The rod I picked is rated 15-40 lbs, and 1-4-oz lures
(this heavier same model rod shows the style)
It's a nice spiral wrap rod, with the guides ending underneath the rod tip.
The power, line weight and price came in just right on this rod, but it has an EVA butt cap where it needs a gimbal, so the reel will stay upright with the rod in the gimbal on a Scotty rocket launcher, and the guides will also be oriented to keep the braid off the bent rod blank.
Same maker sells a rod, not quite as good line weight, a little lighter power, that comes with a gimbal cap, but it's also twice the price. I thought about spending more, but this is really the rod I want - I can do the gimbal...
There aren't too many gimbal options out there for a half-inch rod butt, especially in stock.
The closest I found was 5/8" I.D. (16mm), so I bought a foot of Delrin bushing stock that makes the perfect shim, used Rod Bond flexible epoxy to glue the gimbal cap to it, cut it to length and dressed it for my rod.
Bought a spare gimbal cap in case I muffed up the first one.
I also wanted to keep this pretty red ring
cast and curing, with the weight of the reel helping to compress the joint
It's also stronger than I expected - I took the cut rubber stub rod-bonded to the long piece of delrin, and cured 24 hours, and tried to drive it off - no chance - the two joints in the connection each have twice that surface area glued. It's going to cure completely in the summer garage heat...
Happy with the result, looks like it's meant to be here
and here's the point, reels up, rods easy to get to
the rocket launchers will also be adjusted up about 20-degrees - they're in garage position now
After a long wait for Thailand delivery, replaced the steel Tica power handle, which weighs as much as a reel, with a weightless carbon handle, making this an extremely lightweight offshore rig for its power
