I am curious to know if you Bass guys or others who use baitcasting type reels see a downside to sprial wraps. I can find nothing negative other than appearance to some and only positive things about spiral wrapped rods. Are there any instances where the spiral wrapped rods will not perform as good or better than a conventional wrapped rod? I have switched all my baitcasting rods over to spiral wraps based on the science of the spiral wrap rods. Since I use them mostley for trolling and once in a while for casting, I can't decide if I have really gained anything other than they do seem to be less tireing to the wrist and arms when trolling. About the only comments I get on them are that some who have never seen one before ask if I had been drinking when I wrapped them!

I myself built a spiral on a heavy power fast action rod, for Pitchin and flippin, and thats the only reason I would think to do that, other then them guys who do a lot of heavy duty fishing, but that is just the way I think about it, I really haven't caught anything big on it, but it does cast as well as my other rods that I have built the guides on top. I am thinking of building one on a Med Heavy fast action rod, but still am trying to decide. have a good one.

Love the spiral wrap for all bass rods. I build spiral for stability.

Only con I can see is getting them in and out of rod lockers: more difficult/takes more care.

DR

So can someone tell me what a spiral wrapped rod is... Sorry im a rookie LOL

This should help []

Also try the search function in the red bar for plenty of info on them

Bill - willierods.com

Terry, for trolling, I could not think of anyting better than having the rod spiral wrapped. Did one for a friend one time where he used a rod with long leadcore lines and he never had the problem with the reel flipping under the rod any more.

Casey, sprial wrap is for casting syle rods, where the guides start out on the same side of the reel and then transition to the bottom of the rod for most of its length. A conventional wrapped rod when under load, the od will want to spin because of the forces applied with the guides on top. With the guides on the bottom the rod will not spin on you at all.

I really like spirals for bass fishing. There really isn't much difference performance wise. The technique the rod is used for can influence whether you want guides on top, or on the bottom. For tip up techniques, the line spends most of its time in the bottom of the ring, why not just put the guides on the bottom? For tip down techniques, the line spends most of its time in the top of the ring, if you point the rod at the lure, so a conventional build may be in order. In the end, it really boils down to personal preference on bass rods, as we aren't in a prolonged fight with the fish, and rarely lift straight up on the fish. So, the fish fighting aspects are not the top priority. Instead, for bass fishing, the goal is to make a rod that is comfortable to fish with, catching is secondary. At least that is how I approach things.

Casey,

A spiral wrap takes the line from the top of the rod to the bottom of the rod. There are many different guide placement methods to do this, and each has its pros and cons. Do a search, including all dates for spiral on the forum, and you will be reading for quite a while.

Joe

Terry,
Yes, in the eyes of some fishermen, there is a downside to spiral wraps.

Many folks who use a rod for tip down fishing - i.e. jerk baiting, as well as Musky fishermen who use the rods for figure 8s at the boat, with the tip down typically prefer a conventionally wrapped casting rods.

I have built several casting rods using spiral wrapped guides that came back to be rewrapped in a conventional manner.

I have also - for the same fishermen, rebuilt some conventional wrapped casting rods, to be rebuilt into a spiral wrapped configuration, when these rods are used in the classic tip up configuration.

So, rods, as any good tools can be very specialized and the right tool for the job at hand does the job the best.

Safe wraps.

Roger

I find a spiral wrap with a baitcaster much easier to reel in Salmon/Steelhead over a spinning or fly reel. And with a baitcaster, I can land the offering more precisely where I want.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2011 05:22PM by Tim Collins.

Roger,

I do my share of both jerkbait fishing and musky fishing. Nothing but spiral wrapped for me. I'm curious what the angers reasons were for not liking the spiral in both cases?

Sorry for the quick hijack....

DR