Balancing a float rod.

[guest61]

I have been given a 13ft Daiwa spiced tip stick float rod. The balance of this rod with a reel attached is just a touch top heavy - but its eminently usable although it will be a few months before I can use it. Does anyone have any elegant solutions to add weight to the butt of the rod without gaffa tape or major surgery?

NB - It has a full cork 'armlock' handle, ie - no 'butt cap' and corked joints.

 

[sam vimes]

The simplest solution is to use a heavier reel. This is the reason why I'm dubious about so many peoples, and the tackle trades, obsession with ever lighter reels. Fine and dandy to a point, but when it comes to the point of most normal rods failing to feel even close to balanced, it's gone too far. I suppose that it makes no odds on a rod that sits on rests all day unless you are playing a fish. Totally different ball game when it comes to a trotting rod.

As the Daiwa rod has an armlock handle and spliced tip, it won't have been a cheap rod. They've never used armlock on budget rods. It's not likely to be especially weighty. What size reel are you putting on it? This is one of the reasons that I won't have 2500 (Shimano) size or less, they are starting to get too light to balance a 13' (+) match rod.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

No butt cap eh?

That makes it a little less aesthetically pleasing as we used to place lead into the butt end and then replace the cap.

I think you could try lead tape wrapped around the butt end but as I said, it won't look all that good.

 

[tiinker]

If it is only up to a couple of ounces get some sheet lead cut some discs the same size as the cork butt and use a good quality two sided tape to fit the discs to the butt. If it were my rod I would carefuly hand drill the butt pack it with a stopper and insert some weight then seal off with a cork plug.

 

[guest61]

What size reel are you putting on it? This is one of the reasons that I won't have 2500 (Shimano) size or less, they are starting to get too light to balance a 13' (+) match rod.

I've tried three reels thus far - I only got it at the weekend - Daiwa TDRs 3012 and 2508 and an Auto 1657DM. It won't need a lot, it’s just a touch off.

It’s an easy job to add weight I just wondered how to do it with some style - I even thought of an old piece of swim feeder lead profiled to the end of the rod and fixed with some discrete screws.

 

[jimlad]

Shot an old Mitchell match on, much heavier than modern reels...


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[aebitim]

I would try using it first, then adjust as necessary. Rods often feel different on the bank.

 

[sam vimes]

Shot an old Mitchell match on, much heavier than modern reels...

Interesting that you think so, it's always been the impression I had. However, I recall someone quoting factory weights that disproved this. Damned if I can find the thread though.

 

[jimlad]

Ah well, they always feel heavier to me! Maybe I'm just thinking about solidity


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[guest61]

One thing to add after running a line through this rod in the Garden yesterday evening - it feels like it could stop a Rhino (should I hook one).

 

[sam vimes]

Ah well, they always feel heavier to me! Maybe I'm just thinking about solidity

I found it, here. Stating a Mitchell 300 at 316g (and the 440 Match as roughly the same further on in the thread)

To give some perspective, my Shimano Twinpower 3000 Ci4 (which I often find to be on the light side when balancing rods) comes in at 285g. The mid 90s Stradic GTM 3000 comes in at 350g. Old Abu 505, 315g. The much reviled Abu 507 MkII (famed for being an overly heavy behemoth), 400g. A modern centrepin, 250g.

The point of balance on the random 13' stick rod I had to hand is no more than about an inch or so different with all of the above reels. That point of balance is beyond the cork with every reel. The rod feels least tip heavy (unsurprisingly) with the 507MkII.

This is exactly why I'm dubious about the ever increasing rush towards lighter and lighter reels. Fine and dandy if your rod sits in a rest most of the time. Different matter on a trotting rod that will be held all day. Naturally, it doesn't matter a toss once you've got a half decent fish on though. Perhaps that's the best answer to the conundrum, repeatedly hook decent size fish with great regularity!

---------- Post added at 16:16 ---------- Previous post was at 16:13 ----------

One thing to add after running a line through this rod in the Garden yesterday evening - it feels like it could stop a Rhino (should I hook one).

Which model of Daiwa stick rod is it? I had early nineties Tom Pickering Matchwinners, including the stick float rod. I've had some cracking lumps out on them but they were still adept at knocking out a net full of tiddlers.

 

[guest61]

Which model of Daiwa stick rod is it? I had early nineties Tom Pickering Matchwinners, including the stick float rod. I've had some cracking lump out on them but they were still adept at knocking out a net full of tiddlers.

Something like Tom Pickering 13ft Connoiseur Kevlar stick - I'll confirm later.

 

[sam vimes]

Something like Tom Pickering 13ft Connoiseur Kevlar stick - I'll confirm later.

Make sure you say an effusive thank you very much to whoever gave you it. Belting rods that still sell for decent money, with good reason.

 

[Ray Roberts]

If it is only up to a couple of ounces get some sheet lead cut some discs the same size as the cork butt and use a good quality two sided tape to fit the discs to the butt. If it were my rod I would carefuly hand drill the butt pack it with a stopper and insert some weight then seal off with a cork plug.

If it were my rod I would drill and weight it as tinker has described.

Using a heavier reel doesn't really achieve the same effect in my opinion, as the rod is usually held at the reel foot this becomes the fulcrum point adding weight close to this point has a marginal effect, better to add the weight at the point furthest away from the fulcrum point.

 

[sam vimes]

If it were my rod I would drill and weight it as tinker has described.

Using a heavier reel doesn't really achieve the same effect in my opinion, as the rod is usually held at the reel foot this becomes the fulcrum point adding weight close to this point has a marginal effect, better to add the weight at the point furthest away from the fulcrum point.

Quite so, but it does make a nonesense of those that worry that a reel is 20, 50 or even 100g lighter than another.

 

[guest61]

Make sure you say an effusive thank you very much to whoever gave you it. Belting rods that still sell for decent money, with good reason.

Clacking Bell

 

[sam vimes]

Clacking Bell

Quite. Which is why I'd be very hesitant to do anything permanent to the rod.

 

[S-Kippy]

Agreed. Leave it alone and learn to love it.

 

[Ray Roberts]

Its a tool, adapt it and make it suit your needs, I wouldn't for example now use a rod that had ring fittings to hold the reel, when I did I taped the b*ggars to the handle and modified any that I still wanted to use to winch fittings. I may be a philistine, but my reel doesn't fall off of come loose.

 

[guest61]

After a bit of experimentation I have a small Dinsmore flat bomb taped to the underside of the cork at the butt - its a discrete and reversible solution.

Now I need to get out and use it.