactly what I'll do. I'm just intrigued by the idea of going the polar opposite direction just for kicks.

If I were a commercial fisherman and my livelihood depended on guarantees of hitting bag limits every day, then my fishing methodology would be guided by the need for success, not by random musings about what might be fun, and an ultralight wouldn't even be up for consideration. But that's not the case. I'm out here fishing for the joy of it. And there's a part of me that craves some variety. But realistically I'm a very logical person. And my next rod will most likely be fast taper graphite, and likely quite light.

[Rivverrat]

you told it, before & I believe, but methinks the rod keeps changing    wasn't it a BPS CatMaxx, last time? 
or, maybe you wished it were the CatMaxx, for an even better expression of righteous rage 

    I dont know that was me your referring to. Understand my memory at what it used to be