Next build will be a football jig dedicated rod, majority 1/2 and 3/4 with 12lb fluoro. I am considering two blanks, Liberty MB734 or Hydra OSMB703MH. Any other blanks in the $75-$100 price range I need to consider? Any suggestions or opinions appreciated.
I'd personally go with the Liberty FS764 for 1/2 oz + football heads. You can get the XRay MB7108 for $87.50 (plus the $10 exise they charge), shipping is free over $75 right now. I've never built the OSMB703MH but have built a few other OS blanks and they are very nice for the money.
I use the Liberty FS764 for football heads and C-rigs, the MB7108 is for football heads and big worms. I tend to keep them full length but I did cut down a MB7108 to 7'3" and pitch plastics with it. Didn't lose much if any power.
North Fork Composites has a great sale on their blanks right now. You might have to wait a few weeks to get the blanks in your hands, but I don’t think you’ll find better at their “sales” price point.
It hard to argue the nfc option with their sales. Personally I won’t give them any business. I’ll agree with the above the liberty 764 makes a fine blank for a football jig. I can’t compare to the 734 I’d give Kevin a call and ask.
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So, it sounds like most would go with a 4-power rod versus a 5-power? Also, I forgot to mention this will be for jigs with a lighter casting hook versus a flipping style hook.
Yeah, 90% of the time I'm using a football head with a light wire hook...I fish a lot of spider grubs for smallies. The FS764 is listed as fast but it's more mod/fast. I'm sure the MB734 would make a nice football rod too. I've never built one but I have built a decent number of the MB733.75 (and actually the 732.5s too). Honestly don't think I've built a Liberty that I didn't like. Great bang for the buck.
Thrasher BSC 7806, it won't be anywhere near your limit and it's a US built blank. I fish it full length. I think you guys spend way to much time talking about actions, when what you observe is power. You can make any action out of any material we have ever used; they will bend the same, but in no way react, or fish the same.
Last edited by Spoonplugger1; 10-18-2022 at 03:27 PM.
The BSC's are nice blanks (I've built and fished 7801-7808s) but IMO they're better for moving baits...7806 is an awesome frog blank, not horrible for something like a football jig but the Liberty is better, also cheaper in the end (a 7806 @ 7'5" is $75 vs the Liberty @ $78) as Jason charges $35 shipping and Get Bit will be closer to $20 (add some guides or whatever from Get Bit and get it to $95 and shipping is free), whenever I order from Thrasher it's always at least 5 or 6 to make the shipping worth it.
I just built a FS764. I hadn’t considered for football jigs but I will give it a shot.
I have a rod built on the NFC SJ 736 X ray blank that I use for football jigs. I only go as high as 1/2 oz so I don't know how well it would handle 3/4 oz. It's an awesome blank for the 3/8 - 1/2 oz football jigs that I use when fishing for smallmouth.
Always have at least one of the two rods I have built on that blank, on the deck of my boat. It's a very very versatile blank. And sensitivity is about as good as it gets.
I’ll second this..Originally Posted by Bassbme
I bought the XRay SJ736 for a light Texas rig/senko rod with no intention on using it for finesse football jigs. It became my go to jig rod. Great soft tip, very sensitive (albiet I was expecting much more sensitivity from how everyone talked about them), perfect action. I broke the 1.5” off the tip so I plan on putting on a new tiptop and trying it out. Worst comes to worst I’ll gladly buy another SJ736.
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