A "yank, jerk or pull" is, in fact, what we feel when we detect a fish bite. The whole idea of something touching our lure or bait and creating a frequency vibration isn't really the norm. It's not what happens 99% of the time when we feel a fish "hit" or "bite." It's the sudden stop or pull against the rod rather than any sort of vibration.


............

I finally figured out what the "quick sharp thud" is when a speckled trout or bass inhales a jig on plastic Carolina Rigged bait when tight line fishing. I watched the bass on camera and when they "flare gills and inhale" the thing you feel is the jig hitting the internal plate in the fishes mouth at high speed. I really do not know about "sensitive touchy feeley" fish bites that require sonic resonate chambers to detect a gentle bite.

Tom,
I think that you are right about what we feel, at least initially, when a fish bites the vast majority of the time is a yank or jerk or a pull, however if the tip of the rod is not inhibited by a continuous pull or otherwise dampened the rod will try to convert this impulse to a frequency. If you pull down on the tip of a rod and release it the rod will oscillate at the rods resonant frequency. In other words if not inhibited the rod will convert much of the energy in this impulse to a frequency which we will then feel.
We are all interested in the rods sensitivity but I think that very often what we actually feel is coming up the line and the sensitivity of the rod is not really the main determining factor. I think that this is particularly true if a braided line is being used as opposed to monofiliment. And again it gets back to the mass density and the elasticity of the line being used. Monofiliment is basically a plastic and has very low elasticity.
You and I have talked about this before about how complicated the whole issue of sensitivity can get. How much of the energy from the fishes bite gets to our hand by way of the line or the rod is also affected by the angle that we hold the rod. If the rod is held at a low angle, straight down the line, then most of the energy will be coupled through the line to our hand. But if we hold the rod at a high angle, the tip up in the air, so that the line is touching all or most of the guides then much of the energy will be coupled from the line to the rod through the guides and will get to our hand mainly through the rod and then the rods sensitivity is obviously a major factor.
As you know, I have spent some time working on the calculations in an attempt to determine just how much affect each of the variables will have but I am still not completely satisfied with where I am with this. It really is a messy subject.

CHOMP!----YANK!----PULL LIKE H___!--------------second, third and fourth best feelings in the world ! ! ! !

Betcha when that is going on no one is thinking about resonance, harmonics, vibration/sound dynamics, or even Mom's apple pie,

You got it, Royce!!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

C. Royce, Mike,
I would agree with you that this is probably the last thing on your mind when a fish bites but I think that it might well be worth while thinking about a little when building your next rod.

Emory,
I agree!!! It's a very enlightening thread and actually makes sense to me even though I may not understand the technical aspects. Thanks!!!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Yes! Very interesting discussion.
To make a long story short, even a layman like myself can understand that when
using light presentations where sensitivity is a factor, the lightest gear will produce
the best results. Less mass or weight in the rod, reel, line ect. are the biggest factors.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Emory, I agree. As a matter of fact, after you made me aware that folks were making claims that those holes were enhancing the feel, in my second post I was in agreement. Maybe I was not clear in how I worded it. Having said that, would I make an absolutely positive rejection of their claims? Probably not, because I can remember back in the 60's and 70's when I was involved (boy, I'm dating myself now) we thought that we had to develop exotic fuels to progress further into space flight with heavier vehicles, and most were inherently extremely hazadous. Now, through better engineering and technology, we are launching shuttles with conventional fuels. By the way, if one wants vibration and sound, when they light that candle, your plate will fill in a hurry. Because of things like this, I would hesitate to say "impossible".

I agree that these things should be considered when building a rod, and I suspect that most of us do, within the parameters that we have to work in. We can only be as innovative as the available components allow.

Could the blank manufacturers do more research and development in those areas? Sure, and beyond. Could we afford to buy a blank if they did? I, for one, probably could not.

Do we really want this to go that high tech? My answer would be, no. The reason I say that is that I know of no other venue that displays the information sharing and camaraderie as this forum. I, for one, would rather be relegated to having to build rods with the lowest tech blanks ever, than to see one newcomer turn away for fear of not being able to coexist.

A comment on who would purchase a high tech. fishing rod. I believe at first sales would be slow but as rods ability to cast and fight a fish prove to be the best on the market sales will increase. Look at the cost of a reel in to days market. Also look at the cost of a car today. I am just talking about a ever day car not a high bred either. Gone are the days of the $2,900 VW Just My 2 cents
Good Wraps Bob

Bob, I'm sure that you're one hundred percent correct. Too bad those VW's aren't around anymore. Just like anything else, the market would eventually be there,whether happily or reluctant.

Retired old f+@%s, like me may have to buy old ones at flea markets and rebuild them. LOL

























lol