I'm looking at building a couple rods for kayak fishing, and I'm not crazy about using a rod leash, but I'm also worried about capsizing and losing my equipment. Has anyone ever thought about filling a blank with some sort of pliable foam or other material for flotation? I'm pretty sure it would affect the action of the rod, so it may not be a good idea, but you could probably get away with putting some foam in the butt section. I wonder if it would make any difference though. Anyone tried this?

Just use one of those Helium blanks it should just float on it's own.

Sorry Terry couldn't help myself, LOL.

I'm not real sure how you would fill the blank and I would suspect that if you did get it filled it would have some adverse effect on the blank.
Also how much foam would it really take to make the rod float with the reel on and line ect, ect.

If you build the rod right it should already be pretty close to water tight. A hollow tipped blank can be sealed up using Rod Bond, the butt cap should seal the other end. Floatation is simply the rod displacing more area than the weight of the water it displaces. What it's built out of doesn't matter.

As Spencer mentioned, if the rod is water tight it will float on its own. The problem creeps in when it has to also float a reel - which few rods can do.

Some years back, there was a company that marketed a little attachment that was bound to the rod blank just ahead of the handle. If submersed, in about 5 minutes the bond would break and the contraption would release a little float attached to a long cord. At that point you went over, grabbed the float and hauled up your rod. I thought it was a good idea but ever actually saw one up close nor do I have any idea what happens in the rain. Still, it may be an idea you could tinker with.

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I think you'd have to have something light weight on the rod about the size of a 16 oz or larger soda bottle to float a reel and rod on most kayak rods, at least in my mind's eye, without messing around with it.

Okuma is building their "floating" kayak rods by using a VERY long EVA grip ... it runs just short of the butt guide.

I Fondled the Okuma Kayak rod and the forgrip was VERY long, affecting the balance of the rod too much for me. The thing I do like about it is the rear split grip. The butmost part of the grip is as long as a rod holder is deep, and the split holds a hook keeper. I am including this feature on a rod I am working on now. I have been wondering if composite/foam handles have enough float to float a reel. I will know soon as I am almost finished with my 1st composite gripped rod. Remember whatever you do, it needs to fit your rod holders.

They would float more weight than an EVA grip would because they're lighter. Much lighter. In fact, that's the same type foam used for flotation in kayaks, although most manufacturers use the 2lb type since it's only there for flotation and not strength.

Otherwise, your only task is to displace enough water to float your rod and reel. But this might require abnormally large or long grips. Something to try I guess.

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check these out
[www.basspro.com]

If i were going to use them, I'd build my own and put them in the split area or on the reargrip

Tom, if you know the name or whereabouts of that device you mentioned earlier I'd appreciate hearing from you. That would seem to offer the best chance of rod retrieval without being cumbersome like a large grip or float. Thanks.

I've seen them various places and often thought about buying a couple, but just never did. I wish I had.

They may still be available but I can't remember the name of the product, thus a search is hard to do. They weren't very large - about the size of a cigarette lighter. If the company is still in business they should definitely attempt to capitalize on the kayak fishing market.

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Road test this link
[www.freepatentsonline.com]

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2008 06:03AM by Fred Yarmolowicz.

Ok Fred - I give up what are we to see there???

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

Floating line on the reel also could improve buoyancy of combo.

Sorry Hank. Try the link again.

Freddwhy (Rapt-Ryte)

a high end st croix or loomis rod with a sub 7oz reel will float on its own. I dropped a $600 rig in the dark in the middle of the lake and just picked it up out of the water after thinking that it was lost forever when i first heard the splash.