Define 'Parabolic'

[Jaimec]

I think this term is/has been so horribly, so incorrectly overused, to the point that it is it's own lexicon.

I would love to hear from rod makers, laymen, and neophytes what the term 'parabolic' means without looking it it up on google, or any books you may have. I want YOUR thoughts, and your thoughts alone!

Please have a sense of humor, and answer honestly.

Jaime

[quashnet]

I could quote Young from memory but, in the thread noted below, after I quoted from some books, other people came up with really helpful individual explanations:

viewtopic.php?&t=16644

"Double action" leads to a delayed movement of the rod tip that gives additional power to a fly line that has already been set in motion by the butt. Thus it is that some will say that a parabolic rod is slow. Yes, if judged by the motion of one's hand, but the motion of the rod tip passing overhead has been accelerated.

Bob Summers and a Parabolic 15, showing characteristic flexing of the rod butt right into the corks, which leads to the "kick" as the tip catches up with it.

[CaneCaster]

Parabolic... and angler who is unseady on their feet, generally a poor wader with a drinking problem....

Tends to enjoy casting rod that exhibit a stiffer mid section transfering a large amount of the line load to the butt section of a rod creating a slightly delayed, powerful, sling-shot effect on the forward cast vs the more even and proportional load of the true progressive rod. These casters tend to use a locked wristed delivery in contrast to the more wristed casts of the progressive rod fisherman, allowing them to unlock the full potential of these powerful, soft butted, fullflexing, diminished rise tapers.

Also they can drool a bit and slurr their speech when confronted streamside so care must be taken when approaching these "parabolics" for questioning.

I know you asked for humor... so hopefully others will chime in with that sort of thing

J.

[munsey w]

James- Brilliant!

Munsey

[Gnome]

word or question used to fire up three or more rodmakers in a group (ask the question and watch the fur or shavings fly), works almost as well as "what glue do you use??" or "What temperature do you heat treat at" etc etc etc??

[teter]

Any rod I can't figure out how to cast right.
Actually, my UNDERSTANDING is that a parabolic rod's stiff midsection forces the action deep into the butt, which does trigger the kick in the tip. But I could be wrong, as I often am.

[tbc1415]

A parabolic is a sentient being. It has its own ideas about how it intends to straighten itself out after being forced to flex, despite the expectations and best intentions of the caster.
Unless of course you like parabolics which results in a pleasing collaboration of rod and caster.

TC

[tackleman]

Parabolic is the word used to describe the action of "Gumby" standing up after he's been knocked flat.
OR . . . . a section of a rod that bends more easily than the section it supports would have a parabolic curve.

[quashnet]

Also they can drool a bit and slurr their speech when confronted streamside...

...so, in what way does this differ from the typical angler?

[CaneCaster]

well...... i did not say that this trait was confined solely to "parabolics"

Gnome... priceless!
J.

[catskilljohn64]

I was always under the impression that the design of a Para was to be able to cast short with a minimum of rod movement, but when asked to cast far, the whole blank flexed for distance. Now that I re-read that, I guess you could say that would work on any rod design

I agree the term is thrown around carelessly, but hey, rod terminology is fun, even if I dont know what the hell i'm talking about! CJ

[teter]

Three words that are always misused:

"parabolic"
"literally"
"unique"

Whoops, plus "always" -- guess that makes four words.

[Capt. Frank]

I keep my rod butt against my forearm, may drool, but do not slurr my speech. Although I may in 20 years or so.

[doloresboy]

A friend of mine built me a rod based on Ray Goulde's 7'10" "double parabolic". I can cast it pretty well if I keep my eyes closed. But that presents a unique challenge if I were to actually take it fishing.

Matt

[Boo]

Think 'Trebuchet'.

[bassman]

Parabolic is the word used to describe the action of "Gumby" standing up after he's been knocked flat.
OR . . . . a section of a rod that bends more easily than the section it supports would have a parabolic curve.

That's funny but quite apt. I was out using my 8.5' Para 17 yesterday and experimented with a 7wt. and an 8wt. On casts of 25-30' or so either line functioned fine with little more than a wrist flick. As the casts lengthened I worked to do more of a push motion with my arm and out to the 70' area or so, which is all I can comfortably handle well now, I could feel the rod action change from the flick of a short cast to the rod power moving down into the handle. This is totally different than other rods I can push to that distance but the "feel" of the rod flex does not change as the Parabolic does.

I had an early 6' Fenwick with what I'd call a concentric action in that it flexed evenly right down into the butt and did not have the flat spot in the middle of the action like my Para 17 does.

[quashnet]

Parabolic rods are not all the same. Many of them will give you a wrist-flick option and they will function like a smooth dry fly rod at shorter distances. As you lengthen line and work the rod harder, its parabolic qualities become more pronounced. The change in action can be seamless, as is true of my PHY Martha Marie and Para 15 rods which effortlessly shift gears as needed. It's not true of an early 8'6" rod by Young that I own, no model name, with dry and "wet" parabolic tips. With the "wet" tip on that rod I can definitely feel what I imagine is the "flat spot" you describe, where the changeover is quite pronounced, and as you're lengthening line all of a sudden you've got parabolic action.

[bassman]

quashnet, my Para17 definitely acts that way. Before I understood the rod Canewrap kind of went thru the motions with me to get the most out of the rod when I had it in AR. After his tutelage at the White River gathering, along with another gentleman who owned an original model, I then felt what they were describing. As I've used the rod more you can really feel where the gears start to shift. I'm trying to learn to use less wrist at that point and more push, but I'm not at the point yet of a caster to be as smooth and Bill and the other caster were.

[bvandeuson]

PA...Parabolics Anonymous.

BB

[Canewrap]

Bassman, thanks for the compliment, practice with that rod and you'll improve your casting in general. Casting parabolics really opened up my abilities to pick up pretty much any rod and feel what it wanted, then adjust my stroke accordingly.

I really love parabolics, if you couldn't tell. But, the kind of feedback those kinds of rods provide is why I got into bamboo in the first place. Couldn't cast graphite worth a darn (can now, but I really think it's because of the muscle memory developed with cane).