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| what is your favorite custom rod for pounder fishing and why? |
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Posts: 540
Location: MN | A Thorne bros 9'8" xh predator with a 18" rear handle and a full wells front grip. Because it's bad @$$. |
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Posts: 642
Location: Richfield, MN | Tim Schmitz - 1/17/2011 8:08 PM
A Thorne bros 9'8" xh predator with a 18" rear handle and a full wells front grip. Because it's bad a$$.
And after I refinance the house I think I might be able to afford one. I was up the messing around with there rods and I tell you what you are not going to find a better rod. I just wished they were priced so everyone could afford to own 1.
Looks like I will need to borrow yours Tim so I can at least get a chance to catch a fish with one!!!!!
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| I'd say a 9'6" Thorne Bros. Predator XXH with an 18" rear grip. Had a chance to throw pounders and even some 2 pounders. Handled them flawlessly. I also liked the XH version, just preferred the XXH. Now I need to figure out how to pay for one. How much can I get for a kidney? |
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Posts: 540
Location: MN | Looks like I will need to borrow yours Tim so I can at least get a chance to catch a fish with one!!!!!
Sorry Miguel there's only one other person that's ever cast it other than me and I only let him throw it once. Lol |
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Posts: 642
Location: Richfield, MN | Tim Schmitz - 1/18/2011 10:31 AM
Looks like I will need to borrow yours Tim so I can at least get a chance to catch a fish with one!!!!!
Sorry Miguel there's only one other person that's ever cast it other than me and I only let him throw it once. Lol
Too funny. |
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Posts: 540
Location: MN | I'll just stick with my Thorne bros CUSTOMS. |
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Posts: 642
Location: Richfield, MN | [I'll just stick with my Thorne bros CUSTOMS.
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Posts: 321
Location: In the slop! | Talk to Frank, he'll set you up right. |
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Posts: 380
Location: Michigan | Another vote for Frank's Custom Rod's. Best wraps out there... A true personalized custom... |
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Posts: 208
| PREDATOR 9' 6" XH
I'm having my third custom built this spring by Thorne Brothers! |
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Posts: 76
Location: Bartlett IL | Thanks guys.
Another option is to build your pounder rod on a Calstar blank. I have built both Calstars & Predator rods for a couple customers and the Calstar is their go to rod for throwing pounders. It is a real workhorse one piece blank that’s graphite in the butt and transitions to fiberglass towards the tip. Kevin Cochran uses his for everything from casting to trolling to sucker fishing. He even caught a 70 lb. sturgeon on it.
If you’re want, drop me a PM & we can figure out a time to talk about your different options.
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Posts: 374
Location: Bemidji | I love the Calstar rods for throwing Pounders. They load up very nicely throwing big rubber. I have three Predators but prefer the Calstars for throwing plastics. As Frank said I use the Calstars for suckers, trolling, sturgeon fishing and of course big rubber.
They load up and flex nicely when casting due to the fiberglass tip. Great rods and cheaper than the Predators. I have used the Predator for throwing Pounders but it takes more effort to cast big baits. |
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Posts: 540
Location: MN | Frank, how long can the calstar be built to and how well dose it toss a 2lber? |
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Posts: 76
Location: Bartlett IL | Tim
I’m limited to 9’ because of the diameter of the blank. The largest trigger reel seat that Fuji makes is size 22 and I have to bore it out to get to within 19 or 20 inches of the butt. Any extension to the blank would just add to the length of the rear grip.
I have never thrown a 2-pounder so hopefully someone else can answer that for you.
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Posts: 2089
| The Calstar is an absolute Rocket Launcher. Perhaps a bit physically heavier than some other options, but when throwing baits that weigh 1-2#, a couple ounces of rod makes minimal difference. It will throw a 2# Dawg like a dream. Like Kevin said, a super versatile rod that can be used for big baits, suckers and of course trolling. |
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| Like other have already said....
absolutely LOVE a 9 ft Calstar that Frank built me. Its my personal favorite rod to use. Another thing about Frank and his rods... he KNOWS rods. We had long conversations about what I desired in the rod he was building for me and went through every detailed step to make sure I received the rod I wanted. I remember him calling multiple times, to double check to make sure things were right. He told me over the phone 'I remember every rod Ive ever built'. I was very impressed to say the least. |
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| Anyone using the Batson/Rainshadow blanks? |
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Posts: 743
| Being the user of high end custom rods I was looking for a cheaper xxh this time around. The Chicago show was the perfect place for a hands on comparision. The cheaper rods were well worth the money whether it was Okuma,TI,or several others. But when you went to Thornes and handled the Predators or even St Croix there was just no comparison. You get what you pay for. I swallowed the bullet,again, and ordered a 9' xxh Predator. |
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Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN | Over the years I have used every rod under the sun - freshwater, saltwater, etc. When it comes to throwing pounders and other big rubber, it is hard to beat a custom 9' - 9'6" XH St. Croix Legend tournament or a Thorne Bros. XH Predator in the same length. However, I do like them with a 20" flared butt or split grip handle. The long grip widens the area between your hands, thus spreading your shoulders out when throwing heavies for long hours. It seems to alleviate a lot of the shoulder, trap, and back fatigue that comes with it. I have sold a few of my customs to friends and they have all commented how they were shy of the long handle, but after a days of using them, they said they would never order a shorter handle on a big rod again.
KSauers is dead on - You get what you pay for! |
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Posts: 752
| I'm on the XH Predator bandwagon as well. I have used one for 3 season now and it rocks. In additon to loading up beutifully and heaving heavies it's backbone is perfet for great hooksets and playing big fish. Caught my PB this fall (53.75X26) on it with a 16N Trinidad on a Shallow Pounder and it handled it like a champ.
My girlfriend suprised me for Christmas this year and had Lonnie at Thorne's build me a beautiful split Grip XXH Pred and I am waiting the days to give it a test ride. I have one of every flavor of Predator's now and there are no finer rods IMHO. |
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| can anyone post pics of your custom rods franks or thornes |
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Posts: 752
| Split Handle XXH Pred
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 Picture012-1.jpg (100KB - 454 downloads)
th_Picture010.jpg (1KB - 180 downloads)
th_Picture020.jpg (4KB - 192 downloads)
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Posts: 752
| Split Handle H Pred
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th_Picture387.jpg (3KB - 186 downloads)
Picture388.jpg (141KB - 245 downloads)
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Posts: 76
Location: Bartlett IL | Here are a couple pictures of a rod I built for JohnMD. He wanted it to match his Okuma Red Isis.
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JohnMD-2.jpg (65KB - 197 downloads)
JohnMD-1.jpg (51KB - 192 downloads)
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| does anyone like the big dawg for pounders |
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Posts: 380
Location: Michigan | Here are some of my Frank's rods. Lighting is not the best... Diamond Back, Loomis, and St. Croix.
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IMG_0066 [640x480].JPG (90KB - 320 downloads)
IMG_0069 [640x480].JPG (95KB - 316 downloads)
IMG_0068 [640x480].JPG (94KB - 309 downloads)
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| what does a rod from frank cos roughly for a 9' heavy predator |
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Posts: 665
Location: Twin Cities, MN | St Croix makes the Predator blank exclusively for Thorne Bros. |
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Posts: 752
| You could buy the blank and ship it to Franks but the cost associated with doing that would not be cheap. Not to mention it would be like taking a Picasso and asking Monet to paint over it... Can't lose wither way but why stray from the intended artist... |
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