Does anybody know where exactly the myth got started that parabolic-actioned rods are hard to cast, or somehow inferior to progressive actioned rods? I hear
statements about how parabolic rods are slow, or somehow hard to get the timing of. I also have heard stories of how some maker's don't even call their
rods parabolic any more, because if they tell folks they're parabolic, they automatically not like those rods because of their perceived inferiority in
casting. I also hear statements like "that rod doesn't feel parabolic" as if because it casts so well then, it can't be parabolic. I
don' think this is just my perception, either, as I see posts on a semi-regular basis that are less than favorable about parabolic rods.
My background in flyfishing is based upon guiding, day in, day out fishing. I spent a lot of time on the river with fast-actioned graphite rods, over a span of about 15 years. Much of the fishing I did was aggressive, power casting at distance with shooting heads. Once I started fishing 2-hander rods, that have a nice parabolic action, I realized I was tired of casting broomsticks, and that the trout rods I started out with the in the late 1980's were some of the best-casting rods I had. When I started getting into cane rods over the past 5 years, I came into the situation with an open mind, knowing what I liked when I cast it, but without pre-conceived notions about rod actions. After a while I realized the rods I like the most are parabolic rods, or slightly modified parabolics, because they roll cast so well and they fish really nice in short, 30 feet or so they can't be beat. Now I am a troutaholic, and love fishing dries in close. The paraoblic cane rods I like, esp. some of the shorter light PHY tapers, remind me a lot of the early graphite rods from Winston, the pre-IM6 days, some really great casting and fishing rods. I didn't even know that the cane rods I liked were parabolic, I just fished them and only over the past couple years started becoming familiar with stress curves and the differences between a parabolic and progressive action.
There are a lot of great different types of rod actions out there, but I always seem to gravitate towards parabolic actions. Contrary to what I have heard, they aren't difficult to time when you're casting them, at least the ones I have cast. I can cast them with a moderate to aggressive casting stroke if I want, in fact I double-haul with them all the time. On top of that, I think the parabolic tapers I've cast and fished and own are great rods to learn on. I can't understand why anyone would think they are hard to cast. I wish that some day the apparent "stigma" surrounding parabolic rods would go away. It's a real shame that more folks aren't encouraged to try them, because they sure cast great, and even better, I think they are some of the best fishing tools around.
My background in flyfishing is based upon guiding, day in, day out fishing. I spent a lot of time on the river with fast-actioned graphite rods, over a span of about 15 years. Much of the fishing I did was aggressive, power casting at distance with shooting heads. Once I started fishing 2-hander rods, that have a nice parabolic action, I realized I was tired of casting broomsticks, and that the trout rods I started out with the in the late 1980's were some of the best-casting rods I had. When I started getting into cane rods over the past 5 years, I came into the situation with an open mind, knowing what I liked when I cast it, but without pre-conceived notions about rod actions. After a while I realized the rods I like the most are parabolic rods, or slightly modified parabolics, because they roll cast so well and they fish really nice in short, 30 feet or so they can't be beat. Now I am a troutaholic, and love fishing dries in close. The paraoblic cane rods I like, esp. some of the shorter light PHY tapers, remind me a lot of the early graphite rods from Winston, the pre-IM6 days, some really great casting and fishing rods. I didn't even know that the cane rods I liked were parabolic, I just fished them and only over the past couple years started becoming familiar with stress curves and the differences between a parabolic and progressive action.
There are a lot of great different types of rod actions out there, but I always seem to gravitate towards parabolic actions. Contrary to what I have heard, they aren't difficult to time when you're casting them, at least the ones I have cast. I can cast them with a moderate to aggressive casting stroke if I want, in fact I double-haul with them all the time. On top of that, I think the parabolic tapers I've cast and fished and own are great rods to learn on. I can't understand why anyone would think they are hard to cast. I wish that some day the apparent "stigma" surrounding parabolic rods would go away. It's a real shame that more folks aren't encouraged to try them, because they sure cast great, and even better, I think they are some of the best fishing tools around.
