Daytime sword rods
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Pacific Jigger
You’ll never know unless you go
For the 6lb and under fishery, it’s hard to beat the Black Hole 450 blank. Ralph Craft of Crafty One Customs has created a small but growing following building on this blank for East Coast work. I’ve built two as deep drop rods and they really are the business.
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Not a fan of Black Hole blanks are on the brittle side ..seen and know many of them blow up..
what you want is a soft tip composite blank that can handle that weight.. United Composites rail rods work great so do Calstar composite & glass ..the Calstar RT80 is a very good choice at 6'6"...UC Raptor also ..both proven day time sword rods...dont know whats going on with seeker ,,but I used to build seeker 1x3 & 2x4 the 1x3 has the record sword in the north east...
built the full length in #6 bent butts winthrop 80 class striper & tip..Fuji HD running guides...
good point of reference would be Joth TFT at Trophy Tackle ..John is always in the know when it come to offshore fishing...
what you want is a soft tip composite blank that can handle that weight.. United Composites rail rods work great so do Calstar composite & glass ..the Calstar RT80 is a very good choice at 6'6"...UC Raptor also ..both proven day time sword rods...dont know whats going on with seeker ,,but I used to build seeker 1x3 & 2x4 the 1x3 has the record sword in the north east...
built the full length in #6 bent butts winthrop 80 class striper & tip..Fuji HD running guides...
good point of reference would be Joth TFT at Trophy Tackle ..John is always in the know when it come to offshore fishing...
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Deep drop sword rod of choice for many here in the gulf is a baby boomer or boomer jr. The bite is pretty easy to see if you cut it down to 50-55 inches removing 1''-2'' from the tip.
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This what I am leaning towards but also considering the Batson RSU60XH, which is very similar just 6" longer, but would still need to be cut to fit a #4 butt.
The only thing I a still racking my brain over is possibly a Seeker SS-CTSF55xxh which is a composite versus the other two all glass rods
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We have to use 12 lbs. here out of N.C to catch Swords. I think when I build one it will be on the Batson RSU60XH .
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I built seeker 1x3 , 2x4 & UC Raptors & Calstar RT 80 6.6 full length for NC Swords.. all have there place ..Length comes down to two factors tip of the rod & type of boat..If your fishing outboards longer is better...If you fishing inboards with running gear off the back of the boat go long..
Tip needs to be able to handle the weight & still soft so not to pull the hook ..E-glass Calstars are great ..UC composite rail rods also a great choice ..Graphite blank would be my last ..Guys who insist on graphite I tell them ..when it blows up dont call me about it..Graphite has its place in fishing I design & build graphite blanks ..But not for this type of fishing..
Tip needs to be able to handle the weight & still soft so not to pull the hook ..E-glass Calstars are great ..UC composite rail rods also a great choice ..Graphite blank would be my last ..Guys who insist on graphite I tell them ..when it blows up dont call me about it..Graphite has its place in fishing I design & build graphite blanks ..But not for this type of fishing..
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Bill Batson
Bill Batson
Lots of great choices for blanks (United composites and Seeker both make great blanks for applications like this)..the Rainshadow RSU series is very popular as well are the FSU and the RCTB.. When I am looking for advice on the EAST coast fishery in regards to swords I defer to Russel Hass of Checking Bottom Outfitters ( 281-468-9335) he will point you in the right direction. I know when the day time sword fisheries "started" in SoCal guys like Duane and others contacted him for advice on rigging. Duane "Diego" Mellor uses the RCTB70XH in the ALPS BUB4C butts but In know Bill Haven also Modifies some blanks for length purposes..
Eric Landesfeind also has built some on some Rainshadow blanks for the SoCal Sword fisheries.. There is a lot of information out these. There is a difference in opinions for EAST vs West fisheries and applications. That is why if I were doing something for the EAST defer to someone who knows as advised above..
Eric Landesfeind also has built some on some Rainshadow blanks for the SoCal Sword fisheries.. There is a lot of information out these. There is a difference in opinions for EAST vs West fisheries and applications. That is why if I were doing something for the EAST defer to someone who knows as advised above..
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Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company, Vice President/Partner
I saw this post and wanted to mention that AT supplies a lot of builders offering rods specifically for East Coast deep drop sword fishing as it’s a strong and growing market here in FL, both up and down the coast. Many of the local OEM builders are using our ATX Series, AXST56XH and 56XXH models with bent butts (ours as well as other brands).
In fact this is Grant Gisondo of "M’Ocean Grant’d” with a nice one caught a year ago using a custom rod he built using the 56XXH. He's a rod builder and operates a successful charter operation here in FL.
[email protected]
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Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company, Vice President/Partner
Yes, most of the guys are using them in the GS but size of weight could vary. I have heard some guys prefer an XH but others XXH. Some guys even cut all sorts of versions of longer blanks, even trolling blanks but I'd probably go with XXH.
Darrin
Darrin
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Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company, Vice President/Partner
Hi,
Sorry I didn't get back here.. I'd probably use the same rod, though I like a bit more tip in the XH for load and subtle bite detection. But unfortunately I don't do enough of this type of fishing to provide in-depth personal experience. Can't afford electric reels and I'll never wind up anything deeper than 300', plus I am too old and tired to fight big fish anymore lol.
Darrin
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- Feb 26, 2011
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- Name
- Jamie
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- #1 Tackle Shop
Good evening GU
I am by no means an expert at this game, but We have provided several blanks for the application using the GPX 7 foot raptor by United Composites. Having a soft enough tip to buffer the gear from pulling hooks yet strong enough to handle drag, and that much lead is an interesting balancing act. The CX Centaur would be another blank that would work.
Combine this blank with a bent butt system and you have a very nice set up. Most of the guys are using roller guides and go in full hog with the Winthrop system. I believe all the guys that are doing this sort of fishing are using the rod in the gunnel.
It’s very much an interesting game having to drop so much lead to a hopefully big fish that has a relatively soft mouth. Putting heavy wood to the fish is not really a good idea.
As a note, we have a few of the very rare red versions of the GPX 70 Raptor in stock if that is of interest to you.
Best of luck with your decision.
Respectfully,
Jamie
I am by no means an expert at this game, but We have provided several blanks for the application using the GPX 7 foot raptor by United Composites. Having a soft enough tip to buffer the gear from pulling hooks yet strong enough to handle drag, and that much lead is an interesting balancing act. The CX Centaur would be another blank that would work.
Combine this blank with a bent butt system and you have a very nice set up. Most of the guys are using roller guides and go in full hog with the Winthrop system. I believe all the guys that are doing this sort of fishing are using the rod in the gunnel.
It’s very much an interesting game having to drop so much lead to a hopefully big fish that has a relatively soft mouth. Putting heavy wood to the fish is not really a good idea.
As a note, we have a few of the very rare red versions of the GPX 70 Raptor in stock if that is of interest to you.
Best of luck with your decision.
Respectfully,
Jamie
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Ralph's used alot of jigging world blanks, but started stocking American Tackle and Rainshadow and continues to branch out here on the east coast. Black Hole makes great rods, but not what I'd pick for a sword rod. Talk with Calstar, you want something with EGlass and Calstars are used alot for sword builds out east. Black Hole and most jigging world blanks are nano rods (carbon).....too stiff for a sword build. Honestly, I'd network with the American Tackle folk that chimed in. The ATX blanks are affordable e glass rods very similar to calstars. Plus they will look out and connect you to folk to help ya perfect the builds. I'm sure united composites has a sword blank too, so you got options but u need some glass on that blank. Also want to add, if people are breaking Black hole rods regularly theres gotta be angler error (or they got a random defect blank or batch). They are far superior to a jigging world blank, and gone thru alot of testing over the years. We fish the fuck out of em out east. Stupid sensitive. Stupid strong, but not sword rods. Enjoy the build!
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I have no dog in this fight ..I still stand by my post & believe in High Quality USA made blanks..as far as my blank caught a fish.." even a blind squirrel finds a nut "
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Appreciate the post, what area are you talking? 12-15# lead with 65# braid is common is SE Florida. Thanks
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- Feb 26, 2011
- 1,340
- 2,960
- Name
- Jamie
- Boat Name
- #1 Tackle Shop
Good evening HO,
We have provided Swordfish gear on both coasts, however, I have not been asked for the pounds of lead you are discussing at least not matched to 65# braid. Though the bent butt rigged blanks I noted can hang easily with 12 - 15#'s of lead on them, which is basically going to replicate the bend of rod based on the same drag pressure set at the reel when sitting at anchor or drift, the question will be what drag setting do you use on your reel for fighting the fish? This information may help in selecting a possibly different rod/blank for the application.
The question of reel drag comes into play in getting the rod to bend into a reasonable sweet spot for the given drag..Too stiff a blank and you are going to break line and or pull hooks, too light a blank and you will not have enough recoil to lift the fish or the rod will be so heavily bent as to be almost useless. On the blanks I have noted as well as most of the ones recommended by others on this thread, the sweet spot for rod recoil and bend is going to be well above the 15 - 18#'s of drag often used on 65 pound test (Depending on the gauge of your plastic top shot, if any, that you employ).
The majority of folks that have asked for help with Swordfish gear use their reels with drags set between 20 and 24 pounds of drag and generally are using 80 pound test line.. Of course, if your connections are good and your line is free of nicks and abrasions you may still use these sorts of settings on 60 - 65 pound test assuming your reel is properly lubed, your drags are smooth and the fish acts civilized (Now that's a big if).
Of course, if you prefer to fish lighter line with lighter drags, causing the fish to drag say 400 - 800+ yards of line thru the water, that is another way to allow the fish to fight the water resistance of the line vs. using a heavier pull of the rod. If this is the case then that is another reason to revisit the blank choice...
When I used to fish uber light line to big fish I used almost no drag on the reel and had the fish nearly drown trying to pull a lot of line thru the water especially when they turned which created a curve in the line increasing the pressure on the fish dramatically.. Depending on how light a line I used as well as how much line I allowed to go out, causing water resistance without breaking the line, I chose the rod accordingly. As usual, there is more than one way to skin a cat or get a Swordie to gaff or leader..
Hopefully that helps.
Respectfully,
Jamie
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