Is there any specific bass fishing technique where a spiral wrapped rod would be a bad idea? Not so much for fighting the fish but for presenting the technique? I have heard that for some uses you do not want a spiral wrapped rod due to tip wrapping or something. Thx.

Basically a spiral wrap as a spinning guide layout on a casting rod.
It's hard for my to think of a reason that this would be a problem.

I would ask, how is the tip going to wrap? What will make the tip wrap with a downward facing guide that an upward facing guide would prevent?

I would ask these questions because I am not a bass fisherman and honestly do not know of the fishing techniques involved.

Been using spiral wrap since 1998 and have no issues with it using any technique. I do have an occasional issue with a "professional over run" but that has nothing to do with the rod!

IMO there is not a technique or situation where a spiral wrap is a bad Idea.

If some one requests a conventional (all on top guide train for a bait caster).
I give the option to change their mind or I send them to another builder.

The only technique I could think of would be if your throwing hard jerkbaits from the deck of a bass/jet boat. Much of the time your rod is pointed straight down at the water while jerking/twitching. Seems it might be better to have guides on the top of the rod. I don't have much personal experience w/ this type of fishing. But, it's the only one I can think of where the spiral may not be at its best.

I fish Jerk-baits with a spiral wrap no-problem.
The key with jerk-baits, in my opinion, is a short handle and a slightly softer rod, not where the guides are.
Garry2rs

I use a spiral wrap for everything.

I too fish jerkbaits with a spiral wrap. The guides being on the wrong side of the rod for working baits is a non-point as far as I'm concerned. The spiral wrap is for catching the fish, not working your lure. The minuscule forces put on the rod by your bait are nothing compared to the fish.


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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Todd Theodore Wrote:
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> The only technique I could think of would be if
> your throwing hard jerkbaits from the deck of a
> bass/jet boat. Much of the time your rod is
> pointed straight down at the water while
> jerking/twitching. Seems it might be better to
> have guides on the top of the rod. I don't have
> much personal experience w/ this type of fishing.
> But, it's the only one I can think of where the
> spiral may not be at its best.


Many work a jerkbait with a spinning rod where the guides are located on the bottom of the blank and this has never caused any problems. A baitcasting with a spiral doesn't cause any problems when fishing a jerkbait or even a deep crank.

I have used a spiral rod years ago. The only thing I disliked was the guides laying on the deck of my boat with the reel pointed up. I thought the guides took some abuse they would not normally take if they were tied on top of the blank. As far as actually fishing, I thought they were fine. I currently do not use them. I've spent about 38 years on the front of a boat.

I have a potential customer wary about the spiral wrap for the same reason Mark just mentioned.

Thanks,
Chad Huderle

Huderle Custom Rods
Prior Lake, MN

For bass fishermen to be so particular over every aspect of their sport...I can't figure out why they feel they must step on their rods laying on the deck? Maybe fishing with cane poles would be better for them?



LoL

Hi Mark C,

I have built and used spiral wraps for finesse plastics, crankbaits, swimbaits and jigs in deep water. I cant say in any of these applications has the spiral wrap felt out of place. The only application that I have suggested to an angler to go "guides up" is deep running cranks where the angler and I talked about how he holds his rod during the retrieve. With the rod pointed down and straight at the crank this will cause the rod to flex up some and a guides up position just looked better. But, once he hooked up this became moot.

As others have stated its tough to go wrong with spiral wraps. I can't see any rods I build for myself being anything but. Never had an issue with tip wrapping. This past weekend I used a spiral wrapped MHX-SWB956 in a 2 day tourney plus practice day. Cast after cast after cast. 3 days straight. Didnt tip wrap once. Dunno.

Mark Marshall Wrote:
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> I have used a spiral rod years ago. The only
> thing I disliked was the guides laying on the deck
> of my boat with the reel pointed up. I thought
> the guides took some abuse they would not normally
> take if they were tied on top of the blank. As
> far as actually fishing, I thought they were fine.
> I currently do not use them. I've spent about 38
> years on the front of a boat.


I made a wise crack above about stepping on rods...tongue in cheek, but somewhat true.

The other thing is that a rod laying on the deck with the reel up will not sit at 90 degrees. It inherently will fall over to the side...which puts the guides off center not straight down.

I wonder if the "fear" is just that, a fear......or if fishermen have actually been stepping on their spiral rods and busting more guides than they would on conventionally wrapped rods?

I am doing my first spiral wrap and I have a quick question for you guys. If I reel with my right hand and cast over my right shoulder, should my guides roll to the right or to the left? Thanks in advance!

Jay, i wrap for a few tourney bass folk and i repair some of their rods on weekly basis in season.
Two have a pool of rods i am repairing while they are out there breaking others.
Its their paycheck you are talking about, a stood on rod does not worry them in the least if there is the slightest chance that extra cast will get them one more cull and one place higher in the payout list.
Its not what i personally call fun fishing but its their job. Other bass fishermen see them and emulate their habits.
Got to admit its good for business if you do repairs so i say nothing.

So if they aren't worried about breaking their conventional rods I don't get the fear of breaking a spiral rod. LoL

Jay, i explained their 'motives', never said it made sense:)
Its like black Friday to a shopaholic the few times i went out on the back of a boat.
Not my idea of fun fishing at all.
But then i sit in a cube farm churning out computer code for the last 40 years to get the bucks to go fishing and they get paid to go fish so who am I to judge?

I have a theory that stepping on a bass rod with a 6 to 12 mm set of quides actually protects the blank from big footed fishermen especially if you have 2 fishermen on the front of the boat. Now with micros I will see more crushed blanks. (I do like the micros for most rods).

Now let's see what remarks this comment brings on.

Jay, in my part of the world, fishermen don't know what a spiral rod is. I've had one customer ask if knew what the rod was that the guides were all around the blank. I said "yes".

Ya'll please feel to have fun at my expense.