There is no doubt as to which appeared first -- a fly rod or a bass rod - evidence of fly rods and their characterisics can be traced back to 200 AD -

A fly rod is designed to throw a defined line weight - the label on fly rods list a line weight for each rod.

Every casting and spinning rod blank as well as every production rod sold lists a line weight range for the particular blank or rod.

Why is the line weight information provided on bait casting and spinning rods and blanks?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2009 02:02PM by Bill Stevens.

No, a fly rod is designed to throw weight, period. Just like a casting and spinning rod. Weight comes in many forms from lines to sinkers to lures. But to the rods, it's all weight.

Line weight as in pound test or line class information on non-fly rods was once put there to ensure the fisherman would stay within safe limits. Not anything having to do with actual weight. The manufacturer would rather the line break than the rod. Later, the manufacturers put those ratings on there to supposedly help fishermen find a rod that would accommodate the size and pound test they used for specific species. It is now just a suggestion, not any actual rating or data. Just a suggestion as to what the fishermen might find works well on that rod. Pretty useless in my opinion.

I used to think the line would be good for the size of the guides to use. Now it is the knots ya have to pass though the guide rings.

Bill - willierods.com

The information provided by manufacturers to fly fishermen on labels is understood by all to be weight of the line -

From Fly Rod Magazine:

"Fly Fishing rods are long, thin, flexible fishing rods designed to cast a fly, usually consisting of a hook tied with fur, feathers, foam, or other lightweight material. Originally made of split bamboo, most modern fly rods are constructed from man-made composite materials, including fiberglass, carbon/graphite, or graphite/boron composites. Instead of a weighted lure, a fly rod uses the weight of the fly line for casting, and lightweight rods are capable of casting the very smallest and lightest fly. Typically, a monofilament segment called a "leader" is tied to the fly line on one end and the fly on the other."

Bill I am presenting this logic for a another very specific reason -

I see and can actually grasp the performance importance for correct labeling a fly rod -

I am wondering is the reason for listing the line test on a casting rod simply a me too knee jerk -

I think the presence of the line test on a bait casting or spinning rod is a latent time bomb -

The line test listed on blanks presently does have one BIG USE - an unskilled angler uses the information to get a free rod when his lack of knowledge causes a blank failure. Several manufacturers note that their rods are covered against breakage if the recommended line weight is not exceeded. This information and concept imparts an idea to the fisherman if he uses lines within the suggested range the line will break prior to blank failure. I charter and see this over and over with an angler high sticking thinking that the line will break before the blank will fail. The line is not the cause of blank failure - the fisherman's miss use does the trick quite nicely!

I think I can break any blank that is rated from 10 - 17# line by pulling straight back toward the reel on 10# line.

I have broken blanks during casting by exceeding the lure weights due to instantaneous overload of the blank. I think the lure weights are important issues and need to be on the label -

I wish the line weight did not appear - It may give all a better chance of educating customers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2009 03:51PM by Bill Stevens.

Spinning and casting rods do not contain "line weight" ratings. That's a misnomer.

What they list are pound test or line class ratings (Bill noted that). Pound Test or Line Class, and line weight are entirely different things.

I would agree that for the most part they serve little purpose.

As I have said very often, fishing rods and even rod blanks, should come with instructions. They are perhaps one of a very few products that don't.

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I have edited my text to reflect pound test instead of line weight - bad choice of words for the circumstance

I maintain that this information should not be on the label if applies in any way to blank failure qualification..

I have always used line class ratings as a starting point before actually feeling the blank. If my personaly opinion is that the blank is mis-labeled in that aspect, I note that as well as what I would use if for in the future.

I'm not sure on this one, but lure ratings are definitely needed, and I do use those, although how much I trust them is a seperate story in itself as the line class ratings seem more of a guide, than an actual true rating. This leads one to believe the same situation occurs with lure weight ratings, and I personally have no idea whether this is or is not the case.

If a blank was actually tested to make sure the line fails before the blank (such as IGFA blanks) at a single given line class, I believe it would be beneficial to the entire industry. As in this is a 20# class rod, 8# class, etc. Or as suggested above, and leave the line class out of it.

A blank rated from 8-15# line class for example has tremendous differences if using the 25% drag system. 2# (8# class) of drag the blank may handle well, and can take more, or maybe thats the optimal amount. Bump it to 2.5# (10# class), and the blank should handle it pretty well still. Now kick it up to 3.75# of drag, nearly double the amount of drag used at the lower end of the line class rating, and there is no way the same blank performs the exact same at 4# of drag as 2# of drag, and you have essentially quadroupled (not sure there, someone with more physics than me help) the load on the blank.

I don't think they're put there for that reason any more - most any rod will snap before the line, even when fairly loaded (not high sticked), to the maximum limit of the upper pound test rating.

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What a vexed issue.
Line ratings anecdotally were/are a defacto for pulling power/capability of a rod, used sensibly.
Put your own guess as to whether that is 25% or 33% of line rating ( no industry standard)
if the rod builder merely identifies a SWL it directly does the same job & doesn't need an industry standard, and doesn't relate to any line size.
But what does it really solve.
Used sensibly at an appropriate angle of attack that might be X lbs
used stupidly it might be X/5.

Just because a manufacturer puts a 400lb SWL on a shackle ( with a UTS safety factor of 3:1 ) doesn't protect the manufacturer from a stupid user loading it with 1000lb. In that case the permanent deformation of the shackle enables the manufacturer to identify the overload abuse & protect himself from claims.

Little in blank failure that can help identify stupidity by the user unfortunately.

Maybe the rod/blank manufacturer can put a carrier thread in the flag wrapping that suits the SWL the blank is intended for as a stress indicator.
carrier thread broken adjacent to the blank failure................no replacement.......... rod overloaded.
no carrier thread damage other than at the break...................claim accepted................................ He He...............

Quick, I had better patent it & get my claims mitigation service registered before I get Gazumped.

That's a pretty neat idea if it could be successfully implemented.

I'd still like to see some simple instructions on the blank or rod header card that show the proper use of the product. A few "do's and don'ts" could save the lives of many rods. The slight additional cost to write and print this on cards that already come with the blank would be miniscule. And would likely be offset by fewer blanks being needlessly broken.

Then again, many people won't read instructions to begin with.

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I have dropped line ratings from my builds. I have been listing the line diameter that can be fished through the guide setup, the lure weight range and the optimal fish fighting drag rating for the rod

the pound test seems STUPID to me on my understanding a 3lb test curve means IT TAKES 3lb TO PULL ROD TO 90 degrees


AND woopee do

the rod will land 35lb+ fish so where does 3lb come into the equasion

There is a problem with line test ratings themselves. Lines rated for "pound test" are rated so that the line breaks at or above the listed number. So a line that has a straight line breaking strength of 30 pounds can accurately be listed as "10 pound test." It's been this way for a long, long time and you'll remember seeing ads where one maker talks about how much stronger his "10 pound test" is versus a competitors "10 pound test."

I believe the European Tackle Trade Association is attempting to put some sense back into these ratings.

Line Class ratings have always made more sense, this limits the line to breaking at or below the listed number. So a 10 pound class line will break at or below 10 pounds.

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I think that the ratings on blanks are actually a bit of an "instruction sheet". Something that gives the buyer an idea of what they might be looking for. Someone with a reel full of 50# line who wants to go after big catfish needs a new rod so he runs to the nearest sporting goods section and starts looking at the selections. Picking up an ultralight rod isn't going to be a good idea. So the ratings can give some sort of general guidance to folks who don't like to ask for help. Just a theory.

How many of us as kids have tied a length of unknown line to a tree branch to get some water time? You can catch a lot of fish on just about anything. Doesn't mean it's the best combination of tools.

Right, but I was thinking more along the lines of how to actually use the blank or rod - how to prevent breakage, etc. It's amazing how few fishermen understand how to generate maximum force with a rod without putting it in danger of breaking, or what to do if you need to free a snag, etc.

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