Statements — an essential series of blanks

These days, there are very few rod builders who haven’t heard of—or handled—a Statement blank from Rodbuilder’s Republic. In fact, the blanks in this series are praised across the board by their owners, to the point of being one of—if not the—bestsellers at Rodhouse. Let’s take a look together at the history and the different models in this range, which has become a benchmark in France.

Background

The Statements are the result of analyzing the market and the practices of French anglers, and they were designed to meet their needs precisely.

This series of blanks was developed by the designers at Rodbuilder’s Republic—but not by them alone: North Fork Composites collaborated on the design and engineering of these blanks and, moreover, manufactures them for the aforementioned brand. This now-legendary series was therefore drawn “with four hands” and brings together the know-how of two leading blank designers.

At the start, the range included only two references, called 724 and 766. It was then expanded with three more powers and lengths to cover all needs.

The lineup

Today, the Statement lineup consists of five complementary references, each with its own specifics.

Four models measure 7.2 feet (2.21 m) with power ratings ranging from 5–15 g to 20–60 g. They’re complemented by the 766, which measures 7.6 feet (2.29 m) for 10–40 g and enjoys a distinctive action at the root of its success.

Why they’re so successful

If Statements have become an essential reference among rod builders—and likely Rodhouse’s bestseller—it’s because they combine the qualities most anglers seek, especially those who do a lot of tactile soft-lure fishing.

Their main asset—on which everyone agrees—is their exceptional resonance: this series of blanks lets you read the bottom with great precision—indispensable for bottom “scratching” techniques or rubber jig fishing—and detect bites remarkably well, enabling immediate response to the subtlest, quickest taps.

This characteristic obviously stems from the quality of the carbon used, but also from the blanks’ geometry, which provides a pronounced tip action and a very high tip frequency. Nothing gets past the Statements!

Another undeniable strength: their casting ability. Again, their speed efficiently returns the energy stored during the loading phase, achieving impressive distances for the blanks’ length. Finally, their stability and instant return to the starting position ensure excellent accuracy.

Differences in action

Across the range, all models feature a tip action, but the 724, 725 and 727 stand apart from the other two with a firmer tip, allowing highly precise lure work and making them excellent for bottom scratching, fishing on the drop, or jerking minnows. The 722 and 766, by contrast, have a livelier, more “forgiving” tip that delivers great versatility across the power window and keeps constant contact with the lure. They also excel at bottom work—especially in the lower two-thirds of their power range—and they’re outstanding for linear retrieves with softbaits or hardbaits, as well as light traction for the 766.

The Statement 722

The Statement 722 sports a slightly livelier tip than its big brother and carries a 3–15 g rating. It’s an excellent choice for perch family species with soft lures—particularly bottom scratching with 3–7 g jigheads and 3–4 inch shads—but it’s also very comfortable with small pencil baits or poppers. With its impressive power reserve, it’s equally at home in saltwater for light seabass work, or sight fishing with rubber jigs and craw imitations.

The Statement 724

Undoubtedly the bestseller of the range—whether among seabass or zander anglers. A true “telephone,” it offers exceptional bite detection and very precise lure control for bottom scratching or fishing on the drop. Its core use is 3–5 inch soft lures on 5–15 g jigheads, yet it’s also very comfortable with standard jerk minnows from 9 to 11 cm.

The Statement 725

The 725 is slightly more powerful than its smaller sibling (7–35 g versus 5–25 g). While the geometry is identical, there’s more material, which allows the use of larger lures while preserving exactly the same characteristics and qualities.

This model draws inspiration from the legendary North Fork Composites MB 735 HM—an ever-present in American largemouth bass lineups. Naturally suited to rubber jigging for that species, it is equally excellent for seabass and zander with the same applications as its smaller brother—you simply gain a higher power window to fish bigger or heavier. Once again, the power reserve is exceptional: you’ll never be outgunned by a record fish!

The Statement 766

Along with the 724, the 766 is responsible for the range’s renown. It’s a stand-out model—partly because of its length (7.6 feet) and partly thanks to its livelier tip, which gives it great versatility. Measuring 2.29 m for 10–40 g, it covers many applications.

Working the lower part of its power range lets you fish soft lures with great precision for bottom scratching and on-the-drop presentations, while the upper part—combined with its softer tip—keeps constant line tension for light traction or linear seabass fishing—both in saltwater and in freshwater for zander.

It’s also very comfortable with fast cranking using 13 cm minnows weighing 20–25 g.

The Statement 727

The 727 is the most powerful model in the range. Its resonance and firm tip make it ideal for heavy soft-lure techniques—in freshwater (zander, largemouth, pike) as well as in saltwater (seabass, pollack). Despite its length, it also works very well for topwater with 12–15 cm stickbaits weighing 20 to 30 g. It has the necessary backbone to steer these lures precisely and produce varied actions.