New to bamboo. Just obtained a Heddon 8' #20 Featherweight from a dying friend. All of my reels are too light and make the rod tip heavy. Any
recomendations on an appropriate reel or does balance make any difference? I'm particular about the balance of my graphite rods. Thanks, Steve
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Rod Balance ? From Newbie
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 slicksahd |
Rod Balance ? From Newbie |
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Posts: 1 05/02/2009 19:43 |
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HexaMaineiac |
Balance | #1 | ||
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Posts: 555 05/02/2009 20:05 |
Per Vince Marinaro:
" The caster must move the dead weight below the hand as well as the useful weight above the hand; that removal of the dead weight below the hand helped to overcome inertia more quickly, increasing the tip speed, thus imparting greater velocity to the projectile or fly line….. There can be no such thing as balance in a fly rod….. Every inch that the cast is lengthened or shortened changes the alleged balance and every unnecessary ounce in an unnecessarily heavy reel dampens and degrades the cast…..You can suit yourself about such matters but for me the only sound system is this: Use the lightest possible reel of good quality and adequate capacity no matter how long or heavy the rod may be. Make a cast long enough to be handled by you and your favorite trout rig. Cut off all the running line remaining on the reel and fill the reel with fine Dacron backing….You will have enough capacity to handle the biggest trout that swims…."Not that I don't like balance, but light is better than heavy when your casting and fishing. Balance matters more when you're carrying the rod. Henry. |
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Blue Quill |
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Posts: 162 05/02/2009 20:10 |
Hi Slickahd,
Rod balance is a very subjective thing. Don't lisen to any measurements, calculations, weight-ratio's etc.; it's all about how it feels to you. My suggestion is to either try a bunch of reels (friends, fly shops, shows, etc) until you find one you like, or purchase a Medalist reel in the appropriate size for your line and backing and add split-shot to the center hub until it feels right (this was very common years ago). Reels are expensive, and you'll be fishing that rod a long time. Don't rush this. Chuck |
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Aransas |
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Posts: 172 05/02/2009 20:44 |
There are two basic schools of thought on this. Stated VERY basically: One says go with the lightest reel possible. Others say choose a reel that balances the
rod at a point just above the grip (With bamboo that can mean a fairly heavy reel). I'm with Blue Quill, go with what feels best to you.
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ellensdad |
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Posts: 112 05/02/2009 21:04 |
Try casting the rod WITHOUT a reel on it for a while. After doing this I think you'll find that adding a heavy reel for the sake of balance can be really
detrimental to the action of the rod.
Good luck. |
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Southbranch |
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Posts: 408 05/02/2009 23:14 |
It certainly is subjective, and for me, the longer and heavier the rod, the more important good balance becomes, especially if I'm false casting dry flies.
The traditional rule of thumb says to start with a reel (without line or backing) that weighs 1.5 times the weight of the rod. So, for my 8' Heddon #50
Featherweight, which weighs 4.5 oz., the rule of thumb says I should use a reel that weighs about 6.75 oz. In practice, I use a 1960's vintage Pflueger
Medalist 1495, which weighs in at 6.1 oz. I tried an Orvis BBS V that weighs 5 oz., but casting took more effort than with the Medalist.
See how it feels to cast your Heddon with a balanced reel vs. casting the rod with the reel held in your other hand. |
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freestoner.fiberglassflyro... |
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Posts: 213 05/03/2009 00:04 |
My own guideline is 1 1/2 times the weight of the rod, including the line, as a rule of thumb. But with some rods that feel tip-heavy to me without a reel on
them, I like a reel slightly heavier. It feels more balanced like that.
It's almost like line weight, although not as critical. Some rod/reel weight combinations just lock right in as the most logical. (However, my saying that implies that everyone else has also fallen/been pushed into the deep end of tackle collecting from exposure to this forum, like myself, and hence has more than enough rods and reels to experiment with.)
"I can't not believe in a creator. The birds sing too beautifully and the trout are too speckled." John Martyn 1948-2009
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Aransas |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 176 05/03/2009 00:17 |
Last Edited By: Aransas 05/03/2009 00:19.
Edited 1 time.
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Slate Drake 9 |
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Posts: 87 05/03/2009 11:03 |
I really don't like a tip heavy rod, especially in 9' lengh, I don't notice it so much with 8' and shorter rods. My solution has been to find
a reel I like and then just add some lead core running/trolling line on before the backing until the reel seems to balance the rod like I want it too. Much
cheaper than buying a bunch of new reels and it doesn't have the rattle that my Pfluegers get with added split shot.
Fishing with bait is like swearing in church.
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slicksahd |
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Posts: 2 05/03/2009 13:00 |
Thanks everyone for the quick and thorough responses.
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