Fishing - a rod's true test of character

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (Flykuni2) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:27:26 GMT

Oh god, it always comes down to sex.

You're right.

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (Southbranch) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 23:13:17 GMT

Lawn casting is to fishing as reading about sex is to sex. It is helpful and you can learn a lot, but it just isn't the same.

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (BlackHillsBill) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:58:10 GMT

While I agree lawn casting provides little useful information about a rod's character
and less valuable information about how a rod will perform in a fishing situation,
I cannot, nevertheless, give it up entirely as one more frivolous pursuit. And I have
my reasons:

1. I find myself more and more worn out lately from carrying around a burden of practical,
useful, totally pertinent information in a head better suited for lodging vagrant, half-baked,...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (hopkintoncane) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 06:12:48 GMT

I think the subjects of a rod's performance in lawn casting vs. use on the stream as a fishing tool have only limited relevency to each other, as they pertain to the overall performance of the rod. If the goal is to evaluate the ability of the rod to airialize in a controlled, predictable manner various lengths of dry line in the air during false casting (overhead or some other angle), in order to accurately place a fly on a specific target a reasonable distances given the water you...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (cutthroattroutnm) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:19:33 GMT

tiptop wrote:

Seems to me that how quick you can land a fish is more a function of the tippet size you use. If you use 5X for dry fly fishing, I doubt there will be much difference in the time it takes with a 3wt rod vs. a 6wt.

It's not quite that simple. A three weight, whether it is graphite or bamboo, generally acts like a spring, not a lever, Soft bamboo rods are...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (tim simbari) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:50:23 GMT

slate river wrote:
Alistair59,
To answer your question, first let me say I do not consider myself a collector or an expert on bamboo. I am also not a rod builder or restorer. However, I am a fly fisherman like you and many of us here. I 've also been told I am not a half-bad caster and an ok fisherman. I have a modest collection of about 30 bamboo rods and fish them all. But, here is what I think I do know in my...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (slate river) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:29:41 GMT

Alistair59,
To answer your question, first let me say I do not consider myself a collector or an expert on bamboo. I am also not a rod builder or restorer. However, I am a fly fisherman like you and many of us here. I 've also been told I am not a half-bad caster and an ok fisherman. I have a modest collection of about 30 bamboo rods and fish them all. But, here is what I think I do know in my humble opinion at least as it applies to me...if a rod casts well for me on my lawn...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (El Capitan) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:03:13 GMT

I wholeheartedly agree with the "rod as a fishing tool" philosophy of previous posters. A rod should be stream tested before you know if it is truly a great all around rod. Lawn casting is fun and certainly has its place in the testing of a rod but only gives limited information towards the complete picture. Unfortunately there is often no other option for testing available.

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (Marty) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:37:16 GMT

I would have to agree that lawn casting doesn't tell you everything about a rod. I have never lawn cast a rod and liked it that I did not also like it on the water. I have lawn cast some rods I thought were mediocre that came alive on the water and surprised me. Lawn casting is in my opinion a good starting point and at least a lot better than just wiggling a rod. It also can with a target relieve some cabin fever when you can't actually make it to the water. As several have...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (Boo) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:35:22 GMT

So, if what a lot of you are saying, "to know a rod it must be fished", are you rod builders and sellers willing to allow the potential buyer fish the rod before buying it? How about three day fishing inspection. I can se it now, "I liked the way your rod lawn cast. But, I took it down the Big Horn for three days and didn't like it. So, I'm sending it back." These bamboo casting fairs/gatherings are now obsolete.

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (tim simbari) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:06:45 GMT

quadrate wrote:

tim simbari wrote:
Go outside pick 2-3 leaves on the lawn, cast, done. P.S. It's a tool, a piece of wood, your grampa has a soul not yor rod. Most of the really good rods, you don't even need to line, put them togeather 2-3 good snaps, you know about 90% of what you need to.
I would disagree with you wholeheartedly. I used...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (Chartist1) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:08:43 GMT

I've run into guys fishing steelhead on 6x tippet. That only leads to you catching a steelhead with three older flies in its mouth.

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (tiptop) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:46:42 GMT

cutthroattroutnm wrote:
I'd like to back up what Tim said about lightweight rods. There is really no place for anything under a 5 wt. if you fish big-fish water, and even those should be real rods with enough backbone to land fish efficiently. I see people on the San Juan with these 2 and 3 wt. graphite rods that take 10 minutes to land a fish that should be in in no more than 2 or 3. If we are really serious about...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (Chartist1) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:37:18 GMT

For me, buying a fly rod is close to buying a car. Ask folks why the chose a particular model they'll say great fuel mileage, reliability or good safety rating. The auto makers know this is hogwash as a whole. They buy a particular car based on aesthetics. A car is seen as an extension of themselves.

For me, aesthetics are 40% of the deal, 60% fishability. I don't care if a rod is the best caster in the world, if I can't take it out of the tube, stare at it and say wow,...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (cutthroattroutnm) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:36:25 GMT

I'd like to back up what Tim said about lightweight rods. There is really no place for anything under a 5 wt. if you fish big-fish water, and even those should be real rods with enough backbone to land fish efficiently. I see people on the San Juan with these 2 and 3 wt. graphite rods that take 10 minutes to land a fish that should be in in no more than 2 or 3. If we are really serious about catch-and-release fishing, we should be equipped with tackle to make that process successful....

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (alistair59) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:21:25 GMT

slate river wrote:
Ralph and Bob, well said and I agree if it feels good on the lawn it will feel good on the water. Actually it will probably feel even better on the water.
Bob

Bob, how can you tell by lawn casting how this on-stream performance will feel? Tight Lines! Alistair

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (quadrate) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:45:13 GMT

I too agree that lawn casting will not show you everything, particularly fighting a fish. The flex and bending shape the rod takes does not change from the lawn to the stream. That stays static. It will tell you enough casting it to point yo in the right direction. Landing a fish is a different story and if everyone was so concerned about landing fish in a timely manner then line weights under 4 would probably be non-existant. They don't have the power to land anything more than an...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (seattlesetters) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:33:42 GMT

cutthroattroutnm wrote:
A bamboo rod has to do more than cast line, it has to handle fish, in all kinds of conditions. These days, most of us release all of the fish we land. That fact puts an imperative on managing the end game of landing fish, to get them back in the water as quickly as possible, with as little damage as possible. Some bamboo rods just can't do that well, particularly with big fish in heavy water. Their...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (cutthroattroutnm) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 10:34:59 GMT

A bamboo rod has to do more than cast line, it has to handle fish, in all kinds of conditions. These days, most of us release all of the fish we land. That fact puts an imperative on managing the end game of landing fish, to get them back in the water as quickly as possible, with as little damage as possible. Some bamboo rods just can't do that well, particularly with big fish in heavy water. Their tapers were probably originally designed for fishing wet flies to 8" brook trout...

Re: Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (pcg) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 09:50:21 GMT

Good shift, Scott. Lawn casting has always been relatively meaningless for me. The small to medium size New England rivers I fish require a lot of technical skill--and I don't mean classic overhead casting. I might get to "cast" 10-15% of the time, while spending the bulk of my line effort at roll casting or dropping a 9' 6x tippet into pocket water 20' away. This is short rod work -- 7 to 8' lengths. It's only twice a year when I'm privileged to go Salmon...

Fishing - a rod's true test of character

feeds@yuku.com (tight loops) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:42:48 GMT

While fishing my favorite bushveld stream a few days ago, it occured to me that the only real test of any fly-rod happens on-stream. Rods that have felt great on the lawn, have dissapointed out on the stream, and the reverse is also true. Then there are those rods that feel... hmm... kinda nice out on the lawn, but on the water, the lights come on and the fireworks go off. This weekend I fished my 8' 5-wt Jennings which just came alive on the water - a true fishing rod. This...