KennebecJake

Just picked up a Fenwick PLS72 spinning rod. It's rated for 1-1oz lures and 8-15lb line. Length is 7ft and rod weight is 6-7/8oz. I'm curious if most would consider this a fresh or saltwater rod and if it might do well with a Penn 710 "Universal" reel?

Many thanks Cmdr and Don...….great information. I looked up the No. 3 Hopkins weight (also 1-1/4 oz.) but I'm not that knowledgable about how the different lures or plugs might behave. If it can throw 2oz lead would it also handle plugs up to 2oz plugs? or would it be overpowered?

Hi Tim, Thanks very much ...it's an old (but new) Lami. Probably 70s. I'll look again at the blank for some fine print but "0803" is what seemed to jump out at me. Best, Jake

Gentlemen, Well my Honey Lami turned out to be an 0803...... 8 foot rod. Does anyone recognize that number or have experience with that model? Particularly what # line / lure weight it might have been rated for originally by Lamiglass. I'm curious what it's best use might be. Planning to fish Race Pt this year from a boat and guessing jigging with metal or plastic might work. Would this rod be a good choice? Jake

Hi Belmo, Greatly appreciate your feedback...……..I'm definitely going ahead with the 9 ft honey lami build based on your answer. I especially liked "B) …….go out and fish one". Not sure if I'd pay the bucks to "go fish" if you recommended a newer pricier blank but the one I've had for 20 years is a "no brainer" to go ahead with. Interesting that you're saying "bigger plug bigger fish". I'm sure you're right but can't forget all the 30"+ bass who have taken my 3 inch flies.....I guess the key word is "sometimes". In fact my buddy was throwing a 5 inch darter at the reefs this year without hooking even one but he still managed to tease out 2 or 3 every cast for me to slap a 3" fly at right next to the boat when he picked up. Hooked up every other time...…….gotta love that "bait and switch". And yes I guess the glass is so easy I didn't know it was a "trick" to get the pencils to pop...…….always done it that way with my 8 foot lami. So now I'm thinking to use that rods 704 on my new 9 footer and an old 710 on the 8 footer but need to check the standoff on the guides to see if the 710 would need different guides or spacing. Many thanks again for the advice and confidence build, Jake

I have a 9 foot honey lami blank that I'm considering for a first attempt at building a rod. Why do you guys say it's "good for pencils"? Also how do these compare to modern rods performance wise? (I do throw ounce and a half pencil poppers on a similar 8 footer but am also interested using other plugs, bucktails, bait, etc.) And finally I just have to ask ……… what is the advantage of the larger plugs? (3+ oz.) Is it primarily distance and is this where the longer length helps too? Also apologize for asking such dated questions...……..please consider I bought my 8 foot Lami new in 73 with money I earned on my paper route.

Many thanks for the advice on the Lamiglass honey blank. Maybe I should have also ask how they rate against more modern choices for throwing saltwater plugs - any more advice? pros? cons? (All thoughts sincerely appreciated.)

Gentlemen, I have a 9 foot honey colored Lamiglass surf rod blank from the 60s/70s that I would like hang my green Penn 704 on and wonder if you could tell me how many guides I should have, what size and how to space them. (Also planning to use vintage stainless Perfection guides FYI.) I have some size/spacing tables to go by but it's not clear to me how to know if I got it "right". Do I center them on a line from the middle of the spool to the tip guide? Or should I flex the rod and look for contact on the bottom of each guide? Or do I just look for the rod itself to flex uniformly? If the latter do I flex the rod to the "fish-on" position? or "backwards" as when casting a plug? I'm happy to tape some guides on as a trial but not sure what to look for without your help. Finally, this blank is one-piece. Do I put in a metal or internal ferrel at the midpoint? or closer to the butt? or should it stay one-piece? Any and all responses will be appreciated. Jake