Rod Experts Every Rod Is Different

[bigbill]

I have four rods that aren't cheap.($50/$99) the rods are marked med action. The rod from the handle up about 65% feels a med action backbone. The upper section is weak. I'd be afraid to trust a big bass on it. Each rod tip is weak. The heavier action rod is stiffer in the upper section.

Now I purchased another brand ($79) another med rod has chee (Even flow to the tip) the tip feels stronger.

There's no standards for actions vs taper. The rod blank lacks flow to the tip.

[Jrob78]

Bill, you need to learn what action and power mean, it will help you make sense of how your rods are labeled and what they really are.   What you have written doesn't make sense when you don't use the terminology correctly.

[rippin-lips]

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/rod-actions-power.html

http://www.bassfishingandcatching.com/fishing-rod-action.html

Power = heavy - medium heavy - medium - ect

Action = extra fast - fast - medium fast - ect

Taper = thickness of the rod and thickness of the wall of the blank. Action and taper are usually considered as one in the same.

[Molay1292]

BB, along with what Jrob78 posted is that manufacturers use different materials, carbon fiber, scrim materials, resin compounds to build their rods, this makes it nearly impossible to develop and industry standard, about the best you can hope for is that rods built by the same manufacturer are consistant.

[JeziHogg]

Ow, my brain.

[WPCfishing]

Has it ever occurred to you; meaning everyone, our rods are not graphite.

They are carbon fiber... or a blend of weaved materials.

Graphite is what we refer to as the lead in a pencil.

As for the OP.. Quit smoking that crap.

[tomustang]

It's completely different world jumping from an Angler to an Enthusiast.

[Catt]

Carbon Fiber = Graphite Fiber

[poisonokie]

They are indeed carbon fiber, which is stiff by nature, so variables in fiber density, wall thickness, mandrel shape, etc, equate to different powers and actions. I see what Bill's getting at, though. I think there should be a third rod spec. Power is obvious, as well as taper, but I think action is more subtle and varies from rod line to rod line. For instance, you can have a heavy powered rod with a fast taper, meaning that the tip bends about a quarter of the way down before giving way to the backbone. However H/F tells you nothing about the stiffness of the tip. It may have a tip that is supple and loads easily or it may have one that is stiff and takes more torque to load. I think that should be considered the action of the rod. So a heavy power with a fast tip that loads easily should be a H/F/soft or something to that effect.

[rippin-lips]

Graphite fiber, or carbon graphite is carbon fiber. They're still marketed as graphite rods. That can lead us into the next topic to make this more confusing. One companies IM8 graphite can differ from another companies IM8 graphite. Yes, crazy I know.

Example - The older Shimano Crucial was described as being made of IM10 graphite.

Luckily I've found a few companies that make rods that do what I want them to despite what it might be made of, or labeled as.

[Catt]

Carbon is a non-metallic, tetravalent element that is found in nature as graphite!

[Mike L]

All interesting to know and good reading on a slow day, but to me it really doesn't matter what it's made of.

I worry more about how it feels and fishes for what I tie on..

I know what I like, and what would be more advantageous for what I want to throw at any given time.

If looking for a cranking rod I know I want a glass or composite, all else is Graphite.

All I need to know.

Mike

[bassinhole]

All interesting to know and good reading on a slow day, but to me it really doesn't matter what it's made of.

I worry more about how it feels and fishes for what I tie on..

I know what I like, and what would be more advantageous for what I want to throw at any given time.

If looking for a cranking rod I know I want a glass or composite, all else is Graphite.

All I need to know.

Mike

 

 

Mike, that's all well and good until you go to order something online you have not had your hands on before. When facing that situation it pays to know the terminology and order what you need/want the first time!

[K_Mac]

Bill, you need to learn what action and power mean, it will help you make sense of how your rods are labeled and what they really are. What you have written doesn't make sense when you don't use the terminology correctly.

I almost posted something like this, only less helpful and more snarky. Thanks for saying this in a less judgemental way. Bill while there is no industry standard, there is consistency among some of the better manufacturers, especially within model lines.

Graphite is bonded in a way that makes it a good material for pencils or lubricant, but not fishing rods. Carbon fiber is graphite bonded in longer strands that make it useful for many more applications. Google is a very useful resource...

[Mike L]

Mike, that's all well and good until you go to order something online you have not had your hands on before. When facing that situation it pays to know the terminology and order what you need/want the first time!

You're exactly right.

I didn't think of it that way.

My intent was to help not to over complicate the buying decision.

Mike

[WPCfishing]

Graphite fiber, or carbon graphite is carbon fiber. They're still marketed as graphite rods. That can lead us into the next topic to make this more confusing. One companies IM8 graphite can differ from another companies IM8 graphite. Yes, crazy I know.

Example - The older Shimano Crucial was described as being made of IM10 graphite.

Luckily I've found a few companies that make rods that do what I want them to despite what it might be made of, or labeled as.

 

Which companies?

[Catt]

Graphite is bonded in a way that makes it a good material for pencils or lubricant, but not fishing rods. Carbon fiber is graphite bonded in longer strands that make it useful for many more applications. Google is a very useful resource...

Graphite fiber is a step higher than carbon fiber!

Google is fine if you know what to Google!

http://mosesgraphite.com/technical-info/about-carbon-fiber/

[roadwarrior]

Bill, you need to learn what action and power mean, it will help you make sense of how your rods are labeled and what they really are.   What you have written doesn't make sense when you don't use the terminology correctly.

 

This should help:  http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/35514-rods-power-and-action-%C2%A0defined/

 

 

 

[K_Mac]

Graphite fiber is a step higher than carbon fiber!

Google is fine if you know what to Google!

http://mosesgraphite.com/technical-info/about-carbon-fiber/

Catt if you do a comprehensive search, you will find that in spite of marketing claims and various terms and descriptions, my post is accurate. Graphite fiber and carbon fiber are one and the same. It is graphite bonded it longer strands.

[Catt]

Catt if you do a comprehensive search, you will find that in spite of marketing claims and various terms and descriptions, my post is accurate.. Graphite fiber and carbon fiber are one and the same. It is graphite bonded it longer strands.

K_Mac if you actually clicked on the supplied link & read it you you understand out of carbon fiber & graphite fiber, carbon is the weaker of the two.

With 15 yrs as a structural engineer in the areospace industry & working with both I fully understand the strengths & weakness of both.

[bigbill]

I needed a course in fishing rods for dummies. I never understood all this stuff. The more I look into it, the more I get confused. I find a med rod in one brand is stiffer than a M/H includes l another brand.

We need the fishing police on this one.

Thanks RW and guys for clearing some of this up.

[K_Mac]

K_Mac if you actually clicked on the supplied link & read it you you understand out of carbon fiber & graphite fiber, carbon is the weaker of the two.

With 15 yrs as a structural engineer in the areospace industry & working with both I fully understand the strengths & weakness of both.

Catt I clicked on and read your link, in addition to 14 others. In practical application it is strictly semantics IMO. There does seem to be a distinction in older literature but I can find no real differences in modern manufacturing.

Edit: Catt as I investigate further, it becomes clear that the carbon fiber that begins with graphite can be a higher modulus than that which derives its carbon from other sources. I am not sure any of this is relevant to fishing rods, but it has been an interesting Sunday afternoon project!

[Rick Howard]

This sounds a lot like golf clubs lol.

[K_Mac]

This sounds a lot like golf clubs lol.

Golf clubs, firearms, bicycles, cars, enthusiasts can argue about the darndest things..

[Jrob78]

I needed a course in fishing rods for dummies. I never understood all this stuff. The more I look into it, the more I get confused. I find a med action rod in one brand is stiffer than a M/H action in another brand.

We need the action police on this one.

Thanks RW and guys for clearing some of this up.

If you had read anything "RW and guys"  posted to help you, you would know that med and med heavy aren't actions.