Effect does finding rod spine

[LSU Fan]

I have heard and read various statements concerning the spine of rod blanks, whether it effects the actions of a finished rod when Largemouth Bass fishing. 

[Jrob78]

It isn't something I worry about. I build on the straightest axis, preferring my rods to curve up or down and not left or right. I've built on the spine before, in either direction and never noticed any difference one way or another. Some builders still build on the spine but many do not.

[S Hovanec]

Spine may affect a rod if you only fish it on one axis.  I build on straightest axis with the curve tip up.

 

On super heavy offshore rods, it may make a difference to build on spine.  I think it's negligible on most freshwater rods.

[spoonplugger1]

Lots of spine myths out there even though it was proven bull pucky 40 or more years ago, the simplest explanation I can think of is you build the rod on the spine and line the components right down the line on your bass casting rod. Now you pick up your finished rod and prepare to cast, what position is your hand when you cast? 

What position are the guides in now? What did you really accomplish now your casting with the guides off to the side? What about during a side cast,  or wrist flip cast?

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I don’t give blank spine any consideration at all. It’s an irrelevant anomaly of blank manufacturing. If anything, building on the spine makes the rod least powerful deadlift wise. 

[soflabasser]

I remember reading on another forum that said where you put the rod guides on the rod spine supposedly affects the performance of the rod. People on that forum where rod builders and they also said that you cannot use a casting blank for a spinning rod. Responses seem to be different on this forum and many members here say its ok to use a casting blank for a spinning rod. 

[S Hovanec]

36 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

.....and they also said that you cannot use a casting blank for a spinning rod. Responses seem to be different on this forum and many members here say its ok to use a casting blank for a spinning rod. 

Yeah.  The blank isn't smart enough to know what you're using it for.  Lots of fly to spin conversions and spey to float rods out there.  Blanks are labeled spinning ir casting based on certain tapers or actions.  For years, my favorite dropshot rod was a mlxf casting blank built as a spinning rod.  It was a touch more powerful than the spinning model.

[Jrob78]

1 hour ago, soflabasser said:

I remember reading on another forum that said where you put the rod guides on the rod spine supposedly affects the performance of the rod. People on that forum where rod builders and they also said that you cannot use a casting blank for a spinning rod. Responses seem to be different on this forum and many members here say its ok to use a casting blank for a spinning rod. 

Think of it like technique specific rods, the labels are just a suggestion. 

[MickD]

15 hours ago, soflabasser said:

I remember reading on another forum that said where you put the rod guides on the rod spine supposedly affects the performance of the rod. People on that forum where rod builders and they also said that you cannot use a casting blank for a spinning rod. Responses seem to be different on this forum and many members here say its ok to use a casting blank for a spinning rod

This advice is totally wrong.     There are still a lot of myths about rod building, but these two, spine and spin/cast crossover with blanks, have generally been debunked.  Many years ago.

[Jigfishn10]

When I first started building rods I always found the spine. I read and was taught (I may have this backwards) that the spine was the "strong" side and opposite was weaker. On a casting rod you would put the guides on the spine side if you were using the rod as a worm or jig rod. There would be less "give" and a more solid hookset. Conversely, if you set the guides on the opposite side it would be best used as a crankbait/spinnerbait type rod.

 

I've bought a few rods and just for the heck of it I found the spine and noticed that none of them had guides installed along or opposite and the rod still performed well. I now save myself the time of finding the spine and now do what others on here do.

[wisconsin heat]

On 2/26/2019 at 10:36 AM, Jrob78 said:

It isn't something I worry about. I build on the straightest axis, preferring my rods to curve up or down and not left or right. I've built on the spine before, in either direction and never noticed any difference one way or another. Some builders still build on the spine but many do not.

 

On 2/26/2019 at 12:32 PM, S Hovanec said:

Spine may affect a rod if you only fish it on one axis.  I build on straightest axis with the curve tip up.

 

Good info guys, can you elaborate more on what the axis is and how you build around it? I've got a couple rod builds coming up and the info would be much appreciated!

[Jrob78]

41 minutes ago, wisconsin heat said:

 

 

Good info guys, can you elaborate more on what the axis is and how you build around it? I've got a couple rod builds coming up and the info would be much appreciated!

Many rod blanks aren't arrow straight. When I look down a blank I don't want the blank to curve to the left or right. I orient the blank so that the curve goes up or down and put my guides and reel seat on the up or down curve, this way when you look down the blank it appears to be straight and my guides all line up. Hopefully that makes sense, not sure how else to describe it.

[spoonplugger1]

Put your blank on the kitchen counter, table, floor, wherever you have a flat spot, and roll the blank. Any tip bend will be immediately visible to you. Up or down will be straight, any deviation will be swing to the right or left. Build it tip up and the weight of the components and the component feet and wraps will help straightening it a bit, however minor it may be.

[basscatcher8]

What those guys said. I'll get on the floor myself and roll it and depending on how the blank is the tip will move in like an oval pattern as you roll it back and forth. I'll roll it slow until the tip as at the very tip of that oval and mark the top of the blank so I know where that is and build to it.

[BloodshotEyes]

Someone told me (I dont know if this is true or not as I am new to building myself) that if the rod wasnt built on the spine especially on a casting rod that when the rod is under load it would pull to either side trying to find the spine? Ive never noticed it on any other rod, but I also never checked if they were built on the spine or not. Anyone else hear that?

[Munkin]

On 5/5/2019 at 3:59 AM, BloodshotEyes said:

Someone told me (I dont know if this is true or not as I am new to building myself) that if the rod wasnt built on the spine especially on a casting rod that when the rod is under load it would pull to either side trying to find the spine? Ive never noticed it on any other rod, but I also never checked if they were built on the spine or not. Anyone else hear that?

Yes it will if you are fishing for 500lb goliath grouper. Bass rods will but you can not feel it.

 

Allen 

[MickD]

What torques the rod are the guides, not the spine.  The higher the guides the more the torque, which is why micros don't do it as much.  Most builders don't even find the spine any more, they find the straightest axis and build either with the bend of the rod, if there is one, either up or down so it's not noticed.

[spoonplugger1]

If you built a spiral wrapped rod you'd never have torque on you from that 500 lb grouper, no matter the blank spine position, that includes any other type rod. Comes in handy when you're fishing by yourself and the rod never fights you.