Explain Tip Heavy

[*Hootie]

First, I understand tip heavy. What I don't understand, is, why it's such a big deal. Isn't a non tip heavy rig, only non tip heavy when it's standing in the corner? As soon as I tie on a bait, aren't I back to tip heavy again? I guess I'm just not that affected by the subtle difference it makes. After all, I only going to try to hang a 5# bass on the end of it. Now that's tip heavy.

Hootie

[iabass8]

You are correct that once your bait is attached the tip becomes heavy again. However when talking about a rod being tip heavy, it's decisive tip heaviness is when the bait is at a rest. Techniques that require bottom contact baits that are continuously or for the majority of the time moving along the bottom is where most people choice rods based on tip heaviness(trigs/jigs/etc). A rod that is balanced correctly will feel 100xs more comfortable, light and sensitive(using similar blanks) than a rod that is lighter and constantly wanting to drop its tip into the water. The rod will feel effortless to hold. Techniques that don't require you to have your rod tip up like cranking/spinnerbaits/top water/frogging doesn't make having a non tip heavy rod necessary as you don't really ever notice it unless it's something like a 3.5oz rod /w a 9 oz reel.

[LgMouthGambler]

Eh, grow a pair and use some muscle!

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

There is no "correct" or "incorrect" balance for a rod. It's 100% user preference. Personally, I feel weight is weight no matter where you put it and lighter weight with equal or better strength is the goal. By using light weight guides and an appropriate handle length in proportion to the rod a good feel can be achieved. No two people use the exact same grip and often the same person adjusts their grip according to the situation. Next, consider that the tip is fished in a variety of positions none of which is perfectly parallel to the ground. At the end of the day, fish whatever feels good to you.

[jj'sbassinforfun]

Tip heavy is great for rod tip low apps. I only balance my rod tip high rods. As stated user preference.

Dropshot, CR and TR to be more specific.

[deep]

iabass8 pretty much covered my opinion. X2

[jj'sbassinforfun]

While we are on the subject, How do you balance you rigs?

[Darren.]

When I think of "tip heavy" it is the balance of the rod with my reel of choice. If the rod/reel combo, in my hands where I like to hold it, tips toward the ground at the TIP end, then it is tip heavy. If, on the other hand, it balances at the back-end, or the butt of the rod, it is not tip-heavy. That's where the tip is either stable, or tends to rise.

Doesn't matter to me when I have a butt-heavy rod/reel combo and my lure makes it "tip-heavy". The combo BEFORE the lure addition is tip-light.

So for me it is more comfortable to fish with when the combo is NOT tip-heavy at first.

Don't know if that makes sense to you...hope it does.

[Loop_Dad]

I also think it is matter of preferences. The way I like to hold casting rods is not by palming the reel, but holding the rod behind the reel. With that, any combo is tip heavy. I once added some weight in the back to try out, but didn't notice much difference at the end of the day.

[iabass8]

While we are on the subject, How do you balance you rigs?

you can buy a balancing kit from BPS but i personally don't like it. Of all my rods only one I currently have needs to be balanced in order to feel comfortable. I guess I should have added in my post (what was added twice above this one) is balance is personal preference and it really depends where you hold the rod. A very cheap way to balance out a rod is go to a hardware store and buy plastic chair butts. Most rods fit into 1 1/8 in size, others are the size below for the most part. Quarters fit perfect in these. Get 3-4 quarters and place them in the cap and put it on the rod and hold the rod where you usually do. Add/subtract quarters to make it feel more comfortable. Once you found the right fit just take a small piece of duct tape, tape the quarters together, put them in the butt cap. I took a light light coat of super glue and ran it around the inside of the cap. put the cap on the rod butt and push and hold for 10-20 seconds and it will be secure. lots of rods have a black butt cap so if you do it correctly or get the appropriate cap it will just look like part of the rod rather than some odd shaped piece hanging off the butt. I've had the rod for over a year and the cap has never fell off.

[Alpster]

I have been building rods for years and reading all kinds of forums and articles. I have tried and even ruined (in my opinion) rod blanks by trying to move the reel seat to a place where it balances. (Defined as nuetral at the center of the reel seat.) It makes for a rod that loses leverage for casting and in no way makes my fishing anymore comfortable. I am more than fine with a rod that is "tip heavy". As DWT posted earlier, my goal in building a rod is now to reduce as much weight as possible overall. That makes a rod you can fish all day with comfortably. When you hold a baseball bat backwards, it feels much lighter, but try hitting a ball that way. I hope that makes sense.

Ronnie

[LgMouthGambler]

I have been building rods for years and reading all kinds of forums and articles. I have tried and even ruined (in my opinion) rod blanks by trying to move the reel seat to a place where it balances. (Defined as nuetral at the center of the reel seat.) It makes for a rod that loses leverage for casting and in no way makes my fishing anymore comfortable. I am more than fine with a rod that is "tip heavy". As DWT posted earlier, my goal in building a rod is now to reduce as much weight as possible overall. That makes a rod you can fish all day with comfortably. When you hold a baseball bat backwards, it feels much lighter, but try hitting a ball that way. I hope that makes sense.

Ronnie

I like the baseball bat reference, nice!

[SirSnookalot]

Most of my fishing is done having only 1 rod with me, the lures I'm using vary in weight and profile design, each have a different feel when casting and differ in water resistance on retrieve. I do not pay as much attention to weight and balance as many do, true much of my fishing is in saltwater but that doesn't mean I'm casting any less. I never get tired or sore and there are 2 basic reasons why, 1. I let the rod tip load up and cast with minimal effort, not trying to break the world casting distance record and 2., doing this 7 days a week my body is in shape, not only to cast all day but to handle about any sized fish that comes along. For example my cuda outfit is a heavy spinning rod with an 18 oz spinning reel, fatigue isn't in the equation, my buddies are using the same kind of gear.

One of the things I like most about bass fishing is the light gear, a 6'6 or 7' med rod with a 2000 reel or smaller is exceptionally light and comfortable, whether the rod is tip heavy, balanced or not, it's like fishing with a feather. I know many fish heavier lures, hence the need for a heavier rod, my philosophy is heavy rods for heavy fish and light rods for light fish, but that's just me.

[baluga]

One of the best qualities of a high-end rod is it's being well balance aside from being light and sensitive. I love using a well balance rod!

[roadwarrior]

At the end of the day, fish whatever feels good to you.

A well balanced combination will feel almost weightless regardless of the actual weight.

[baluga]

A well balanced combination will feel almost weightless regardless of the actual weight.

True that! Althought I still try to keep my reel and rod combo under 12 Oz.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

One of the best qualities of a high-end rod is it's being well balance aside from being light and sensitive. I love using a well balance rod!

That's the result of quality light weight compnents used in a highend rod rod. You'd almost have to try to make them not feel "balanced".

[Long Mike]

To me it's all BS. Find a rod and reel that you are comfortable with and use it, tip heavy or not. No one needs a high end rod and reel to be comfortable with regards to rod balance. Unless you are a dedicated tournament fisherman who makes hundreds of casts every day, the difference is negligible. As for putting any more bass in the boat? I doubt it.

[SirSnookalot]

To me it's all BS. Find a rod and reel that you are comfortable with and use it, tip heavy or not. No one needs a high end rod and reel to be comfortable with regards to rod balance. Unless you are a dedicated tournament fisherman who makes hundreds of casts every day, the difference is negligible. As for putting any more bass in the boat? I doubt it.

Well said..............Each different lure type, whether it's weight, or profile changes the dynamics any way

[*Hootie]

Well said..............Each different lure type, whether it's weight, or profile changes the dynamics any way

Thank you. This post, and long Mike' post confirm my theory. It don't make a dang difference.

Hootie

[SirSnookalot]

Thank you. This post, and long Mike' post confirm my theory. It don't make a dang difference.

Hootie

What I going to say doesn't not apply to bass fishing or at least no bass fisherman would do this, and I wouldn't have either until I did it. I see this no less than dozens of times a day, many guys, mostly meat hunters, use crappie jigs ( the Walmart kind 10 for buck or whatever), a great fish catcher. Many are using the cheapest of equipment and a crappie jig won't load up a rod enough to cast. A 1 oz egg sinker on top of a swivel and that jig casts a country mile. So much for balance, tip heavy, but tons of fish caught. I'm using this set up today, 1 oz sinker, rattling casting bobber, and a clark spoon, on a med hvy rod, real tip heavy, catching fish is the goal, never hurts to think outside the box.

[iabass8]

While you guys are correct that the added weight of a lure does counter the balance point that isnt what people mean when they refer to a rod being tip heavy. Tip heavy is when the rod and reel combo are being held on its own without a lure at the point you grip the fishing reel/rod during a retrieve/deadstick/w/e. If the rod tip has a feeling that is is almost being forced down or it feels like there is a lot of weight at the tip, that is a tip heavy rod. A non tip heavy rod is obviously more comfortable to fish with but it isnt necessary.