It's a poor workman (and fly-caster) who blames his tools.The fly-casting stroke is more important than the rod. Most of us at some point blamed the rod for our casting deficiencies, and tried to use strength (rather than timing and line speed) to fly cast. Others try to buy fly-casting proficiency, to the delight of retailers. Small-water/short-cast fly anglers think the rest of us are nuts!
Forum: rodboard

Yup. First the caster, then the line, and then the rod - in order of importance
Forum: rodboard

It depends on whether you cast the line or cast the rod.
Forum: rodboard

I only threw in the accuracy to placate rod makers and advertisers, and contributors to this site who speak of accuracy and rods in the same breath. You know they exist, and in significant numbers. Distance remains a legitimate consideration in rating rods. Yeah, there are other factors that influence casting distance, but the rod still plays a major role. I believe serious anglers and serious r
Forum: rodboard

Mark: It appears rod builders (unlike golfers) are chiefly interested in looks, not performance. That would seem to be the distinction between a sport and a passtime?
Forum: rodboard

Mark: Your information, featuring real measurements, were a breath of fresh air. Tom: If measured casting distance and accuracy of blanks and builds are not with mentioning what IS?
Forum: rodboard

Tom: One of the best services this site could deliver is to reveal the Actual Performance of rods and blanks in feet and inches. Instead, we get blanks/rods panned (or praised) with faint words: adjectives (not numbers). I'm certain rod builders would rather have solid information in FEET and INCHES about the performance of rod blanks and rod components rather than have to buy each rod blank and
Forum: rodboard

Garcia-Mitchell 300 spinning reels were available in the U.S.A. in the late 1950's. They were a huge improvement over previous spinning reels. The development of supple nylon monofilament line lagged considerably behind. We tend to forget that the utility of a rod, or a reel, or a line is always dependent upon the other two pieces equipment necessary to angling.
Forum: rodboard

When I walk a mile (or even a hundred yards) off-road with my fly rod I carry it broken down into four pieces. Even though my rod is much less "balanced" than it is while assembled It makes the trip much easier.
Forum: rodboard

No amount of speculation or faith will replace actually measuring the performance of a rod/reel/line combination. Reports of improved performance without measured proof are cause for doubt.
Forum: rodboard

When you spin-cast you release the line from your finger BEFORE your rod begins to straighten out. Check and see. Just try waiting for your rod to straighten out and pour all its stored energy into your cast BEFORE you release the line from your finger. Just remember, your rod can only pull a line. Your rod can't push your line. If you have evidence to the contrary let's see it!
Forum: rodboard

Whose "MFG specs" do you refer to? The maker of the rod, or the guides, or the reel, or the line, or some combination of these four elements? I suspect each of these elements plays an important part in a scientific examination of casting distances, including of course whether the line and guides were wet or dry?
Forum: rodboard

Without resorting to a tape measure I would have to guess which rod/reel/line combination casts the longest - except for casting a fly line. Do most spin-casters get out a tape measure and actually measure the lengths of their casts or do they just estimate cast distances? Are the "increased casting distances" being discussed here a matter of feet, yards, tens of yards, or estimates?
Forum: rodboard

Does "How much a rod loads" mean how much it bends during the cast? During a cast the line is released when the rod reaches its maximum bend backward. The rod can only pull the line and the frog. You can't push a rope - or fishline.
Forum: rodboard

I am convinced that "mocking up" guide trains with guides and reel reel taped to the blank and test-casting various configurations will yield more credible results than claims made in rod blank or rod component advertisements - "DIY"!!
Forum: rodboard

I am also a firm believer in test driving a car - or a rod - before buying it. If you are going to plunk down several hundred dollars+ for a rod or a rod blank it makes good sense to cast such a rod first. Of course this assumes your primary purpose for this rod build is fishing rather than displaying the rod. A friend, a fishing-club member, or a reputable tackle store would allow you a test cas
Forum: rodboard

If "display" is the main priority of a rod build, as it often is, then cork is the only choice.
Forum: rodboard

Perhaps if the rod tube were filled with helium . . .
Forum: rodboard

It would require some high-tech, big money weighing equipment to establish the amount of weight your 8/0 thread and Permagloss will save on your finished rod. Even more difficult will be the task of how much your 8/0 - permagloss will actually out-perform a rod built with the same components but with 3/0 thread and epoxy finish. This measurement may well be difficult to the point of impossibility
Forum: rodboard

You can use heavy guides on a graphite rod to mimic the action and weight of a glass rod. A whole lot of record fish were caught on such rods.
Forum: rodboard

As far as casting is concerned the choice of fly line is more important than the choice of flies - streamers, bugs, nymphs, or otherwise. The combined weight of the flies you are heaving plus the line weight is the bottom line if you simply wave your rod. If you have a good double-haul you don't even need a rod for the majority of casts. "It's a poor workman who blames his tools."
Forum: rodboard

It depends whether this reel seat will be used for show or to fish with. If it's for show it makes little difference if the reel seat comes loose. No harm done, and it can easily be re-glued.
Forum: rodboard

I wonder at the request for information about guides without any mention of the type of line being used, the diameter of the line being used, or the ambient temperatures where the rod will be used? These considerations DO make a difference in the performance of the rod/reel/line combination. This is an integrated, interdependent unit and the choice of each of its components should take into accou
Forum: rodboard

Is there any credible source revealing which are the lightest, or most durable, or most corrosion-resistant, or longest casting guides? I am referring to actual tests and results rather than casual, unsubstantiated claims.
Forum: rodboard

Do you have a performance reason for you preferring a "slower" action rod? Will you primarily be casting dry flies, wet flies, or streamers, and at what average distance? Your search for a moderate blank is unusual with "speed" being all the rage these days.
Forum: rodboard

Since casting distance is your primary objective it's a shame that real, measured casting distances of rod builds never appear on this site.
Forum: rodboard

I didn't want to give advise about fly rod measurements unaccompanied by fly casting results. I prefer measured casting performance, in feet and inches, to static estimates of what performance "might" result from a particular rod build. Plenty of $ has been spent by advertisers to convince credulous buyers they can buy fly casting proficiency. Not true.
Forum: rodboard

There are at least two goals for rod building: (1) to catch fish (2) to display artistic achievements. These two are not always complimentary.
Forum: rodboard

I can wind a 90 foot fly line onto a single action reel in less than 30 seconds (assuming there's some backing on the spool) - but I have never had to spool ten or twenty fly reels in a row. By now there are likely 1/2 h.p. electric fly line spoolers for sale?
Forum: rodboard

Bottom line: Does it hold guides firmly in place?
Forum: rodboard