Rod Question?

[barbless]

Been thinking of this for quite some time. Does it matter if the eyelets are facing up or down when fighting a good size fish? Does it affect the back bone of the rod? Or is it the same? Spin cast can be either way but from everything I see bait casters level wind are always eyelet up, WHY? Does the rod have to be set up for the reel type? I know there is a plethora of knowledge on AO. What are your thoughts?

[58thecat]

ahh to be fair...some will say down and some will say up...depending on the reel used and personal preference...I have seen some odd ball techniques used but who am I to say what's right or wrong when they are catching fish and enjoying themselves.

[barbless]

Yup good one. Never seen a level wind facing down though. And is there one that is a left hand wind.

[CNP]

If you are right handed the rod is held in your right hand while the reel is operated with your left hand. Doesn't matter if its a spincast, spinning or baitcasting reel. The difference between all three being that the spinning reel is meant to be mounted and operated under slung of the rod. The spinning reel/rod combo is the only combination where the rod eyes are meant to be facing down. Does any rod/reel configuration make a difference in the performance action of the rod? I would have to say no. And like 58 says......there are some guys/gals who deviate from the norm

[Smoky buck]

Spinning rods are meant to be eyes down always. It drives me insane every time I see someone fishing with a spinning rod upside down and reeling backwards .

Rods are set up for the reel style but it is the eyes that are different and this is because the line comes off a spinning reel in big loops so it starts with bigger eyes

I don’t know if there is any difference blank wise or if you gain any benefit to eyes up or down when fighting a fish. I have reached the extent of my knowledge on this so hopefully someone smarter comes along to help.

[pikergolf]

Rods have spines. For spinning rods and casting rods you want set the eyes so the rod bends the way it naturally wants to. So the eyes on a spinning rod are set on the side it wants to bend. Casting rod the eyes are set on the side opposite the way it wants to bend. when you play a fish the rod bends they direction it is predispositioned to bend.

How to find the spine of a rod? Any good rod maker will follow this process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

.

[barbless]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Spinning rods are meant to be eyes down always. It drives me insane every time I see someone fishing with a spinning rod upside down and reeling backwards .

Rods are set up for the reel style but it is the eyes that are different and this is because the line comes off a spinning reel in big loops so it starts with bigger eyes

I don’t know if there is any difference blank wise or if you gain any benefit to eyes up or down when fighting a fish. I have reached the extent of my knowledge on this so hopefully someone smarter comes along to help.

Still puzzled though. I also agree with the one who reels backwards. Drives me to the point of gotta hit them with the rubber chicken or the air bat.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by barbless

Still puzzled though. I also agree with the one who reels backwards. Drives me to the point of gotta hit them with the rubber chicken or the air bat.

as long as people fish with rods you will remain puzzled...experts can spew about the this and that's of rods etc but at the end of the day ya gotta let em fish....I got some odd ball styles, techniques with regards to my personal rod too

[Weavster]

100% the guides on spinning rods are meant to face down and casting guides face up. Each rod has a natural spine due to the graphite or fiberglass construction. Your higher end rods are built around these spines and meant to fish as intended by the type of rod. Fishing them the other way can differ the action and feel of the rods slightly.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by barbless

Yup good one. Never seen a level wind facing down though. And is there one that is a left hand wind.

yup

[OL_JR]

One major reason level winds always face up is that you have to be able to thumb the spool when casting to avoid backlash. Therefore the guides have to face up.

[Osky]

I do have some clients who have expensive custom made casting rods where the eyelets at the base end face up, and they progressively wrap around the rod until the tip eyelet is down.
I would say the vast majority of people I fish have right hand casting reels and they switch hands after every cast. All my reels spinning or casting are left hand reel, cast right reel with left.
Interesting question on the spine, my rods are made to my spec by St.Croix and now I'm going to question them on how they establish the spine.

Osky

[HuyFishin]

Originally Posted by Osky

I do have some clients who have expensive custom made casting rods where the eyelets at the base end face up, and they progressively wrap around the rod until the tip eyelet is down.
I would say the vast majority of people I fish have right hand casting reels and they switch hands after every cast. All my reels spinning or casting are left hand reel, cast right reel with left.
Interesting question on the spine, my rods are made to my spec by St.Croix and now I'm going to question them on how they establish the spine.

Osky

There are a couple methods to establish the spine of a rod. One of the more common methods is to bend the rod at the tip and roll method.

St croix may have better or easier advanced methods to establish the spine since they manufacture there own blanks.

[Osky]

I'm certainly going to ask, learn something new every day.

Osky

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Weavster

100% the guides on spinning rods are meant to face down and casting guides face up. Each rod has a natural spine due to the graphite or fiberglass construction. Your higher end rods are built around these spines and meant to fish as intended by the type of rod. Fishing them the other way can differ the action and feel of the rods slightly.

You rod builders are just too serious.

When you make mine I want the eyes all over the place...spin cast on the bottom and bait cast on top so I can fish two holes....ahhh bet your picturing this build

[Triggerfish]

Originally Posted by OL_JR

One major reason level winds always face up is that you have to be able to thumb the spool when casting to avoid backlash. Therefore the guides have to face up.

I was using closed face reels with the eyelets up a long time before I ever saw a reel that needed to be thumbed, but they need the same thing. Kids dont use the bait casters well lol, Not saying they were not around but never saw one. This was 50 years ago, Google is your friend, bait casters invented in the 17th century, spin casters in 1905 and closed face in 1949.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Triggerfish

I was using closed face reels with the eyelets up a long time before I ever saw a reel that needed to be thumbed, but they need the same thing. Kids dont use the bait casters well lol, Not saying they were not around but never saw one. This was 50 years ago, Google is your friend, bait casters invented in the 17th century, spin casters in 1905 and closed face in 1949.

and before that is was stick and string that when not used for fishing could be easily converted to a bow....

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

and before that is was stick and string that when not used for fishing could be easily converted to a bow....

And there is still some impressive fish caught on hand lines

[OL_JR]

Originally Posted by Triggerfish

I was using closed face reels with the eyelets up a long time before I ever saw a reel that needed to be thumbed, but they need the same thing. Kids dont use the bait casters well lol, Not saying they were not around but never saw one. This was 50 years ago, Google is your friend, bait casters invented in the 17th century, spin casters in 1905 and closed face in 1949.

I'm not sure I understand the point you are trying to make to be honest. The op asked why baitcasters face up. That's how they operate. No google needed.

My first rod like most was a spincaster with a thumb trigger. It operated in the upwards position, the guides faced up.

Now as to which one up or down is better for spine I have no idea. All I know is I much prefer baitcasters for casting and retrieving bigger lures as well as trolling. Way easier to fish all day with imho.

[Osky]

Originally Posted by OL_JR

I'm not sure I understand the point you are trying to make to be honest. The op asked why baitcasters face up. That's how they operate. No google needed.

My first rod like most was a spincaster with a thumb trigger. It operated in the upwards position, the guides faced up.

Now as to which one up or down is better for spine I have no idea. All I know is I much prefer baitcasters for casting and retrieving bigger lures as well as trolling. Way easier to fish all day with imho.

I’m a bit the opposite. I have spinning rods designed for larger lures/fish and really enjoy casting with them. My baitcasting rigs I really like for trolling and down fishing for lakers. I use them either or so it’s simply a spur of the moment kind of thing.
With the baitcasters I run a minimum of 65lb stealth, 80lb if I have it. Nearly impossible for my clients to bury backlashes with that line.

Osky

[OL_JR]

Originally Posted by Osky

I’m a bit the opposite. I have spinning rods designed for larger lures/fish and really enjoy casting with them. My baitcasting rigs I really like for trolling and down fishing for lakers. I use them either or so it’s simply a spur of the moment kind of thing.
With the baitcasters I run a minimum of 65lb stealth, 80lb if I have it. Nearly impossible for my clients to bury backlashes with that line.

Osky

Everyone has their way, don't think there is a really a right or wrong to it. I feel the baitcasters are a little more efficient while reeling big lures with lots of resistance and I seem to have the most control over putting a cast where I want with them.

If I were guide and had clients unfamiliar with them they would be about the last thing I'd use. I still get the odd backlash once in a while and I got my first one when I was 10 or 11.

[Osky]

Originally Posted by OL_JR

Everyone has their way, don't think there is a really a right or wrong to it. I feel the baitcasters are a little more efficient while reeling big lures with lots of resistance and I seem to have the most control over putting a cast where I want with them.

If I were guide and had clients unfamiliar with them they would be about the last thing I'd use. I still get the odd backlash once in a while and I got my first one when I was 10 or 11.

You are right on that. In my case my clientele would be considered quite upscale and yet some of the gear they show up with nearly brings a tear to my eye. Had one hard headed cowboy from Montana who refused to give up on a baitcaster and fought it for 4 days of musky fishing. i offered over and over one of my special spinning rigs but no, so be it.
I would add that these days the newer upper end baitcaster reels are really something. I prefer the Okuma low profiles but there are many great models out there by other manufacturers. Sure is easier these days.

Osky

[zuoxing]

I usually go here learning something new.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by OL_JR

I'm not sure I understand the point you are trying to make to be honest. The op asked why baitcasters face up. That's how they operate. No google needed.

My first rod like most was a spincaster with a thumb trigger. It operated in the upwards position, the guides faced up.

Now as to which one up or down is better for spine I have no idea. All I know is I much prefer baitcasters for casting and retrieving bigger lures as well as trolling. Way easier to fish all day with imho.

And that's why Google is your friend....the why will be explained in articles on rods etc.....

[Weavster]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

You rod builders are just too serious.

When you make mine I want the eyes all over the place...spin cast on the bottom and bait cast on top so I can fish two holes....ahhh bet your picturing this build

Funny thing there are actually rods being built that are spiral wrapped.. The guides start on top and migrate to the bottom... not actually sure the advantages of this but i will stick to the traditional methods!

[jednastka]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Rods have spines. For spinning rods and casting rods you want set the eyes so the rod bends the way it naturally wants to. So the eyes on a spinning rod are set on the side it wants to bend. Casting rod the eyes are set on the side opposite the way it wants to bend. when you play a fish the rod bends they direction it is predispositioned to bend.

Exactly dead on! I have been building rods for over 40 years; taught by some of the best in the day, and I have seen crazy stuff.



One interesting option that I have seen, and occasionally built is setting up a bait cast rod with the bend in the correct direction but after setting the guide closest to the reel in the standard position, offsetting subsequent guides by say 30 degrees each (for 6 remaining guides excluding tiptop) such that the line rotates around the rod. My client said that eliminated the line rubbing on the rod with a big fish on.


Vic

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Weavster

Funny thing there are actually rods being built that are spiral wrapped.. The guides start on top and migrate to the bottom... not actually sure the advantages of this but i will stick to the traditional methods!

I got a scrape pile of odd and ends regarding rods accumulated over the years broken tips etc so over the last few days I pieced together two beauty (in my eyes) ice fishing rods....kinda custom....some parts dating back 30 years...the eyes all lined up after I was done...but were periodically cockeyed during the process....now off to the lake for a test

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by jednastka

Exactly dead on! I have been building rods for over 40 years; taught by some of the best in the day, and I have seen crazy stuff.



One interesting option that I have seen, and occasionally built is setting up a bait cast rod with the bend in the correct direction but after setting the guide closest to the reel in the standard position, offsetting subsequent guides by say 30 degrees each (for 6 remaining guides excluding tiptop) such that the line rotates around the rod. My client said that eliminated the line rubbing on the rod with a big fish on.


Vic

That makes sense and good to know too...thx.

[HuyFishin]

this is a good demonstration of the spiral wrapped rods.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqTfcjMPcOQ

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by jednastka

Exactly dead on! I have been building rods for over 40 years; taught by some of the best in the day, and I have seen crazy stuff.



One interesting option that I have seen, and occasionally built is setting up a bait cast rod with the bend in the correct direction but after setting the guide closest to the reel in the standard position, offsetting subsequent guides by say 30 degrees each (for 6 remaining guides excluding tiptop) such that the line rotates around the rod. My client said that eliminated the line rubbing on the rod with a big fish on.


Vic

curious what kind of fish rubs the line on the rod. Ive caught a lot of big lake sturgeon on my tigerrod bait caster and I dont ever recall the line hitting the rod. cutting through the guides oh yah. need to replace the whole set now. not that Im complaining its fun to wear them off.