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Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Tackle & Techniques => Topic started by: Santosh Shanmuga on February 28, 2008, 09:44:37 AM

Title: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Santosh Shanmuga on February 28, 2008, 09:44:37 AM

Hey guys, I'm thinking of building a popping rod. I'm mostly a flyrod builder, so I've never built a heavy spinning blank, so I want to ask if the Calstar GF700XH blank would be a good fit for GTs?

Thanks

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Mick Cunningham on February 28, 2008, 01:12:30 PM

welcome to this forum ...

luke done own one GF700EH..  i think he is selling the rod ... http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=407.0...

you can pm him for more info .. if you want to feel free to pm him any time ..

cheer,s mick

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Santosh Shanmuga on February 28, 2008, 01:22:00 PM

Thanks Mick!

I'll PM Luke then...

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Greg Burt on February 28, 2008, 01:25:30 PM

Try this report Santosh, Stephen built his own 700H and has well and truly tested it, I also have a Gary Howard custom made 700H with which I am very happy with although only have caught a couple of rat Kingies on it.
Check the 'U Tube' link in post #9

http://www.gtpopping.com/forum/index.php?topic=517.0

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Santosh Shanmuga on February 28, 2008, 01:29:04 PM

Yea, the 700H is rated for 30-80lb line, while the 700XH is rated for 40-100lb line.

The 700XH should be fine then. However, would it be overkill? Or is there no such thing when coming to GTs?  :P
Best of all, it's under 100USD!

Thanks guys!

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Wong Kai Zhee on March 03, 2008, 03:03:07 AM

Quote from: Santosh Shanmuga on February 28, 2008, 01:29:04 PM

Yea, the 700H is rated for 30-80lb line, while the 700XH is rated for 40-100lb line.

The 700XH should be fine then. However, would it be overkill? Or is there no such thing when coming to GTs?  :P
Best of all, it's under 100USD!

Thanks guys!

actually, i feel that rod ratings like 20-50, 30-80 etc are pretty meaningless.

wats a 30-80 rod? this is one question i ve asked many rod builders and they all gave different interpretations.

too heavy for 30 yet too light for 80 ???? the tip can take 30 while the butt 80  ???.

might as well say its a 50lb!

but then, 50lb line in itself is pretty meaningless. some ppl fish 50lb like 30. yet others fish it like 80. it all come down to how high the drag is.

then , some maunfacturers seem to under rate their blanks, others over rate. jus compare a comparable calstar with seeker.

okok, i once ve built a 700 XH for poppin. it can lob a GT Bull respectable distance, but i would believe a 700H will cast better, cus it will be easier to load.

so, perhaps another dimension when deciding between a H and XH will be to decide the weight of poppers u use most often.

calstar can take tons of abuse, so i dont tink they will suffer from too much drag, unless one high stick.

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Greg Burt on March 03, 2008, 07:29:43 AM

Hal [Bluewater] makes and uses the 700 H rather than the XH with 100lb for strength and cast ability, very popular rod in WA

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Santosh Shanmuga on March 05, 2008, 02:30:50 PM

So you guys suggest the 700H for GTs? It should handle 100lb braid, right?

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Stephen Polzin on March 05, 2008, 03:46:23 PM

I use PE8 on my 700H and it works very well.  I haven't measured my drag, but I would estimate it as "lots", as most of my fishing is around shallow bommies.  The rod has plenty of grunt, that's for sure

Title: Re: Calstar GF700XH blank
Post by: Wong Kai Zhee on March 06, 2008, 05:48:32 PM

Quote from: Santosh Shanmuga on March 05, 2008, 02:30:50 PM

So you guys suggest the 700H for GTs? It should handle 100lb braid, right?

it depends very much on how hard u can pull on 100lb braid.

do u have any existing poppin outfit? set one up and pull.

measure w a scale and see how much drag are u comfortable.