Spiralite Rods- anybody use em + thoughts?

[Bassin_Harrison]

Just wondering if anybody has tried Spiralite, particularly the Defiant series. A few reviews on TW say they are slightly tip heavy, but I am going to put a relatively heavy reel on it if I get one so I'm not worried about that. Really like all the compnents they have (Winn grips, Alps reel seat, not sure about guides), but I don't know much about their performance. Mainly wondering about sensitivity + weight.

 

Looking at the 6'9" MH/F model...

Thanks for any help!

[DaveT63]

I recently bought that same model.  It's a nice rod, from the little I've been able to fish it so far.

[Bassin_Harrison]

2 hours ago, DaveT63 said:

I recently bought that same model.  It's a nice rod, from the little I've been able to fish it so far.

Yeah I actually asked you a question about it on another thread. Was hoping if I created a new thread, it would get some new attention/more replies. Your about the only person who has anything to say about the rods. 

[LionHeart]

How would using a heavy reel help a rod that is tip heavy?

[Jrob78]

2 hours ago, LionHeart said:

How would using a heavy reel help a rod that is tip heavy?

Helps shift the balance back toward the butt end.

[LionHeart]

51 minutes ago, Jrob78 said:

Helps shift the balance back toward the butt end.

As measured from what?  Isn't the balance point the hand you use to hold the rod?  Isn't that hand positioned at the reel? If not slightly behind it?  I don't see how that would make the tip less heavy ?

[Jrob78]

7 hours ago, LionHeart said:

As measured from what?  Isn't the balance point the hand you use to hold the rod?  Isn't that hand positioned at the reel? If not slightly behind it?  I don't see how that would make the tip less heavy ?

The balance point on a tip heavy rod is in front of the reel so a heavier reel moves the balance point closer to the butt end. That doesn't change based on where you hold the rod. I don't know that an ounce or 2 at the reel will really make a whole lot of difference in felt tip heaviness but a lot of people put heavier reels on tip heavy rods. To really balance a rod you need to add weight to the butt.

[LionHeart]

Gotta disagree on this one.  The second your hand grips the rod, your hand becomes the fulcrum.  You could add a 20 lb reel to the rod and that wouldn't keep it from being tip heavy, since most people palm the reel which places the weight in line with the fulcrum (hand holding the rod)

 

Unless you are some kind of weirdo that holds a fishing rod forward of the reel.  In that case a heavy reel would help.

 

At the end of the day, if you feel like it helps, keep doing it.  Worst thing that will happen is you add a few unnecessary ounces to your setup.

 

 

[Jrob78]

4 hours ago, LionHeart said:

Gotta disagree on this one.  The second your hand grips the rod, your hand becomes the fulcrum.  You could add a 20 lb reel to the rod and that wouldn't keep it from being tip heavy, since most people palm the reel which places the weight in line with the fulcrum (hand holding the rod)

 

Unless you are some kind of weirdo that holds a fishing rod forward of the reel.  In that case a heavy reel would help.

 

At the end of the day, if you feel like it helps, keep doing it.  Worst thing that will happen is you add a few unnecessary ounces to your setup.

 

 

The fulcrum is the point where the rod is perfectly balanced. If your hand were the fulcrum, it wouldn't be tip heavy it would be perfectly balanced. Any weight added on either side of the fulcrum moves the fulcrum, therefor a heavier reel moves the fulcrum closer to the butt end of the rod. As I said, I don't think an ounce or 2 where the reel goes is going to make that much difference. 

 

If you don't think a reel helps balance a rod, hold a rod with no reel exactly where you would normally hold it. Then put a reel on and do it again, see which one is more tip heavy.

[LionHeart]

1 hour ago, Jrob78 said:

The fulcrum is the point where the rod is perfectly balanced. If your hand were the fulcrum, it wouldn't be tip heavy it would be perfectly balanced. Any weight added on either side of the fulcrum moves the fulcrum, therefor a heavier reel moves the fulcrum closer to the butt end of the rod. As I said, I don't think an ounce or 2 where the reel goes is going to make that much difference. 

 

If you don't think a reel helps balance a rod, hold a rod with no reel exactly where you would normally hold it. Then put a reel on and do it again, see which one is more tip heavy.

Look up definition of fulcrum.

 

Let's say you have two kids on a see saw.  One kid weighs 200 lb and the other kid weighs 100 lb.  The fulcrum of the see saw is the teetering hinge in the middle.  You can add all the weight you want to the teetering hinge, but unless you give the 100 lb kid a mechanical advantage like moving the fulcrum closer to the 200 lb kid(changing where you hold the rod),  or adding weight to the 100 lb kid (putting weight disc in the butt of a rod), you haven't changed a thing.

 

Maybe I hold a fishing rod differently than everyone else but when I am holding a rod, it pivots about the location where I am holding it.

 

Adding a reel certainly makes the rig heavier over all, but it doesn't reduce the amount of downward force the tip of the rod imposes on your hand.

 

Moving the reel seat forward, holding the rod further forward than normal, or adding weights to the butt are the only cures.

 

If adding a heavy reel makes it seem better, then there is nothing wrong at all with doing it.  You should do what suits you best.  Just wanted the OP to know it won't make the rod less tip heavy.

 

 

[Jrob78]

54 minutes ago, LionHeart said:

Look up definition of fulcrum.

 

Let's say you have two kids on a see saw.  One kid weighs 200 lb and the other kid weighs 100 lb.  The fulcrum of the see saw is the teetering hinge in the middle.  You can add all the weight you want to the teetering hinge, but unless you give the 100 lb kid a mechanical advantage like moving the fulcrum closer to the 100 lb kid(changing where you hold the rod),  or adding weight to the 100 lb kid (putting weight disc in the butt of a rod), you haven't changed a thing.

 

Maybe I hold a fishing rod differently than everyone else but when I am holding a rod, it pivots about the location where I am holding it.

 

Adding a reel certainly makes the rig heavier over all, but it doesn't reduce the amount of downward force the tip of the rod imposes on your hand.

 

Moving the reel seat forward, holding the rod further forward than normal, or adding weights to the butt are the only cures.

 

If adding a heavy reel makes it seem better, then there is nothing wrong at all with doing it.  You should do what suits you best.  Just wanted the OP to know it won't make the rod less tip heavy.

 

 

Lol, I did look up fulcrum and it said, "the point on which an object balances." The weight of the reel does change the balance of the rod, it's like adding weight in the middle of one side of the seesaw instead of at the seat of the seesaw. It changes it but not nearly as effectively as adding weight to the butt. Any weight you add anywhere on a rod is going to change where the rod balances.

[CrankFate]

I hate jump into this. I just checked how tip heavy a rod is, the center of gravity was about 4” above the reel. After I put the reel on the center of gravity moved down about 3.5-3.75” to just at the top of the reel.

 

You can put a fulcrum anywhere. It does not have to be at the center of gravity.

 

 

Dont ask. Yes, I have rods and reels handy.

 

[Jrob78]

1 hour ago, CrankFate said:

I hate jump into this. I just checked how tip heavy a rod is, the center of gravity was about 4” above the reel. After I put the reel on the center of gravity moved down about 3.5-3.75” to just at the top of the reel.

 

You can put a fulcrum anywhere. It does not have to be at the center of gravity.

 

 

Dont ask. Yes, I have rods and reels handy.

 

 

Thank you.

 

Sorry about jacking your thread @BigBass'n_Harrison that wasn't my intention. 

[Bassin_Harrison]

1 hour ago, Jrob78 said:

Thank you.

 

Sorry about jacking your thread @BigBass'n_Harrison that wasn't my intention. 

No problem, I wasn’t getting an responses anyway lol. I wasn’t expecting to since not many people have these rods, but to be honest your debate over fulcrums was interesting ? 

 

tight lines

[CrankFate]

1 hour ago, BigBass'n_Harrison said:

No problem, I wasn’t getting an responses anyway lol. I wasn’t expecting to since not many people have these rods, but to be honest your debate over fulcrums was interesting ? 

 

tight lines

Spiral rods are not used by enough people to get responses. I’m sure they work, but I don’t see how they could possibly improve casting. But I’ve been wrong many times in the past.

[LionHeart]

5 hours ago, CrankFate said:

I hate jump into this. I just checked how tip heavy a rod is, the center of gravity was about 4” above the reel. After I put the reel on the center of gravity moved down about 3.5-3.75” to just at the top of the reel.

 

You can put a fulcrum anywhere. It does not have to be at the center of gravity.

 

 

Dont ask. Yes, I have rods and reels handy.

 

One more and I'm done.  

 

The point that is being missed is that when you hold a fishing rod, the fulcrum can't be placed anywhere.  The fulcrum is the point of the rod where you hold the rod and can't be negotiated.  Adding weight to this location does nothing to the balance of the rod while you are holding it.

 

Weight would have to be added to, or taken away either forward or aft of the fulcrum (where you hold the rod) to make any change.  Adding weight to the location where you hold the rod (fulcrum) just adds more weight.

 

The only way to change fulcrum location of a rod once you hold it would be to change where you place your hand.

 

OP, if you really want to reduce the tip heaviness of a rod, and don't mind adding weight to do it, butt weights are the only way to actually do it.

 

Then again, if you feel like it helps to add weight with a heavier reel, this is America, do it.  

[Bassin_Harrison]

2 hours ago, CrankFate said:

Spiral rods are not used by enough people to get responses. I’m sure they work, but I don’t see how they could possibly improve casting. But I’ve been wrong many times in the past.

I honestly don’t care about the spiral wrap part of the rod, I just like the components of the rod. That ALPS reel seat is probably my favorite reel seat and I love WINN grips

[CrankFate]

2 hours ago, LionHeart said:

One more and I'm done.  

 

The point that is being missed is that when you hold a fishing rod, the fulcrum can't be placed anywhere.  The fulcrum is the point of the rod where you hold the rod and can't be negotiated.  Adding weight to this location does nothing to the balance of the rod while you are holding it.

 

Weight would have to be added to, or taken away either forward or aft of the fulcrum (where you hold the rod) to make any change.  Adding weight to the location where you hold the rod (fulcrum) just adds more weight.

 

The only way to change fulcrum location of a rod once you hold it would be to change where you place your hand.

 

OP, if you really want to reduce the tip heaviness of a rod, and don't mind adding weight to do it, butt weights are the only way to actually do it.

 

Then again, if you feel like it helps to add weight with a heavier reel, this is America, do it.  

I know what you mean. And i know that especially if you hold the rod below the reel, the weight doesn’t do anything for balance. But if you hold it higher up it does. If you have a Foregrip it can really make a huge difference. I, personally, never hold the rod below the reel or at the base of the reel. I always hold the reel or if I have a bigger sized fish, I’ll hold the fore grip above the reel.

2 hours ago, BigBass'n_Harrison said:

I honestly don’t care about the spiral wrap part of the rod, I just like the components of the rod. That ALPS reel seat is probably my favorite reel seat and I love WINN grips

The components sound great. I can’t say anything about the spirals except I heard from the internet it’s great for big fish in very deep water. I only catch small fish in shallow water.

[Bassin_Harrison]

1 hour ago, CrankFate said:

The components sound great. I can’t say anything about the spirals except I heard from the internet it’s great for big fish in very deep water. I only catch small fish in shallow water.

Haha same, I’m still not certain on that rod. Might get something else, not sure. The 13 Muse Black and Ark Invoker are in the mix. The Lew’s Custom Lite is also a new one I’m looking at, I found it for $130 and it has Winn grips and I’ve heard it’s really sensitive. I was looking at more expensive rods but I’ve decided that I don’t need anything more than $200, even $150 to be honest. 

[CrankFate]

1 hour ago, BigBass'n_Harrison said:

Haha same, I’m still not certain on that rod. Might get something else, not sure. The 13 Muse Black and Ark Invoker are in the mix. The Lew’s Custom Lite is also a new one I’m looking at, I found it for $130 and it has Winn grips and I’ve heard it’s really sensitive. I was looking at more expensive rods but I’ve decided that I don’t need anything more than $200, even $150 to be honest. 

I would say for most applications a $150-200 rod is all you’ll ever need. I avoid the more expensive rods because I have almost no use for super stiff, fast tipped rods. If there were parabolic, thin, light expensive rods, I might be more interested.

[Bassin_Harrison]

37 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

I would say for most applications a $150-200 rod is all you’ll ever need. I avoid the more expensive rods because I have almost no use for super stiff, fast tipped rods. If there were parabolic, thin, light expensive rods, I might be more interested.

Yes I completely agree. The only 200+ rod I’m really interested in is the ALX Zolo line and those are only $210-$230. Was going to get one for this set up but I think it will be next time around. 

[kschultz76]

26 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

I would say for most applications a $150-200 rod is all you’ll ever need. I avoid the more expensive rods because I have almost no use for super stiff, fast tipped rods. If there were parabolic, thin, light expensive rods, I might be more interested.

There’s lots of high end expensive rods that are light and parabolic. There are also lots of cheap rods that are pool cues. Really I have no objection to folks who set a budget for their gear and stick to it, lots of great rods that are more then adequate in the $150price range. Maybe you experienced this in a high end rod you tried, but it’s a broad generalization that just isn’t true. 

 

Id like to hear more from folks on the Spiralite Rods too, they look really interesting to me too. 

[Big Swimbait]

I don't own a Defiant but I do have a Maverick 8' HF swimbait rod that I love. It also has the Alps components and Winn Grips & performs way above it's $120.00 price point.

[CrankFate]

19 hours ago, kschultz76 said:

There’s lots of high end expensive rods that are light and parabolic. There are also lots of cheap rods that are pool cues. Really I have no objection to folks who set a budget for their gear and stick to it, lots of great rods that are more then adequate in the $150price range. Maybe you experienced this in a high end rod you tried, but it’s a broad generalization that just isn’t true. 

 

Id like to hear more from folks on the Spiralite Rods too, they look really interesting to me too. 

Sorry to generalize, the thing that gets me is when people just assume something more expensive is automatically better and then cause themselves to be disappointed about everything just because of the price. 

 

Back to the topic, I’d like to hear about spiealite rods casting ability.

[blckshirt98]

I might grab a Spiralite when the local tackle shop has their huge annual sale next month.  I have a Phenix glass casting rod with normal guides and the same blank with spiral guides, and prefer the spiral guides.  The benefit of a spiral wrap isn't a casting distance thing for me, it's the retrieve, especially if you're using large or heavy baits, because the rod doesn't want to twist one way or the other, so it's more comfortable and there's less fatigue when you're making hundreds of casts.