CTS Popping Blanks

[Ben Keller]

Hi Guys,
First proper post here, have been a lurker for a couple of months though and have learnt heaps from you guys, so thank you! 

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with these blanks? http://www.ctsfishing.com/seamasterpopperpro.htm

As Im sure anyone from NZ knows, blanks are really pricey over here, and shipping them is also really expensive so I thought maybe a home grown option exists. To me they look like theyll do the job but some first hand experience is always nice. I sent them an email a while back and I think the price for the 80lb blank was about $300 or there abouts. I asked them what sorts of drag was recommended through them and they said they were designed to work normally to a third of the line strength but could take about half as an upper limit.

I am looking at getting something sorted for the end of the year so no real rush, but I cant afford to go and order a $1000 rod from overseas.

So if anyone has used, seen or heard of them some feedback would be great!!!

Thanks guys
Ben

[Wong Kai Zhee]

almost 10 years ago, when the poppin craze just started in Singapore, there were not many japanese poppin rods available or were just too expensive for most to afford (eg ufm rods cost abt 1k).

so the anglers and rod builders experimented using everything from calstar, g loomis to the top portion of zipplex surf rods, with mixed results. but these have all but disappeared when japanese popping rods become more readily available.

i have only seen some lighter models of the CTS and have never fished with one. but 300 for a blank, adding in workmanship and material cost, the cost will still be substantial.

some of the newer and mid range jap poppin rods cost abt 500. perhaps there's a way for you to buy and ship one over.

are kiwell blanks a alternative?

[Ben Keller]

Not too sure whether the Kilwell blanks offer a viable alternative. From what I hear the majority are too light and not really up to the task. I guess the other option is the shimano.

With regards to the postage, I dont really mind paying it but I thought if the CTS blanks are good, I would rather pay the same price for a top quality custom rod, than a cheap(er) japanese rod where im paying 1/3 of the price for exchange rates and shipping.

[Andrew Poulos]

Kilwell used to have rods that catered for land based game fishing...that  blank with the right guides, reel seat and build up could be used for poppering I would imagine (depending onthe line class you want to fish)

[Greg Burt]

Ben, I've been interested in CTS spinning blanks for a while, the only rods I have actually played with is the Gary Howard 15kg spin and a Barra Buster, and was very impressed. I believe he is the Aust distributor, he may be able to help.  http://www.australianrodmanufacturers.com.au/

[Ben Keller]

Hmmmm, yeah everything I have read with regards to their other fishing rods seem pretty positive.

It might be an opportunity for me to launch my rod building career, hahaha. Building it myself might be a good alternative to get a nice rod for less dollars.

[lonhro]

Hi Ben,
In these last couple of weeks i have been looking into getting a decent pooping Rod without spending a small fortune. I dont know if your set on that particular blank or company but if your not, maybe you should talk to Neil or Hal. i know Neil has a new popping blank coming hes way that is supposed to be good without spending an arm and a leg. On the otherside i know Hal has all the Calstar blanks and they seem very reasonably priced. I think the blank i looked at was only like $219. but if your set on a CTS thats understandable too. And a plus to this is Hal i think wood be more than happy to help you kick off your Rod building career with some very good advise. 

Randy

[Ben Keller]

Hi Randy,
The real contenders for me would be a CTS, a Calstar or a Shimano Tcurve. I dont really have my mind set yet but just weighing up my options.

I think one mark against the Calstars for a starter would be the fact that they are one piece. I guess they can be turned into a 2 piece but I dont really want to go through that additional hassle if its me building it, especially considering its my first. The rod would only be able to see GT's once or twice a year in Vanuatu so lugging around an 8 foot rod tube would be a pain, a 6 foot tube is annoying enough.

If the CTS blanks are good there could be a pretty decent market for them for popping kingies. Its wierd though, I have never heard of them in NZ and they are a NZ company which seem to have a pretty decent reputation overseas?

Cheers
Ben

[lonhro]

Hi Ben,
I see what your saying about the Calstar being to long. This is exactly what i said to Hal when i talked to him late last week. One thing he did mention was that there is a new Reel seat (i think thats what it was ) that makes it easier to have a Calstar 2 pecie. The only reason why he hasn't reccomended it too me with his 100% backing is becuase he has not seen it in action yet but that is about to change in the next couple of week cause hes taking one out fishing to test it out.

Where and who do you fish with in Vanuatu. What do you think of the fishing there .

Cheers Randy

[lonhro]

One thing i forgot to add is that i own a T-Curve. i got the spin modle rated to 24kgs. its a great rod and considering you can get them for under $300 they are great value. i recently took it fishing and hooked on to some sharks and it handled them with easy soo yea

[Ben Keller]

Hi Randy,
Yeah, the Tcurve gets a pretty good wrap all in all it seems ay. The more I think about it the more I want to build my own rod though, sounds like fun and not as expensive to get set up as I initially thought.

Fishing in Vanuatu can be really up and down I have found. That being said I have never fished the outer islands, or done much marlin fishing or popping and jigging. Most of my fishing was light - ultra light (2-6kg line) trolling for YFT, doggies, wahoo, cuda, bass, trevs etc etc, which was really good. That being said I still got into some good heavy tackle night time dog tooth fishing. After jigging for a couple of years trolling is really boring, I just about cant hack a days marlin fishing anymore. Early morning in the summer time is really good over there I found. Cant wait to get into some serious popper fishing when Im over there next, around hat island produces some big GTs and doggies.

Its kind of hard to define 'good' for me, last time I went back I got a 10kg GT, and a red bass, but missed heaps because I was crap at popping, lol, and I thought it was good, I guess Im just easy to please  .
Man I wish I was knew about landbased popping when I was over there, would have been far more productive than sitting at home wishing I was fishing in a boat, what an egg 


Cheers
Ben

[lonhro]

Is land based popping supposed to be good there and where at on Vanuatu

cheers Randy

[Brandon Khoo]

I've fished Hat Island - it was dead when I was there!!

[Wong Kai Zhee]

here a little of my very personal opinion of the attributes of poppin rods.

if u take a jap poppin rod, say smith konmdo dragon and flex the tip, it actually feels pretty sluggish (much like a glass rod). such action is desirable cus heavy poppers must be "lobbed" out.

the action of GUSA (monster mag, wahoo) and g loomis (salt water series) are too "crisp".

a rod with crisp action is good as a light lure casting rod cus the angler uses only the wrist. the eldow is kept at the side, as if a bible is held under the arm. the lure is wound v near to the tip (some even jamming on the tip) and casted using a flick of the wrist.

such rods are not suitable for casting heavy poppers.

the calstar is much better. i ever owned the 700 XH and it cast quite decent.

[Ben Keller]

Yup Im sure there are tradeoffs between them. Thats interesting what you say about poppers being lobbed out, I am no expert but I would have thought more distance would have come as a result of a crisper rod action, just a bit physically harder to cast  Would you mind explaining that to me a bit more, it sounds interesting but I dont get it

Brandon, yup, thats what I mean about Vanuatu. I have had my best days fishing there, but followed it up by nothing, not even a scabby cuda for a full days trolling. A forum guy, John (aka Lurcher) was over there at the same time as me last christmas and in a 4 hour dog tooth session at hat I think they landed 2 out of about 12 or something crazy like that and the ones they got were over 20kg. He also did another night fish off hat for a bunch of GTs to about 25kgs I think was the biggest.

Randy, Landbased over there can be good, buit alot of the reefs stretch out too far (if that makes sense) before dropping off to deeper was. There are some really good spots though, Pango point being the easiest and best one close to town.

Cheers
Ben