I am building my first 11'6" float rod. I have read that finding the spine is very, very important.
I have talked to a few local builders and they say on a float rod of that length, finding the spine is not that important.I want to build this stick the proper way and learn the proper way.Any help is always appreciated and wanted.

I don't think finding the spine is very, very important, but I always take the few minutes required to do it. If I am going to go to the effort of building a rod why not make it the best that I can.

I think you will get many opinions on this.

rhr

Personally, I don't think that the spine is important at all. I think that it is one of those things that has been handed down over the years (like all fly rods have to use snakes) and taken as a "must do""
Some builders find the spine, others don't. I don't think it makes a difference, but that's an opinion so use your own judgement!!

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!!

Finding the spine won’t hurt and if someone asks you if you built it on the spline. You can tell them yes and avoid a lot of questions. I usually build on the spline unless the curve of the rod dictates otherwise. If it has a bad curve I will build it with ends up and belly down. The weight of attachments (guides, thread, and epoxy) will tend to straighten out the curve. A lot of times the spline is on the curve, but not always. I was in the process of deciding between a bad curve and the spline when I decided to take a break and look at the forum.
I personally prefer to build on the spline, but many others on the board think it is a mute point.

The spine isn't very important. It has little to no effect on anything you'll do with a fishing rod. You can read about several methods for locating it and what you may want to do with it here on our FAQs page.

Do a search on "rod spine" and you'll turn up lots of other information and opinions as well.

...........

I usually spine the blanks, out of past indoctrination, but usually just end up ignoring the spine and building on the straightest axis, with the "belly" down (unless the blank is perfectly straight, which most aren't).

Stan

Well it's you rod so spine if you like,I personally do myself,is it important ? I'm not totally sure. It sounds to me you need to look for the spine in the lower half of the rod rather than the tip,if it's a two pc rod then spine the butt first and then the tip or you could have the tip spined 180% opposite.

Regards Charlie




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2006 02:09AM by Charles Clayton.