Okay, can I get some help here towards understanding sensitivity? I always thought lighter, faster rods increased sensitivity. My biggest concern (now) is maximizing the feel of my offering "ticking" along the bottom when river fishing for steelhead or walleye. Now I read longer rods decrease sensitivity? How does a faster action affect sensitivity? Confused

Harry,

All things being equal a faster action rod will have a higher resonant frequency and be more sensitive.

Try not to let things confuse you too much. Granted length, power (more powerful rods tend to require more material), and action affect sensitivity, but you should try to keep those ideas out of your mind. Length, action, and power are the parameters that get chosen based on the application. After all, an short graphite ice rod is probably not what you want for fishing for salmon and walleye in the river. To get maximize sensitivity, choose the appropriate length, power and action blank for the task. Then minimize weight added to the rod, yet keep it fully functional. The use of the smallest lightest guides that will stand up to the task, and the removal of unnecessary grip material, avoidance excessive amounts of finish and adhesive epoxies, the use of light rigid arbor materials, and proper fitting of components will take care of the optimization of sensitivity.

Joe

Hi Harry,
Sometimes I think people go overboard with sensitivity. It's a function of what Joe has mentioned. A 130lb game rod is not very sensitive but they still catch some extraordinary fish. If you get desperate for sensitivity point the rod at the bait or lure and get your finger on the line and with braid you'll feel just about everything that's happening at the other end. You can't get much more sensitive than a hand line. If your rod is catching over 50% of the bites encountered then it's doing ok at least. Don't know anything about steelhead or walleye but I'm willing to bet a light, fast action 4 foot rod is not going to provide optimum fishing for those species. If you follow Joe's advice you will maximise the sensitivity for any particular build.

ESFNEM Col
Port Kembla, NSW
Australia

Harry,
A faster actioned steelhead rod will give you a better indication of the bite visually, the slower actioned classic steelhead taper rod will be more sensitive as far as feel, all things that can be equal. It will also be much more forgiving of throwing tender bait presentations like we use here in the Pacific Northwest. When I was living in MI they were putting baits in some form of netting so that may not be as important where you are.

Harry,
I really think that the best thing to do with the subject of sensitivity is to let is rest in the rod blanks.

This is such a "sensitive" subject and is so objective, that there is really no right or wrong answer.

There are a thousand definitions of sensitivity - when it comes to the world of rod building.

And, in fact, all of the definitions are correct.

The important thing, when choosing a blank is to choose the blank that you need to fish for- and to catch the fish - that you want to target. If the rod happens to be short, long, light weight, or super heavy weight - great. If chosen carefully, it will be the best and most sensitive rod for that particular application. The blank might weigh an oz, or it might weigh a lb.

But, if the rod does what you want, when you want it to; it is the most sensitive rod for that application.

Good luck
Roger

"people go overboard with sensitivity". The Col could not have said it better. Since the degree of sensitivity is directly related to the density of the object transmitting the vibration waves. In the case of fishing, this is the line and the rod. It's interesting to note that fiberglass has a higher density than graphite, so many fiberglass rods could be more "sensitive' than graphite. (depending on design) But, It is more important to remember that monofiliment, PVC flylines, and other plastics have a density closer to that of water. This allows "vibration" to travel into the water and gradually disappear on the way to the fisherman (dampening effect). It is my humble opinion, that it is far more important to keep enough slack out of the line and use good technique, so that you can sense the fish and set the hook, rather than worry about rod sensitivity. In most fishing scenarios, the vibrations have long since diffused into the water before reaching the rod. Unless of course, you have very little line out in shallow water, or are using wire line.

That really helps. Thanks!

"Feel the bite" sensitivity is primarily stiffness-to-weight ratio. So, a heavier rod could be more sensitive than a lighter rod if it is significantly stiffer. Faster rods tend to be more sensitive, everything else being equal.