This is actually part of another thread that has gotten old.

Regarding using a longer pole for getting longer distances.
I'm going to build a rod that will let me throw .25 to 1oz lures and bait using a spinning reel and, because of the vegitation, 8 to 12 pound line. I'm lake fishing for trout in the 4+ pound range, at least that is what I'm hoping for.

Mo's idea about using a fly rod blank has perked up my ears and raised a lot of questions at the same time.

I thought I would be limited by length (transportation to and from lakes is a small Simply Useless Vehicle) until mention of 3 and 4 piece rods.

With distance as the primary goal I'm trying to pick everybody's brain to come up with a combonation that will achieve what I'm trying to accomplish which is a long rod that will fit in my car and still have the ability to reach the targeted areas I can't get to with my current set up which when I did some test casts with a 1/4 oz casting was stepped off at 60 paces which seems to be about half the distance needed to get to the areas I want to try.

It's a real bummer driving 2 hours only to get to a spot that is producing for other people that I can't reach


darby

I have no idea why 2lb test would dictate a 3-weight fly rod. Mono and fly line sizes do not correlate in any way.

Your span of lure weight, 1/4 to 1 ounce is pretty broad. I think you'd want to stick with a pretty fast action rod in order to get a little more range from high to low regarding lure weight.

Break protection of your line will come from your reel's drag setting and smoothness.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2007 10:00AM by Tom Kirkman.

I just started a project that sounds similar. I got a 4 piece, 11' blank from Mark Crouse. It's a Harrison Avon. Mark told me this blank has been getting 200 plus yard casts with a 1 oz weight. Check out his site on the left 'The Rod Shop'

Darby,
120-150 ft for a 1/4 oz weight is a pretty good distance, not knowing what reel/rod you're using. If it's a spinning reel the further you cast, the harder it is to get distance because the line causes more friction on the spool lip as the amount of line on the reel decreases. Bigger diameter spool reels and smaller diameter/limp line is the only way to decrease this problem that you have to overcome before you ever worry about the rod. The distances and weights you are looking at would send me to Mark Crouse at The Rod Shop to see what he has in a multi-piece blank.

I just built a 10 foot 8 wt Rainshadow into a spinning rod and it will throw a 2/5 ounce spoon about 80 yards. It has tons of back bone for fighting big fish and is an all around great stick. I built it for fishing mainly for trout but have caught tons of pike in the 5-10# range so far. In September it will be put to use in the Kenai for rainbows, dollies and silvers.
There is a "loose" rule of thumb stating that line # = rod weight. i.e. 4 wt = 4# test, 8 wt = 8# test etc.
I would say that a 10 wt would be in the middle of your 8 to 12# rating and would work better.
In the Rainshadow line an RX 8 blank would probably cast the best as it has a faster action. Mine is an RX 7 and works very well.

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2007 06:27PM by Dave Orr.

Quick note Darby. If you are casting hard, then with 1 oz, my guess is that you will need pretty heavy lines. With 4lb test, I routinely snap off 1/4 lures when casting hard. So, I can't cast as hard with 4lb as I'd like. Can't imagine what 1 oz lure will require if one is really laying it all into the cast. Of course, it may be that I have very poor technique.

Mo

correction to distance. it should have read 20 paces or about 60 feet