How long would you recommend I make the rear cork grips on a casting or a jigging rod built to use a conventional reel (casting)?

I recently decided on 10 5/8" for casting rods even though I was convinced I wanted 12 5/8", but then a very experienced bass fisherman at the local tackle store here in town (Tochterman's) educated me on the fact that when you are switching the rod from casting hand to the retrieving hand, you are moving the rod across your front and if the rear handle is long, you will have to push the rod out away from you then bring it back in.

This would add up to a lot of extra motion if I am casting repeatedly. 10 5/8" is long enough to leverage under my right forearm and hold slightly under my left arm when retrieving and it comes just short of my bicep in that position. (The 5/8" is not by design, that's what it comes out to when you glue up 21 1/2" rings. I want them all uniform size)

Should I consider anything else for a jigging rod? I am not hauling Amberjack off wrecks, so I don't think I need it so long to tuck under my armpit, but any advice or suggestions you can give me are appreciated.

Thanks,

Tony

Tony,
You can consider any length from 4 inches to 18 inches. Your choice.

Sometimes a length decision is based on factors of which you speak.

Other times the length decision is based on how well the rod will balance with a given handle length. This is the main reason that short rods have short handles and long rods have long handles.

But, it all really comes down to the particular rod, how it is used and how the rod will be fished.

There are lots of rods where casting is really not part of the life of a given rod.

Other rods, never see a life - other than being cast.

Remember, there are a lot of rods, where the fisherman really wants a rod that is long enough to bury and give them extra leverage when fighting a fish. This is very common for the rods that are always fished with two hands.

Also, remember, that there are a lot of fishermen that prefer to use both hands when casting. If you have not tried casting with both hands, you will find that you will likely gain 30% in your casting distance by using both hand, rather than just one hand.

Common sense, cut and try, and experience generally give one the best decision on a particular rod build.

Be safe

If you are right handed and cast with your right hand and arm, would using a left handed reel stil require switching the rod across your body?

Don

Don Becker

Don,
No.

Thanks, Don and Roger. I am switching hands as all my reels are right handed and I cast with right and reel with my right. I think I will make the handles on my dedicated vertical jigging rods a little longer than the handles on my dedicated casting rods where, if it weren't for switching back and forth, I would have made them a lot longer.

Cheers.

Thanks, Don and Roger. I am switching hands as all my reels are right handed and I cast with right and reel with my right. I think I will make the handles on my dedicated vertical jigging rods a little longer than the handles on my dedicated casting rods where, if it weren't for switching back and forth, I would have made them a lot longer.

Cheers.

Thanks, Don and Roger. I am switching hands as all my reels are right handed and I cast with right and reel with my right. I think I will make the handles on my dedicated vertical jigging rods a little longer than the handles on my dedicated casting rods where, if it weren't for switching back and forth, I would have made them a lot longer.

Cheers.

Thanks, Don and Roger. I am switching hands as all my reels are right handed and I cast with right and reel with my right. I think I will make the handles on my dedicated vertical jigging rods a little longer than the handles on my dedicated casting rods where, if it weren't for switching back and forth, I would have made them a lot longer.

Cheers.

I really like split grips for bait casting rods, easy, secure, and comfortable to use two hands casting, no problems with retrieving. An issue not yet covered here is the shape of the grip right behind the seat. Ergonomics is more important on casting than spinning rods in my opinion. The diameter should be so large that you cannot close your hand on the grip, meaning that your little finger should be able to touch your palm as you grip the grip (no pun intended). Then it should taper fairly rapidly to the rear which traps the grip between the trigger and the taper. Look at St Croix split grip casting rods. That shape is no accident.

The traditional ergonomics guidelines will recommend a diameter that simply doesn't work on casting rods (at least for my hand size - 9 inches from tip of thumb to tip of little finger), but is comfortable and secure on spinning rods.

Michael,
If you haven't tried this grip shape on a split grip, you might give it a try.

Start with the grip the same size as the reel seat or a bit larger, but rather than decrease the taper, increase the taper to provide a larger diameter at the rear of the grip than the front of the grip.

I find that with a grip like that; the increasing large size of the grip - tends to really lock your grip nicely into the casting or spinning reel.

Your choice.

Be safe

Makes sense, Roger. For my hand size the diameter of the size 16 reel seat is as big as I want to go (at the rear of the seat) An increasing diameter from their should do just what you say. Do you keep it straight for a ways, then taper up, or start the taper right away? But this time, I'll try it before glueing it up. Been stung before. :-)

Michael,
I make the rear split grip long enough to allow my hand to remain fully on the grip with no overhang. Then, basically the front 3/4s of the grip is a relatively constant size reel seat with a flare at the end to help keep your hand from slipping.

Be safe

roger wilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Michael,
> I make the rear split grip long enough to allow my
> hand to remain fully on the grip with no overhang.
> Then, basically the front 3/4s of the grip is a
> relatively constant size reel seat with a flare at
> the end to help keep your hand from slipping.
>
> Be safe


Maybe you could share a photo of what you speak?

A picture is worth a 1000 words.

Chester