Bait Weight? and Rod ideas?

Does anyone roughly know the weight of a 3-5 inch scaled sardine "Ly" or a 6-8 inch spanish sardine? I am trying to make a rod and reel combo the would be specifically for chunking sardines with a lever drag reel. I bought a avet mxl and I used it this past summer and caught a lot of jacks reds and sharks with it. I know you are not going to get the casting distance from a round reel like you are with the spinning gear. It is fun to have something different on the pier to give the spinning gear hand a rest. I have a friend on the west coast that says they can chunk a sardine with the avets and penn squalls. Anybody got any ideas on a rod or rod blank i know i want to go 8ft. was looking terez 8ft M or ML.

Welcome Lee!
A 'medium' sized LY only weighs a couple of ounces, and a full grown sardine is maybe 6 ounces.
Your analogy to West Coast sardine fishing is 'spot on' as those baits are similar weight and size.
And the rod you mentioned should be in that class.
I would recommend the Medium though as the ML tip may be a bit too 'soft' but then so are the baits ;-)

So I am thinking maybe a tennis ball is going make great practice since it's around a couple of ounces with a lot of drag in the air. Next questions . Is there anyone in the area that would be willing to try and make a rod that mimics the action and weight of a j&m pier rod but in a casting models. Do you think k guides would be better than regular casting guides. I have braid backing but I am casting 15lb mono.