CTS Rod Owners

I happen to know some of the NERBs crew and fish with many people who enjoy RodGeeks blanks. They are quite popular in NJ and I have not heard any complaints.
 
Billy certainly has an eye for this sort of thing - and not having to maintain a freakin' boat to do his fishing frees up a bunch of shekels to make his tackle dreams a reality. A lot to be said for selling my boat and hooking up with Billy on his many super-successful charters.

If I just wasn't so Type-A, I would have done it already. . .
 
Can't compare the two, Rod Geeks to a CTS. Not a fair fight.

That's like a Mustang GT to a Porsche Carrara. Nothing wrong with the Mustang, a very nice ride - but com'on!

stang.webp


porsche-911-carrera-992-2019.webp


porsche-911-carrera-992-2019 (1).webp
 
I just never could get into the Rod Geeks X-Comp blanks (I think that's what they're called). Too soft a tip for my tastes. I also don't care for the large-diameter rear part of those blanks. Once I started using CTS and Hydra's skinny blanks, that was that, for me. Soooo nice!

BillyV said that he's working on a thinner, higher-modulus series, with a harder tip. Now THAT might be more like it. I'd have to give them a look when they become available, for sure. I look forward to that, actually.
 
I do own Billy’s Seeker creations and his Rodgeeks and have not had any problems., I enjoy fishing them I think they are nice rods. Have also attended some of their gatherings and they have a good community thing going which I believe is good for our sport for both creativeness and bringing people into rod building . I honestly could care less if people build on the Roodgeek blanks as long as people keep building, innovating and learning. NERBS is a good thing for us as fisherman!

I have had the CTS surfblanks when they first came over years ago. They were a huge change from my glass honey lami sticks ( I was a traditionalist), obnoxiously lite in in hand, fast action, I could fish all day and my wrists would not hurt. However, Both failed . I do not own any now, that was years ago once again. I am sure they have made strides in their engineering and must have less issues. They were a new company then or at least new /first year here in the US.

If these CTS blanks have that lightness in hand that I originally remember with a kindness from when I first picked up their surfblanks from years ago among other attributes I think it would be a nice start.

I always enjoy seeing innovation and competition. At the same time I am also very weary of not a variance of opinion. I am open to bending and fishing any finished rod or blank that anyone will put in my hand on land or on boat bamboo, glass, composite, hybrid, made of pixie dust or what knot.

Perhaps we should shy away from piling on or perhaps downplaying other rods so as to not make this look a little too one sided and taking away from some of the niceties that these rods might have.
 
Leprechaun said:
I just never could get into the Rod Geeks X-Comp blanks (I think that's what they're called). Too soft a tip for my tastes. I also don't care for the large-diameter rear part of those blanks. Once I started using CTS and Hydra's skinny blanks, that was that, for me. Soooo nice!

BillyV said that he's working on a thinner, higher-modulus series, with a harder tip. Now THAT might be more like it. I'd have to give them a look when they become available, for sure. I look forward to that, actually.
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Yeah I agree as well. I was inclined to go BH over the XC blanks and I am also looking forward to the fast blanks they are developing. Did not mean to start a tangent, just stating that there are worse brands out there. I have never handled a Hydra but have seen and heard a lot of good things on other boards.
 
lets not get into that Seeker debate ,,,That blank you like is a blue lighting painted a different color & renamed..Oh yes & you were charged more than the blue lighting..
 
LowGear said:
I do own Billy’s Seeker creations and his Rodgeeks and have not had any problems., I enjoy fishing them I think they are nice rods. Have also attended some of their gatherings and they have a good community thing going which I believe is good for our sport for both creativeness and bringing people into rod building . I honestly could care less if people build on the Roodgeek blanks as long as people keep building, innovating and learning. NERBS is a good thing for us as fisherman!

I have had the CTS surfblanks when they first came over years ago. They were a huge change from my glass honey lami sticks ( I was a traditionalist), obnoxiously lite in in hand, fast action, I could fish all day and my wrists would not hurt. However, Both failed . I do not own any now, that was years ago once again. I am sure they have made strides in their engineering and must have less issues. They were a new company then or at least new /first year here in the US.

If these CTS blanks have that lightness in hand that I originally remember with a kindness from when I first picked up their surfblanks from years ago among other attributes I think it would be a nice start.

I always enjoy seeing innovation and competition. At the same time I am also very weary of not a variance of opinion. I am open to bending and fishing any finished rod or blank that anyone will put in my hand on land or on boat bamboo, glass, composite, hybrid, made of pixie dust or what knot.

Perhaps we should shy away from piling on or perhaps downplaying other rods so as to not make this look a little too one sided and taking away from some of the niceties that these rods might have.
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Completely agree. My intention for starting this thread was just to find out more about the CTS brand and product lineups and how they apply to our NE fishery here. Others can feel free to start similar threads regarding other brands and I will gladly contribute if I am able.
 
Its all good. I’m watching and tend to run a tight ship on this forum. If things go sideways, like so many other boards have in the past, I will step in and re-center the convo.

My observations on the current Rod Geeks line are not anything that hasn’t been said 100 times to Billy hisself. That’s why he’s developing the new higher-mod line of blanks in the first place. Billy has done much for the local rod building community. His evolution to senior sage status is undeniable.

I happen to own a pair of his first effort in blank design - the Seeker Hercules blanks. My first one developed a stress crack length-wise, which Capt. Neil wrapped over with matching color size A thread - and all these years later it still pulls fish just fine. My other Herc has been terrific. And can you guest who built it? That’s right, Capt. Richie. A gorgeous build, btw.

My understanding was that Seeker mis-wrapped the mandrels on the first go-round of blanks, putting linear glass on the outside of the blank instead of the inside. This was reversed on the later Hercs and the breakage rate went waaay down.

The RodGeeks blanks that Billy designed are very tough indeed, they are just not to my taste, as I already wrote. But thousands of blanks later, you never hear a bad word about them regarding breakage. No denying that Billy certainly does have a good thing going in his collaboration with St. Croix, oops, I meant Rod Geeks.8-)

Anyways, This thread is CTS-specific, so let’s try to keep it centered there.
 
Does CTS proper still come over for the shows like they first used to. I realize they will not be in Edison. I remember actually seeing them at a surf casting even in CT and then actually having a booth at the RI and Edison shows years ago now.

Perhaps the more modern plan or relying on builders to market ?
 
That was Rich..I don't do business with him ..I know a bunch of people that stopped doing business with CTS because of him..

don't know if he's still selling cts or doing shows..Im low key no shows no website ..all word of mouth..
 
What is the blank model designation one would choose for our normal bucktailing ei not slow pitch under 6 oz , Skinneresque Style in the CTS line .. BS 700, 701,702, etc.

I have not tried the slow pitch for either tog nor fluke and I’m very intrigued . Reading over this winter has been very dangerous for me.

Will I try it most likely. Prob with one of the lower end models, dabble a bit , then make a jump up to something talked about here.
 
I like my BS702 just fine for deep fluking 2-5oz. I like my Hydra MB876-NG a bit more. I like my Black Hole 6’8” best of all. I do not fish shallow, so I can’t help there. I will not recommend what I have not used.
 
LowGear said:
What is the blank model designation one would choose for our normal bucktailing ei not slow pitch under 6 oz , Skinneresque Style in the CTS line .. BS 700, 701,702, etc.

I have not tried the slow pitch for either tog nor fluke and I’m very intrigued . Reading over this winter has been very dangerous for me.

Will I try it most likely. Prob with one of the lower end models, dabble a bit , then make a jump up to something talked about here.
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I use my bj700 up to 4oz you can push 5oz on it after that I'd go with the bj701 I have very nice blank. Again anyone live out near Port Jeff would like to see either built with a reel and line on it so you can give it a few tugs to get a feel let me know.
 
Flukinit said:
I use my bj700 up to 4oz you can push 5oz on it after that I'd go with the bj701 I have very nice blank. Again anyone live out near Port Jeff would like to see either built with a reel and line on it so you can give it a few tugs to get a feel let me know.
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Appreciate the offer. I am in PA, so maybe if I ever get out that way to fish Montauk, I will have to hit you up.
 
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