I'm looking to get a new 10' rod this spring for throwing larger plugs (over 2 oz.) and occasianally bait (3 or 4 oz. sinker with a smaller bait like worms or clams) and would appreciate some advice. I'm going to use either a baitrunner 4500b or slammer 560 with either 15-17 lb trilene big game or 50 lb braid depending on what i'm doing but i'll probably upgrade to something better next year, maybe a Van Stal. I'm looking for a rod rated for 2-6 oz. and am considering a custom (I've never bought one before so I really don't know where). I would greatly appreciate any advice.

Thanks, Josh

If you want to go custom, I'd suggest starting with one of the following blanks:

Lamiglas GSB 120 1M or XRA 1205, or All Star BGSW 1208, in graphite.

Lamiglas SB 121 3M in glass

The lami. sb1363m with 16'' cut off the butt makes for a nice 10' in spinning. I also like the ssb1363m in conv. 10'6'' cut off the butt, throws heavyer plugs or a chunk nice, this rod is light then most 10's. The tips go...sb@12, ssb@14. I haven't fished the sb, yet..in the works.

1 piece or 2-----I have a sb1214m done conventional and used it for a long time and loved it but dont know if its still made.Ive done a couple of the 1213m*s as spinning and its great but I didnt like as a conventional.Its kind of a noodley blank. The 1363m at full lenth(11-4) is a nice blank for beach.I prefer the sb 1362f cut down over the 1363m but I only took 12 inches off butt so its 10-4.This with the Vs250 casts really nice with 3-4 oz plugs----Tin and jigs--I imagine it would cast 3-4 oz sinker with bait good also but I never tried.Im doing another of these now conventional so you would have to wait for opion on this done this way.The list is almost endless on choices.How much you wanna spend( Glass Vs. graphite) or how much you want it will be the biggest thing.On a 10 ft rod I*D go with the 6500BR

www.striped-bass.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11619 (http://www.striped-bass.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11619)

Excellent advise i recieved.

I'm having a GSB 120 1M built ever so slowly. It's a good blank from what i understand it doesn't quite load aswell and it's a tad more forgiving then the XRA 120 5. But for the money it's :kewl:

Bawana.. My buddy uses a BR6500B for plugging and he's all done in about an hour.. He's not a big guy....

I should be getting my new OKUMA reel soon.. It's the Inspira IS-50
http://www.okumafishing.com/products/reels/inspira/inspira.htm
It's lighter then the Penn 6500SS which i currently use..

A rod built on an Allstar 1266/2 will probably cast the furthest of everything listed here. Its a two piecer but the joint is excellent so you won't notice it when used if properly wrung together. Its a fast action rod , faster than any other rod listed.

Leptar, you might want to see if the Metaloid 60 series spool will fit your new reel. More capacity. Okuma sent the Metaloid spools back when they replaced it with the Epixor. Smooth reels let us know how you like it.

Ross

PS I have had two All Stars built by Saltheart, couldn't be happier with them!!!

The 50 and 60 series cannot be swapped. The rotor and spool on the 60 are much larger.

I just recieved my Okuma Inspira IS-50.... WOW...

It's a smooth reel... I think it's best bang for the money...

Now i have to wait and see how it handles fish.. i put it on my rod and made a few casts... sweet!!!! It's perfect on the tri-flex 10'...

I tied it to the fence and wanted to see how the drag reacted... !!!! NICE.. it's freezing out there and it was smooth.. although my neighbors are all scared now.. but hey... I just had to...

It's almost the same size as the Penn 6500SS but it's lighter by a few ounces.. I'm glad i bought it...