Before Technique Spec Rods, There Was Rick Clunn.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Technique specific labels are merely suggestions and are subjective just like every other rod rating or description. Can you imagine going to the lumber yard and having to choose between short, medium and long boards? That's kind of what we're up against and lets face it, the large majority of rods are sold to folks way less informed, experienced and die-hard as we here. 

[5dollarsplash]

Well said DVT.  Pick the length, action, and lure rating you need and forget the TS label.

 

With them making all the TS rods, I think it actually gives us more oppurtunity to find a ideal rod.  We aren't all stuck with choosing a 7' mh/f or a 7' m/m.  We can run the whole gammit of lengths and partial actions to find something that suits our individual needs. 

 

There is a ton of information out there on the interweb and I can see where the average joe might get confused.  But if your going to drop $150+ on a rod/reel/whatever, I'd do the legwork and see what works before a random buy.

[FlipnLimits]

All great replies, thanks for your input! 

 

Above all, it's a win, win with more tools in the box and a bit of marketing mixed in.  If Croix is making strong rods with ART technology, excellent, we benefit.  As a user of some of their product, I like them, but also see the marketing side of things when Alconite rings are placed into titanium to make them lighter but the line rides across Alconite, can't change that fact. 

 

I have broken numerous rods throughout the years, not one has been from a hookset with a rod that wasn't already slightly damaged or another influence that wouldn't cause a failure.  Every broken rod has always been 100% my fault, one way or another.  Top companies make top products......personal preference is what it comes down to, as stated above.   

 

Without weights and measures in rod blank construction, there are no industry standards and each company can name them what they want and sell whatever they can market.

 

Tools are what they are and getting fishermen thinking and talking was the goal here.  The marketing tricks is what get me because we pay the price.  From $150 to $500 rods, they all seem to have similar strengths and components.  Tools, tools, tools.

 

FL    

[ToledoEF]

I dont mind them, but I may not use them for their "intentions" for example... I have a 73H mod fast KLX that is suppose to be for jigs,creature baits ect, but I love it as a spinnerbait rod.

[roadwarrior]

With all of the Technique Specific (TS) rods on the market now,  it appears many people are even more confused with what action is meant for what.  I searched for a thread that spoke to this but didn't find one within the last half dozen pages, so I apologize if it's been covered already. 

 

FL           

 

Pinned at the top of this section:  http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/130634-rod-selection-the-basics/

[craww]

He used to say he only used 7' Heavy Action graphite rods, then when his turquoise W&M rods came out he talked about using glass saltwater rods. Take everything with a grain of salt.  

[21farms]

that rick clunn dude is one odd cat, man (i added the "man" there for effect  ). he actively paints himself as the zen master of bass fishing and seemingly goes out of his way to do things differently than everyone else. i say "the right tool for the job" regardless of whether it is technique-specific or not. everyone is different and should ultimately do what is right for them.

[Brian Needham]

if I could throw a 1/8oz drop shot on the same rod as a 3 oz swimbait I would, but I cant.

[fishindad]

Like the rest of you I have used almost all brands and actions and as much as I agree that Rick Clunn operates in another space and time continuum, I tend to believe he was/is onto something with the "one rod" theory. I honestly believe I would be a more efficient fisherman if I used say 5 identical GLX MBR843's (insert any MH power rod) with Chronarchs lined with 10, 12, 14, and 17 lb test line, I could cover 99% of my bass presentations very effectively. But I don't flip and pitch heavy cover. The addition to those would be 3 identical 7 foot ML/M power spinning rods/reels with 6, 8, and 10 lb test and then 100% of my fishing is covered. As it stands now I have Lew's, Daiwa, and Shimano reels and Falcon, Shimano, Loomis, Fenwick, and St. Croix rods. Each combo serves one or two specific purposes but each combo also feels very different in hand.  IMO, it is admittedly way more fun to mix and match and try out new rod/reel combos.

[Munkin]

If you dare try to throw a crankbait on a TS worm rod the earth will spin off its axis and plummet into the sun!

 

Allen

[War Eagle 44]

I think there are definitely times that technique specific gear is by far the best approach but at the same time I do feel that the TS thing is getting a little "over used". As many other guys have already pointed out a good 7' MH fast rod can cover a lot of different things. IMO there's no need for a specific rod for every single bait category. The techniques that are at both ends of the spectrum are to me where TS rods come into play. Frogs, punching, swimbaits, and umbrella rigs need specific rods in order to fish them the most efficiently. Same goes for techniques at the low end, drop shots, ultra light, etc.

 

As fishindad pointed out, a good ole Loomis mag bass MH in 6'6" or 7' can really fish a lot of different baits well. These are the very rods I feel eliminate the need for TS rods for all lure categories.    

[Bass4Me007]

He used to say he only used 7' Heavy Action graphite rods, then when his turquoise W&M rods came out he talked about using glass saltwater rods. Take everything with a grain of salt.

This is what I heard Rick Clunn say, as well. Not MH, but H seven foot rods. He was using up to 10 of them all identical. I'm not exactly capable of fishing some techniques wth a heavy. Maybe Mr. Clunn was/is, but I'm not. I guess if he changed his mind to go to all the same rods he can change it again. Now, what motivates that change I'll leave up to mind readers, but I reckon we have certain guesses.

[The Next KVD]

I'm pretty sure Rick Clunn has no need or even owns any spinning equipment.  Its just his style of fishing.  He does not seem to do well in tournaments that require finesse techniques such as shakeyheads or dropshots.  I have seen him fish a couple different times and even on The Bass Pros you only see him fish power techniques such as cranks, spinnerbaits, topwater.ect.  I'm sure he uses a jigs and plastics as well which are baits that you would throw on a 7' Heavy rod.  

 

Anyways I'm not that one dimensional and while I believe a 7'MH St.Croix Legend Elite rod would handle 50-75% of techniques; I still like using TS rods for specific purposes such as frogs, swimbaits, dropshots, ect.

[Catt]

Technique Specific are the latest & most popular "Buzz Words" used by companies to gain consumers confidence.

Take punching for an example, we are told we need "technique specific" tackle or gloom & doom!

Companies target the less knowledgeable angler, who makes up a huge percentage of all anglers; older more knowledgeable anglers know we're been punching for 35-40 yrs with none of that tackle.

This sales ploy has been used for years; y'all are being bombarded with KVDs, Skeets & Ikes while we were bombarded with Clunn, Houston, Roland, & Dance.

The game aint changed...the players have!

[Team9nine]

^^^ What Catt said ^^^

 

Very easy to get by in the bassin' world without TS rods, it's just getting harder and harder to find any companies that don't list their rods that way, especially their mid and high end rods. Such is the market...

 

-T9

[mnbassman23]

You don't need a technique specific rod.. Just the right rod for the technique. I also don't see the logic, or benefit, in using one specific rod for everything. Seems like 1 extreme to the next.

[jtesch]

Lets not forget that professional bass fisherman make their real money marketing products and getting endorsements from tackle manufacturers and retailers. I to have heard Clunn windsock all over the place about rod choice. My guess would be if South Bend gave him a bag of cash and put his name on a product line the next thing you would hear is how they are all a bass fisherman could ever need. I have nothing against TS lines, I buy a rod based on action and how they feel. A good example is my Kistler mini MG small swimbait special. Great rod for any kind of reaction baits with a soft tip and a lot of backbone.

[flippin and pitchin]

Technique Specific are the latest & most popular "Buzz Words" used by companies to gain consumers confidence.

Take punching for an example, we are told we need "technique specific" tackle or gloom & doom!

Companies target the less knowledgeable angler, who makes up a huge percentage of all anglers; older more knowledgeable anglers know we're been punching for 35-40 yrs with none of that tackle.

This sales ploy has been used for years; y'all are being bombarded with KVDs, Skeets & Ikes while we were bombarded with Clunn, Houston, Roland, & Dance.

The game aint changed...the players have!

Well stated. Catt doesn't let the complexity of fishing get in the way of his fishing. I miss the guys like Ricky Green, Harold Allen, Tommy Martin and David Wharton.

[Fishes in trees]

I heard Rick Clunn talk at the KC Sportshow once, several years ago.  He was talking about how he advised using one rod for all his fishing, but he really only talked about square bills & spinnerbaits.  I don't know, maybe if I was a zen master angler, that approach would work for me, but I'm not and it doesn't.

 

Overall, I wasn't really impressed by his presentation and I left thinking, "Thanks Rick, but I'll make my own decisions about rods & reels."

[pat_walker_fishing]

I'm with the crowd that says you can't golf with 14 of the same club.... With that said I will say this. TS just do not fit everyone, it's part marketing ploy to catch an angler who loves to say a spinnerbait or jerkbait. That might work for one guy but I might like to throw a small worm on that jerkbait rod! It's all in your hands and between your ears.... I fish shimano exclusively and I will actually tape over the TS writing (it's mental for me) I do agree with the one poster who said he believed CLUNN was talking about the same rod line and reel, not the same exact actions I wouldn't think? But CLUNN is yoda so maybe he does.... Lol! I would love to have a 100% glass shimano cranking rod but have yet to find one. I use an umbrella rig cumara for Carolina rig fishing so I'm no authority. Haha. I think everybody has probably covered everything I've written but I had to post. I basically have 6'8"- 7'11" in my boat and fish by feel.... That's what it's about, other than finding and catching those green jokers! And if anyone has a 100% fiberglass shimano rod... PM ME!! Lol

[.ghoti.]

I use a Fenwick Elite Tech walleye rod for trout fishing. It works nicely because it only says walleye on the top of the rod, where the trout can't see it.

[roadwarrior]

That reminds me of a trick I like to use:

 

Using your "outdoors" voice, yell out "This is my last cast" 

then wait a minute and cast again. The fish will think you're

gone!

[DTack]

I believe there are multiple factors here.  Number one first and foremost is techniques and materials have changed in the past 20 even 10 years.  Introductions such as different line types and more extreme lure weights and sizes in my opinion have made these changes a requirement.  Technique specific was created based on multiple factors I believe.  I think a portion is definitely marketing, another portion is giving the consumer a GUIDE to what to buy, yet another portion is neccessity due to advancement. 
Before there was braid and fluoro, it was rare that you threw a bait over 1.5-2 ounces.  With the introduction of things like braid you are now presenting a bait into a location that you still could before, but now you could actually hook a fish and land it.  Don't believe me?  Just ask some people who were throwing frogs around the time that braided line was beginning to be used.  This was a natural progression where it was then learned that new rod actions would just increase the benefit of this "no-stretch" line. 
I don't think the technique specific should be SO closely followed, however I'm sorry but a Medium-heavy or heavy action 7' rod isn't going to do a very good job of throwing a 1/8 oz darthead or dropshot on 6-7lb test.  For some people that is not neccessary but for others, it is.  The same can be said for that 7' MH or H action rod about a 2+ oz swimbait or even throwing a frog into HEAVY cover or mat.  Or heavy flipping or punching into mat.  Once again you don't need a technique specific rod to perform these tasks but one rod will NOT cover all techniques that some of us need to use in order to feel or be competetive.

Nice topic

[Jeff H]

Most of my rods are TS rods, but none of them say so anywhere on the blank.

[Flukeman]

It is all about marketing. The rod industry is no different than any other widget business out there. They realized they could attract more participants by making it easier for them to choose a product. They also realized they could create more business and money by making people think they needed more of "something", than they really needed. It is business 101!

 

But in the end who cares - they get more money and can stay viable. We get more choices to find a tool that fits each of us better and at price point varieties that make us feel better about our purchase so we can enjoy them just that much more. 

 

With no standards in rods it is all kind of laughable. One companies powers are so different from many of the others, you really still need to try them out to see if they fit you and your style of fishing. We have always had TS rods if you think about it because of this fact,