Northeast - Rod Building For SBFT

I'm thinking for a winter project to do and I want to try to build my own custom rod for a penn 8500SS to cast into school tuna between 50-150 lbs. I want to know if anyone has tried this and would appreciate any thoughts/input/advice as to some rod blanks I should look into through your own experiences or word of mouth. Right now i have in mind either a Calstar or Seeker. I would also like the rod to be 7 ft, 6'6 would be fine also. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Contact CMS is Dartmouth, they build a ton of rods and have winter classes where you build your own rod. They will be able to answer your questions and help you select blank for your application. They do have a fair bit of tuna gear onsite. They are less than a mile off route 140.

Have fun, Brian

they do not do the classes any more, they found that giving free classes not enough people were coming back to buy there products so it was not worth them giving out there services at night time. how ever i do believe if you went in one day that bob, or eric would be more then happy to sit down if there not to busy and help you out.

They don't make them anymore but the next step up is the 9500ss spinner has a totally different drag system that can handle tuna better maybe swap someone. good luck

That class did sound great, too bad they do not run it anymore, but Dartmouth is about 2 hrs give or take away from me. As for the reel, i already have the 8500ss and it has held up to tuna very well for me so far. It's not a stella or saragosa (maybe next year im hoping) but it gets the job done, hopefully for at least one more season. Thsnks guys

I just ordered a Calstar 700m to build as my Bluefin spinning rod.

sam

sams - 6/19/2008 4:37 PM

I just ordered a Calstar 700m to build as my Bluefin spinning rod.

sam

what about mine? ;)