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| Taking the First Step to Fishing |
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INTRODUCTION
- Solid Fiberglass is generally cheaper in price and it is usually used in the low end spinning rods category. The rod is also heavier in weight due to the solid fiberglass material used.
- Hollow Fiberglass uses the same material as the Solid Fiberglass but is hollow, therefore not as heavy. Although the price is higher, it is one of the mostly widely used materials.
- Composite or mixing Graphite and Fiberglass together. This is a much stronger material and the graphite will make the blank stronger and lighter. The price is more expensive than Solid and Hollow Fiberglass.
- Full Graphite. It is strong, light and definitely the most expensive among the four types of materials used. There are different grades of graphite, depending on the modulus, the standard 24 tons, the intermediate 30 tons, the 36 tons and 40 tons. It is also sometimes referred to as IM6, IM7 and IM8.
TYPE OF RODS
There is no rod that can do all types of fishing. Fishing rods are divided into the following categories:
- Spinning Rods
Solid fiberglass, hollow fiberglass, composite and full graphite are the different materials used to make this type of rods. The length of the rod can be as short as 4'6", to a length of 8'0". It has generally 4 to 6 guides (the stripper guide is big), and may be a size 25 on a short rod and up to a size 50 for the longer ones. It can be used with spinning or fixed spool reels.
- General Purpose Rods
As the name suggests, this type of rods are not specialized in any type of fishing. Its average length is between 5'0" to 8'0", using materials such as solid fiberglass, hollow fiberglass, composite and full graphite. The price is from low to mid range. Although it is normally built to be use with spinning reels, it can also be used with an overhead reel.
- Surf or Beach Rods
This type of rods are mainly used on the beach where long distance casting is required. The materials used are normally hollow fiberglass, composite and full graphite. The length is between 10'0" to 16'0" and is built to be used with spinning or overhead reels. Some are also built to cast weights up to 8 oz or 50 lbs.
- Casting/Popping Rods
The lengths of these rods are normally from 5'0" to 7'6". Small guides are used for these rods with the biggest being a size 20. The guides are mounted on top of the blanks, and to prevent the line from touching the blank, more guides are required. Due to continuous casting during fishing, graphite or composite materials are being used to reduce the weight of the rod.
- Game Rods
Lengths of these rods range from 6'6" to 7'6". With I.G.F.A. rating from 8 lbs, 12 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs, 30 lbs, 50 lbs, 70 lbs, 80 lbs, 130 lbs, and even 180 lbs, they come with full roller tips, guides and aluminum Unibutts, mainly for trolling of game fishes.
- Stand Up Stick or Short Stroker
These types of rods usually have extra-fast or fast action (refer to section on action of rod). The lengths start from 5'0" to 6'0" and the line class from 8 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs, 30 lbs, 50 lbs, 80 lbs to 130 lbs. They have long front grips (around 16"), and short rear grips of only 8". Normally built with Gimbals, but on expensive models, it may be built with short aluminum Unibutts. Guides used may be full rollers with roller tips, or standard guides and tips, although roller tips are recommended.
- Fly Rods
Graphite is the material mostly used for these types of rods as it is light and the lengths are from 7'0" up to 11'0". On high end models, high modulus graphite is used. It comes in 2, 3 or 4 sections. Line class #3 are used for fresh water fly rods whereas line class #14 are used for salt-water fly rods. The reel seat is mounted at the butt end of rod with a cork handle and the first two guides nearer to the handle are normal guides whereas the rest are snake guides and tip. Of course there are fly rods which use normal guides as well.
- Boat Rods
The usual lengths start from 5'0" up to 7'0" and are built to be used with spinning or overhead reels. These rods are usually quite strong from the middle section down to the butt. Materials used can be solid fiberglass, hollow fiberglass, composite or graphite. Line class from 10 lbs to 50 lbs can be used. These rods are usually used for casting of lures, live baits and bottom fishing.
- Others
There are many other types of rod, such as ISO rods, Poles and Electric Reel Rods. And there are also many rods built specially to target a particular type of fish like carp rod, salmon rod and barra rod……etc.
ACTION
Up to this point, you may have made up your mind on the type of rod you want, but what should be the action? Is it slow, medium, fast or extra fast?
if you have a 7 ft rod, use one hand to hold the rod in the middle. Use your other hand to hold on the tip and slowly bend the rod until the tip points horizontally, making a perpendicular angle with the rod. Look at the curve carefully.
- If only 1/8 of the total length (from the tip) of the rod is bent, it is extra fast action.
- If only 1/4 of the length of the rod is bent, then it is considered a fast action rod.
- It is considered medium action if 1/3 of the length is bent.
- If 1/2 of the length of the rod bent, it is slow action.
Not all types of rods can be built on extra fast or fast action. Fly rods are good examples. On the other hand, boat rods, spinning rods, stand-up sticks, casting rods and surf rods, with softer tip sections and stronger butt sections, will definitely help to propel the sinker, bait or lure further. A fast action rod will increase the accuracy of a cast, take more line when retrieving the fish and provide more lifting power. The softer tip section allows you to feel the slightest bite from a small fish, but the stronger butt section will come in handy when pumping and lifting a big fish. Please refer to the drawing on "Blank Action".
LINE CLASS
When a rod is specified for a line class, for example 15 to 20 lbs, the rod will perform best using a line between 15 to 20 lbs. Set the drag of the reel at 1/3 the breaking strength of the line, which is about 6.7 lbs in this case. Although you can use a 10 lbs line, there is a chance that the line will break when you retrieve a fish, because the rod is stronger than the line. Take another example, let's say we use a 30 lbs line and set the drag at 6.7 lbs, this will be fine. But if you use a 30 lbs line on a 20 lbs rod and set the drag to 1/3 the strength of the line of 30 lbs, chances are that the rod will break because the rod can take up to a force of 20 lbs only. It is therefore important that you use the line as specified on the rod and to set the drag correctly to optimize the performance of your rod.
LURE WEIGHT
You will find the lure weight specified on the rod, for example 1/4 to 1/2 oz. By using the correct weight of lures, the rod will cast best. If you try to use a lighter weight you will not get the distance you want and if you are using a Baitcaster reel or an overhead reel you may get a backlash with the line.
CHOOSING A ROD
Up to this point, you should have enough information needed to decide on the rod you need. Take for example, you are looking for a rod to go freshwater fishing, for Haruan or Snake Head, and the usual bait used is a frog. Choose the rod as follows:
- As the location where you will fish is usually not easily accessible, a 2-section rod would be an ideal choice.
- As you have to cast continuously during fishing since you are using a frog as bait, the best option would be either a light graphite or composite rod.
- The location where you will fish is likely to be small, with trees or plants around. And since you do not need to cast very far, it would be wise to choose a rod which is not too long, 6'6" or 7'0".
- When you get a hook up, you will definitely need to get the fish in as soon as possible to prevent the fish from diving back into the water. To help you avoid this, it is recommended that you get a rod of medium or fast action whereby the butt section will give you the lifting power and also more line will be taken with each retrieve.
- A spinning or baitcasting rod can be used in this case.
SETTING UP THE ROD
Firstly, you have to spool the line into the reel, next mount the reel on the reel seat of the rod and then thread the line through the guides and tip.
SETTING THE DRAG OF THE REEL
Inspect your reel carefully, or refer to the instruction booklet, look for the drag knob to set the drag. For a spinning reel, it is either in front of the spool or at the back of the butt. As for a baitcasting reel, it is either a star drag or a level drag, which is usually on the right hand side of the reel. You can also find some on the left hand side of the reel.
Attach a weighing scale at the end of the line and release the drag on the reel. Hold the rod as if you are fighting a fish and get someone to pull the weighing scale. For example, if your rod and line are rated 30 lbs, then set the drag at 1/3 the breaking strength, which is 10lbs in this case. Get your assistant to read you the scale reading while you are pulling the rod. If the scale reading is less than 10 lbs, you should increase the drag on the reel until your assistant reads 10 lbs on the scale and the line is just slipping out from the reel. On the other hand, if the reading is higher than 10 lbs, release the drag until the reading is 10 lbs and the line starts to slip from the reel. The reason why it is set at 1/3 the breaking strength is to create some tolerance for the resistance encountered by the line and the lure in the water. Just imagine, if your line is 100 metres away, how much resistance is it encountering together with the lure. This 1/3 ratio is widely accepted but if you are a more experienced angler, you may want to go higher. |
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