I know this subject has been beaten to death but how will a spiral rod put more fish in my boat vs a straight conventional guided rod? I understand the torque aspects of a sprial rod other than that can it make a difference in catching or losing a fish. I think that is what really matters. Thoughts?

Well, it'll keep your rod from fatigueing to an early death due. No torque in the critical tip section. On heavier saltwater rigs, less strain on your forearms from trying to keep a top heavy setup right side up.

I don't understand why anyone would do it differently.

"Will it put more fish in my boat?" No, just as a custom rod won't put more fish in your boat compared to a $19.95 WalMart rod. How many fish you put in the boat would seem to rely more on your skill as a fisherman.

I remember many years ago when someone asked Randall Kaufman if it was really necessary to have a $400 fly rod. They wanted to know if they could get by with "something less". Randall told them that "You can get by with a broomstick with a few guides taped on it, although there will be some drawbacks."

That's the way I like to look at tackle. Plenty of fish, and some very big ones, are caught on some very poor tackle. Thus, it is not absolutely necessary to have the best just to catch some fish. But, it sure is nice to fish with equipment that doesn't fight you or let you down. Good tackle and a well designed and built custom rod makes the entire experience more pleasant.

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Randie,
The main advantage of a properly wrapped spiral wrap, if it can be summed up in one word is 'Stability'.
Also, it CAN be an advantage if fish handling as an advantage talked about is the stability and performance used for fighting fish, reducing fatigue,etc. If these perfomance advantages tally up to something that can be easier for an angler for rod handling, then I suppose overall it could help in losing fewer hooked fish. There is just so much more to putting fish in the boat than just relying on one aspect of your equipment. Also, to a particular fishing situation or species a lot depends on blank choice to begin with that the spiral wrap will be incorporated with. Rod length, good line, hook or lure selection, proper technique in hooksetting all has just as much to do with putting more fish in the boat.
Tournament fishermen worry about losing fish, especially that one that 'matters'. Will the spiral wrap and the idea of the rod handling better than a conventional baitcaster make a difference?? I have heard them tell me it does. In that sense it puts more fish in their boat.

The spiral wrap is more convincing for all the things mentioned previously about spiral wrap, and seems new advnatages are mentioned all the time with various modifications to the technique.
If losing less fish is another advantage that convinces some, then chalk that up as another reason to build a spiral wrap rod.

Rich
Solyrich Custom Rods

Will putting a half wrap around a fishing rod have a simalar effect of putting a half wrap around a pulley when lifting a load?

No, the spiral wrap offers no mechanical advantage. If that is what you are referring to as a "half wrap". I don't thing it's quite the same as what you can do with a pulley system where you halve the load, but double the length of line that must be recoved.

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Please excuse my first semi-literate response . It was late.

I fished my spiral wrapped rods during 3 days of tuna fishing last year from San Diego. These were mostly sub 30# albacore, though a 40# YFT and BFT were also landed. That's something like 30 tuna in 3 days on an all graphite GUSA SW70MH with 25# line. Not a huge challenge, but my arms were significantly less tired than my previous experience with a conventionally wrapped Seeker Blacksteel, pulling on fewer smaller fish.

If fatigue on multiday trips is an issue, then I'd have to say that in this instance, the spiral wrap let me land more fish.

There is another advantage, when using light line on big fish, the "Turnover" wrap is easier on the line and keeps it from touching the rod blank, which tends to make for heat buildup causing weak spots in the line.