Mark Blabaun asked me why I built all my spin rods with down locking reel seat. This prompted me to post this question. This is the preference of most of my customers. The reason is simply that this allows your hand to grip the butt handle while casting similar to holding a baitcast rod. Most feel that this is a more comfortable position. Technically, I really do not know of the pro and cons of the two systems. Maybe the gurus can help...

Anthony Lee

On my personal rods, I like to mount the seat in an uplocking fashion with no foregrip, as it allows me to place a finger or 2 around the blank. Just the way I like to hold a spinning rod and not really technically right or wrong. I fish with others who for their own reasons prefer that the seat be down locking.

I personally do all mine up locking, that way I don't have to have my hand/fingers on the locking nut or the threaded portion of the rod. I just think is is more comfortable over the course of a days fishing.

I like to go downlocking so I don't loosen the nut while casting.
Uplocking put's the palm of your hand right on it!

Mine are all uplocking. I put the reel stem between my ring finger and middle finger.

You can use either; it really doesn't matter, and I've done both, depending on the configuration of the rod. If you know how far you want the reel to be from the butt end, setting it up one way or another is really a piece of cake. To be honest, I generally prefer uplocking, but this is one of those things like whether you crank a fly reel with your left or right hand -- there's really no right answer. Just use whatever feels best and works best for the rod you're building.

I am curious to know if it is up locking, what is the butt handle and all the wonderful flawless cork for?

Anthony Lee

I have mounted spinning reel seats both ways. Reel position distance from the butt end of the rod may also be taken into account when balance is a consideration.

Rog

I've started using NPS seats "reversed" (down locking) as Tom K demonstrated in his Smallie rod article. I cut the threads to size for the reel, short rear grip that continues the flow of the seat (kind of like the back half of a full wells grip) and no foregrip. I like it personally and so have customers. My palm fits on the smooth part of the seat and little on the rear grip and my finger can touch the blank. Comfortable and enhances I think "feeling" the sensitivity, or at least the perception of better feel. And I've found any perception that leads to better concentration and more confidence is a nice reality.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2006 10:25AM by Steve Rushing.

I cut the threads down to fit a specific reel foot. I like to orient the reel seat in a down locking orientation ( threads on the foregrip side) to move the reel back and give more length to the business end of ther blank used to cast and fight the fish. Cork on a spinning outfit is mostly for show as you grip the rod over the reel seat. So in a down locking situation you are on the threads and that is not as comfortable in an uplocking arrangment where you hand is on a portion of the fore grip.

To maintain access to the blank a well positioned and ergonomically placed slot can be inletted into the foregrip so your finger can come in contact with the blank, which in conjunction with the cork's increased dia. makes the overall feel of where you grip the spinning outfit more comfortable. Balance is an issue and most spinning reel balance point are just inches ahead of reel seat so an up locking seat inches you toward that end, but added weight to the very butt end of the blank or a minor butt extention, can negate the balance issue leaving only the aspect of comfort to consider

Like Steve, I've started using those NPS seats (downlocking), and they're incredibly comfortable. I won't build a spinning rod with any other seat now. And realistically, you only need a couple rings of cork on the butt side, and nothing on the front side.

I've been building my spinning rods with downlocking seats for quite awhile now. I know there are advantages to uplocking configurations, but I ALWAYS loosen the nut with my palm. I must be especially gifted in this way. So, while I can't notice any huge differences in performance or comfort, I go with downlocking because I don't have to re-tighten the nut every four casts.

I see there are many views on the usefulness of the uplocking vs downlocking. I have always used uplocking in my own rods but posed the question to Anthony as I like to learn new things, and this set up is popular in his area. Most production rods I see are uplocking, however we all know that things change and I like to try and keep up with new trends and maybe find a new twist that I can use to promote my rods over a production rod. Thank You Anthony for posting the question. Mark B.

I prefer uplocking with NPS seats, but build both ways, depending on my mood. Neither way is wrong, I trim the threads to fit reel and rarely use a forgrip bigger than 1/2" trim

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!!

Its up to the users comfort on a custom rod...a factory rod? there's no choice or option.

"Tomaaato............Tomahhto, Potaaaato....Potahhhto", as long as it holds a reel and is epoxied to the blank.

Mikel

NERB that types with a bar of Ivory soap in his mouth.

Some senior fishermen and people who use braid are using the Breakaway Cannon as a casting aid. An up locking reel seat would be preferred for use with the Cannon.

Don

I almost always go downlocking. On my small stuff these days I'm doing mostly no foregrip and trimming the threads. I do the same as the other with the NPS...downlocking, trim threads, and use about two rings of cork on the butt end of the seat. Very nice & comfortable setup.

Jay