Some fishing rods are prettier than others but I rarely have seen objective proof that one rod out-performs another. Is this due to a lack of actual difference or a lack of curiosity?

Fishing rods { blanks } every person is different , no 2 people fish the same way close [ catch fish ] but not the same , every person has there own idea as to what they want , so to answer your question would be very hard as I see it , the probass fishing group want one thing get fish in fast so they could cast again to catch one more fish , me I like light gear an want to enjoy the fight , an the rest of the fishing groups want some thing in between that , so how can you compare ?? as I see it

William Sidney
AK

Beauty and performance is in the eyes and the hands of the user.

How you feel about the rod you're fishing, affects the way you fish with it. It has nothing to do with the actual performance of the rod, it's a confidence thing. Confidence plays a huge role in fishing.

Phil, go out on the water with a St Croix SCV 70MF and an old black Ugli-Stick with the clear tip, 7 foot. If you come back still thinking that no rod out-performs another, then I will be very surprised.

I used to take a teen-aged boy, novice fisherman, fishing from my boat for largemouth bass. I gave him my old Ugli Stick because I didn't want to take a chance of his breaking one of my builds. He got it tangled, so I handed him one of my rods while I untangled his. When I got it untangled I used it for a while. And never gave it back to the boy. It was that bad compared to a modern high modulus rod. And he didn't want it back. He immediately saw the difference.

No, not objective proof. But some things are so clear that numbers are not required.

Phil, what performance are you looking for? Casting distance, casting accuracy, numbers of fish caught, longevity or appearance?

Too many variables to answer your question!

Functionality. Art is for hanging on walls.

A fishing rod is a tool no different than a hammer or screwdriver. Don't see too much art being applied to those.

I'm strictly a minimalist function guy. No bling here! Art adds unnecessary weight and dampens the sensitivity.

So function over form if form is another word for art.

I'm also an extreme minimalist like Kent but if you look at rodbuilding.org's photo section it will become very very clear that most builders seem to be half and half for appearance and function.

For example pay close attention to the guide wraps in particular , a very large percentage are exceedingly long with many wraps continuing past the end of the actual foot that are longer than the entire foot length itself . That's just added weight especially with the extra epoxy needed to cover the extra length . Many are not bothered by it and like the look which is what custom rod building is about .

What does 'Outperform' mean ? Every individual will likely have a different definition of it.

I like function with a little foo foo or I'd be using factory rods. I'm replacing a bunch of old bass rods I've had for 30 years, quality rods in their time. Never really knew there was a difference until I started building custom. My old All Star rods made in USA are awesome, but heavy in today's world of fishing rods.

Chris, they got a machine and dadgum they,re going to use it..lol.

Keep in tune with the technology and enjoy the results.

Having built and fished with several hundred rods, I can state with confidence that not all blanks are created equal! While decorative wraps do not add to (or detract from) the functionality, they can make the angler more confident in the rod. I began building rods 52+ years ago and put diamond wraps on everything, including fly rods which don't normally have decorative wraps. Which rod I select from my arsenal depends on what kind of fishing I intend to do. If I am tossing light lures (up to 1/4 oz.) I want an extra fast action rod. If I am tossing bait, I want a moderate to slow action blank. If I want extra sensitivity, I want a fast action higher rated graphite blank. If I am bottom fishing in an inshore situation, I want a moderate action to keep the rod loaded, but fast enough to feel the take. I have built rods I hated, and rods I have loved, and everywhere in between! When I go fishing, and have two identicval rods that meet my needs, I will invariably take the one that is most aesthitically pleasing to me, as I am more proud of the job I did on it, and will possibly take the other as a backup.

The decorative wraps add weight, so it depends on how much weight you are willing to accept before the function is affected. I have built identical blanks in different configurations and can tell you unequivocally that components, grip & guide positions and balance can make a difference in performance. Mostly in the casting ability but also in the way the lures are used and the landing of fish. For instance; I can make an inshore 6'9" rod with cork grips and very little decoration, just a few trim bands, that will weight 2.8 oz. With a light reel like a Core or a Aldebaran, the rod is affected by the wind because it is so light. I can build an identical rod with the same components with the same configuration except with a tiger wrap on the split between the butt and the grip and the weight comes out to 3.1 oz. The balance of the rod is slightly affected with it being farther back and now the wind is not as bad. Both rods will work but there are subtle differences. Little differences can make a subtle difference and big difference can change everything. That is one of the reasons that a store bought rod does not perform like a custom made rod. I think we as builders fall into 3 categories: Total performance / Art and visual appeal / somewhere in between. I think it is way easier to do somewhere in between with an offshore rod and harder to do it with a fly rod and still keep function.

Stuffs good on pool cues and umbrella handles.

Rather than “Form or Function”, I prefer “Form Follows Function”; it is possible to fabricate something which is pleasing to the eye yet totally functional.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

I have seen this type of topic come up multiple times. I have learned quite a bit in my short time building rods and have found that a rod fits a user regardless of how it looks. The 'feel' of the rod is the most important in terms of effectively using the rod. Sometimes I like to create a very decorative rod, other times, I like to create a minimalistic rod. The blank that you chose also will also sway which way you go (decorative vs minimalistic).

Fishing rods are like shot guns. Anyone can pick one or the other up and use it for the intended purpose. Most shot gun users, by far, never get a custom fit

Stan Vogel Wrote:
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> Fishing rods are like shot guns. Anyone can pick
> one or the other up and use it for the intended
> purpose. Most shot gun users, by far, never get
> a custom fit

True. But most shotguns don't look like this:



And most hammers don't look like this... lol



And yet...



What's the fluff ball for? Does it catch more fish? Is it for cleaning fish slime off the hands? Or is it there just to look pretty while it lasts? And those pretty little golden hearts are a nice touch too. Sure to pay attention to those while fishing no doubt! My little queenie will love this rod! Maybe KVD will use one to win the classic! (If we can't laugh at the absurdity of where fishing rods has gone too...) Anything for a sale I suppose.

Hopefully everyone got a laugh out of this post... I posted it to illustrate where fishing rods have deviated from tools and crossed the line to pure art. It seems form is taking over where function left off.

The above comment pleasing to the eye is highly debatable!



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2021 11:31AM by Kent Griffith.

Kent,

That looks like the perfect rod to throw sexy shad patterns. Ha.

Aaron Petersen Wrote:
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> Kent,
>
> That looks like the perfect rod to throw sexy shad
> patterns. Ha.

Forget the sexy shad! I'm thinking whoever would use a rod like that might be more sexy than the shad! (Hope I don't get in trouble for showing the "pink" fishing rod market)





And if a biological male is the "market" I'm not showing the um gender confused image of that!

Fishing rods definitely has two sides and sometimes they combine in the middle.

I am one of those guys who will not waste one second of my life or time or effort or money towards making a fishing rod look pretty.

I will not wrap one thread wrap past a guide foot to be out there on the rod doing nothing requiring more epoxy to cover it up. Not going to happen. I will not put any form of art on any of my full custom rods. No decals. No crosshatch thread patterns. No extra epoxy slathered all over the blank to cover art up. None of that. Pure function simplicity and minimalist strictly adhered to. Pure mechanical engineering only. Rod art to me is for hanging on the wall.



But I say live and let live, and to each their own. If someone wants to turn a fishing rod into a work of art then have at it. I am not opposed to others doing it to their fishing rods. Clearly there are 2 sides to custom fishing rods...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2021 12:18PM by Kent Griffith.