I have been trying a few rods lately and some I would use only for Casting and some for Fishing. Am I alone in this or should I get a life?
Regards
Brian
Whats the difference? I would have thought a good casting rod was a good fishing rod
I was thinking of posting this as I don't understand why you wouldn't want to use a rod that casts well to fish with. I'd be interested to hear the opinions on this.
I've been having a go at distance casting lately using very fast rods which have been loaned to me (Thanks Alberto amongst others). One of them casts very long distances once you get the tempo correct; the Sage TCR 5 weight. However I wouldn't fish with it. It's just too inflexible in a fishing sense. The worst aspect is that spey casts have to be very precisely formed in a way that is just not possible on a normal Scottish wooded river.
Ok would you call a 5# tcr a Fishing rod? I have a xp 5# and have only fished for Salmon with it. I am only asking for opinions and they will for sure be different from mine. Remember all rods are fishing rods in different peoples hands this is only me we are speaking about.
Brian
Malcolm I formed the same opinion about the tcr after only five minutes Casting with one. The same can be said about the Angel te 5# but I have fished with it.......once. I have watched people casting obscene distances with the Angel. Does it come down to Feel?
Brian
Funny things fly rods. Like most fly fishers I have a shed full of them and the rod I choose depends as much on how long it is since I last used it as anything else. :lol: I even use my TCX #5 for fishing occasionally although it is never a relaxing experience. I really should sell it I suppose, but getting shot of any rod is a bit like cutting off an arm for me. :D
I once owned a 5#tcx It was a beautiful rod with the best cork. I snapped on a few fish on the Clyde and sold it .Lost a few ? I can tell you :(
I really love Casting but love fishing more that is why I separate casting/fishing, Imo they are different Sports.
Brian
Quote from: Brian Mcg on March 11, 2011, 10:59:13 PM
I really love Casting but love fishing more that is why I separate casting/fishing, Imo they are different Sports.
I could not agree more. They are related of course, but hard core casting, especially distance, has little to do with fishing.
Incidentally I have broken off / lost more fish with that TCX than the rest of my rods put together. It's great for chucking heavy streamers, but hard work for anything else. I'm sure a better caster than I would get on better with it, it's wasted on me frankly. I should have bought a #4. My nicest rod is a 9 foot #4 Sage ZXL - it is an absolute peach of a rod and a delight to fish with. Too light to take to NZ though, so I used the Scott #5
Quote from: Brian Mcg on March 11, 2011, 10:59:13 PM
I once owned a 5#tcx It was a beautiful rod with the best cork. I snapped on a few fish on the Clyde and sold it .Lost a few ? I can tell you :(
I really love Casting but love fishing more that is why I separate casting/fishing, Imo they are different Sports.
Brian
A good thread Brian.
That Orvis Helios I bought from you falls into that camp I think. Casting, rather than fishing I mean.
I don't like tippy rods for the very same reason as you sold your tcx. I like a rod to bend progressively and quite far into the butt. That way I know how much welly I can give the fish, especially when using light gear.
I have still never fished with the Helios (will probably sell it on) and likewise I have a Guideline tippy rod which I used just once after hooking (and landing) three very nice Clyde trout on it. The rod just locked up and couldn't judge how much stick to give the fish. It cast really tight loops but I didn't like playing fish on it.
I llike a mid to tip action or even a through action for fishing. The mid to tip is the best compromise for my style of fishing.
Alex
Alex I know a guy that maybe buy your helios If you pm me a price I will forward it on. That's if you are selling.
I still fish with a Helios 4# and at this moment in time I love it,but like the wind I can without warning change :?
Regards
Brian
Quote from: Brian Mcg on March 12, 2011, 12:25:53 AM
Alex I know a guy that maybe buy your helios If you pm me a price I will forward it on. That's if you are selling.
I still fish with a Helios 4# and at this moment in time I love it,but like the wind I can without warning change :?
Regards
Brian
Thanks Brian. I'll try to find the guarantee and no doubt in several days I'll PM you to say I can't find it :?
What do you reckon? Mid to tip for fishing or is your thread more about recovery speed rather than where the rod bends?
My favourite all-round rods are the Sage XP and Scott S4 ranges.
As an afterthought, it occurs to me that a lot of people get confuse about the term "fast" in relation to rods. That is no wonder.
Once upon a time the tackle industry was touting fast taper rods (thick as a brick at the butt and thin at the tip). Not surprisingly, these were tip actioned rods - they bent only at the tip and a wee bit into the middle. There were also slow tapers (thinner butt and thicker tip). These bent throughout their length and were also called "through action" rods.
When carbon came along, we were sold "fast" rods. In modern terms a "fast" rod is one that recovers (returns from bent to straight) in a relatively short time. This "fast" rod is entirely different from a
fast tapered rod and in my opinion this similarity in terms causes no end of confusion.
My explanation of these terms is less than perfect, so let's look at one of my rods as an example - the Sage XP.
The XP is a fast rod in that it is quite stiff - the materials return to straight very quickly. When I bend into a fish however, the rod bends quite far down the blank and only the bottom section of the butt stays pretty straight. The rod is "fast", but still bends progressively pretty much throughout its length, so a fast rod isn't necessarily tip actioned.
Does thar make sense?
Alex
QuoteOh and for those that have not seen it:-
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7795583/
I hadn't, but I have now. Absolutely brilliant :lol: :lol:
Alex
It's purely subjective.
I have a hydros #5 and a tcx #6, I will cast size 4 (could definitely go bigger) hugely heavy streamers or size 20 dries with either - they work perfectly for what I want them to do. I have not lost a fish due to the bend in the rod, no way. I have lost fish due to them running downstream, me standing on the line, the fish running round boulders and round roots but not because of the rod.
Besides it's what you do with the rod when playing the fish.
Horses for courses choose what you like. I cast best with a stiffer rod, I like the feel of them best and hence I fish best with one. If you are the opposite then you know what to choose!
I'm starting to see everything in fishing as nothing more than personal choice, most of the rest is bullshit that floats around.
There is a lot of confusion over rod "speed" - it's really the resonant frequency of the rod - the time it takes to recover.
Here is some work I did a few years ago. I got fed up of it in the end after a long discussion on Sexyloops that ended up boring the tits off me. Too many people on there with huge egos trying to impress each other. :lol: I still have all the gear I made.
http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6409.0
That is hilarious and spot on! :lol:
I ain't trying to change anyones views and I know all about it being subjective etc. What I am saying is to me personally some rods I only cast with,some i fish with. I am a nerd
Buzz I met you once on the Clyde,you had the echo with you. I tried it and I can remember thinking (because I had read posts by you on fff)
This guy is mad,he has all these rods and he fishes with this. As you say you were lobbing heavy flies. To me it was a casting rod.
I understand how fortunate I am to use different rods and the guys who have one rod will be saying oh Listen to Mr Ive got plenty. Well people who know me know I'm not like that, an opinion is free.
I was looking for peoples views on Casting rods that's all. A couple of people say "I prefer to fish" so do I but not in the grip of Winter.
A lot of people on this Forum love to walk up hills to fish. Me I would rather use a moped. I would still see the same scenery,just get there quicker. But I can understand why they do it. It is the same with rods. Alex delves deeper and describes action etc, they are the same,different to each individual but we put them in categories.
If we then say different rods for wind etc we then start to look like Matt Hayes with all the rods/lines etc.
When Tuesday comes I am closing this Computer Down as I have also become a Computer nerd :?
Brian
That's what I took from my wee shot of my new xp last night. Lovely positive unloading feel and you can tell there's loads of power there. I'm a happy boy :)
Hi Brian hope you are well.
You are right about the loop rod . Can you imagine fishing with that rod all day?
Did you not have a Vision Rod along to the casting? That was a good rod.
Dave the xp is an easy rod to like ,simply because it is an outstanding rod :D
Still using the Snowbee? I have been using Greys Platinum lines and the jury is still out.
The Rod your Mate had, The Gatti that to me would also be a lovely Fishing rod. As Buzz says Casting on Grass doesn't give a honest appraisal of the tackle being used I think you would agree Dave as when you go on water all the criteria changes.ie we have line stick on the water.
Brian
Absolutely agree about casting on grass. It's really quite pointless. I just stand and practise loop control on grass so I don't damage my lines. By the looks of them I'd have been better off if the ground had been carpeted in sandpaper.
I don't really get on with the Gatti, I have to change my stroke too much to cast with it. I'm sure it is a great rod, just not to my tastes.
Not tried the XP with the Snowbee yet, just the Loop Opti Stillwater. They're both trashed though.
Quote from: wee bri on March 12, 2011, 03:52:03 PM
Yeah I'm fine Brian and thanks for asking.
I've still got the vision rod and yes I like it too.
Meant to say, have you gone off the Fario?
I thought it felt like a very nice rod and would love to spend a day on the river with one.
All that lovely finish too and for half the price of a Sage.
wee bri........
I still have the Fario Brian use it mainly for Teaching. The Fario is a good all round rod and spey casts lovely. Described as medium Fast but you can feel the action right into the butt,cosmetics are well presented. Important in this day and age of elegance and style
Best Regards
Brian