What reel or reel weight to balance? Legend rods

[WRangler506]

Looking for recommendations on what will balance well on:

 

St Croix LTW 7MLF

St Croix LTB 610 MLXF

 

Looking a Tatula LT, Ballistic LT and Stradic Ci4+ for the most part.

 

I really like my ballistic 2000. I was going to try that on both above when the rod arrives. Not sure if it will be too light to balance well.

 

 

[dodgeguy]

That depends what you consider to be the proper balance point. If you consider it to be slightly in front of the reel then the weight of the reel matters. If you consider bit to be the center of the reel seat the weight of the reel makes no difference at all. You may have to add butt weights. There are rods today that are very lightweight that balance at the very front of the reel seat. I used to use balance weights but find with today's rods I don't need them. 

[waymont]

I don't have this exact models but I do have a 6'6" StCroix LTW ML rod with a Tatula LT 3000 and it's a perfect match. Hope that helps a little. The 6'10" would probably be very close to it.

[WRangler506]

8 minutes ago, waymont said:

I don't have this exact models but I do have a 6'6" StCroix LTW ML rod with a Tatula LT 3000 and it's a perfect match. Hope that helps a little. The 6'10" would probably be very close to it.

Man that rod you have was on my #1 for quite some time. How do you like it? I would have guessed a 2000 LT for that rod, but those Tatula LTs are pretty light though. 66 has been my favorite size for a long time, but I only fish from my boat now, so Im hoping i like the LTW 7ft.

 

I picked the 7MLF as my go-to, pick up first type rod while I throw some small crankbaits and light plastics, and figure out what the game plan needs to be. I hope I like it.

[waymont]

Just now, WRangler506 said:

Man that rod you have was on my #1 for quite some time. How do you like it? I would have guessed a 2000 LT for that rod, but those Tatula LTs are pretty though. 66 has been my favorite size for a long time, but I only fish from my boat now, so Im hoping i like the LTW 7ft.

I use both the LT 2000 and LT 3000 with it. The weight is almost the same, the reel line capacity is exactly the same on both reels. The spool on the 3000 is just wider and shallower. I ned rig with 6lb mono with the 2000 and use 15lb braid to leader on the 3000. I love this rod! super comfortable and sensitive.

[LionHeart]

A reel will not balance a rod.  Only adding weight to the butt can do that.

[dodgeguy]

5 minutes ago, LionHeart said:

A reel will not balance a rod.  Only adding weight to the butt can do that.

I agree but a lot of guys don't want the balance point to be in the center of the reel seat. They like it slightly forward of the reel seat. That would make a heavier reel balance a tip heavy rod better than a featherweight reel.i do agree it's not perfectly balanced.

[LionHeart]

1 hour ago, dodgeguy said:

I agree but a lot of guys don't want the balance point to be in the center of the reel seat. They like it slightly forward of the reel seat. That would make a heavier reel balance a tip heavy rod better than a featherweight reel.i do agree it's not perfectly balanced.

It don't work that way.  Your hand is the balance point (when you hold the rod).  Adding or subtracting weight (heavy or light reel) to the location from which the weight is already being balanced does nothing but add or take away over all weight.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

This has got to be the most over-thought topic in bass fishing. There is no right or wrong, 100% personal preference. Then the variables of how you grip the rod. In the end you have a bait, wind, current all pulling at times. 

[LionHeart]

3 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

This has got to be the most over-thought topic in bass fishing. There is no right or wrong, 100% personal preference. Then the variables of how you grip the rod. In the end you have a bait, wind, current all pulling at times. 

Sorry but nothing in my comments were a matter of preference, they are a matter of fact.

 

The weight of a reel will not change rod balance unless I suppose you are in the small minority who hold the rod completely by the handle instead of palming the reel, or you actually hold the rod entirely forward of the reel which would be even stranger still.   In which case, would be perfectly fine, but I doubt anyone actually does it.

 

I was just trying to help with facts.

[Allen Der]

I don't know about the reels you listed but I haven't found a medium or medium light rod that didn't balance nicely with a 30 size pflueger supreme.  

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

15 minutes ago, LionHeart said:

Sorry but nothing in my comments were a matter of preference, they are a matter of fact.

 

The weight of a reel will not change rod balance unless I suppose you are in the small minority who hold the rod completely by the handle instead of palming the reel, or you actually hold the rod entirely forward of the reel which would be even stranger still.   In which case, would be perfectly fine, but I doubt anyone actually does it.

 

I was just trying to help with facts.

Hey man I agree 100%. That’s what I meant about it being over thought. The varying grip part applies more to spinning rods. I was generalizing about the whole balance thing. Nothing aimed at you or your post. Sorry for the misunderstanding. 

[fishwizzard]

I hold a spinning reel with all my fingers in front of the reel stem, so the reel 100% affects the balance of the combo.  

[LionHeart]

39 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Hey man I agree 100%. That’s what I meant about it being over thought. The varying grip part applies more to spinning rods. I was generalizing about the whole balance thing. Nothing aimed at you or your post. Sorry for the misunderstanding. 

No offense taken.  Somehow I completely missed the fact that the OP was looking at spinning gear.   

 

I retract my rant completely

[WRangler506]

9 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

I hold a spinning reel with all my fingers in front of the reel stem, so the reel 100% affects the balance of the combo.  

Absolutely, i agree!

I thought we were all talking spinning rods here since those were the rods I mentioned. I wasn't meaning to have a general conversation on rod balance, but to these rods specifically if someone knew. For spinning rods sure it matters where you hold it, but with that constant, obviously different reel weights will affect that balance AT that same point. Not sure how this is over thought, I feel it instantly in 1 sec after picking up any rod.

[fishwizzard]

9 hours ago, WRangler506 said:

Absolutely, i agree!

I thought we were all talking spinning rods here since those were the rods I mentioned. I wasn't meaning to have a general conversation on rod balance, but to these rods specifically if someone knew. For spinning rods sure it matters where you hold it, but with that constant, obviously different reel weights will affect that balance AT that same point. Not sure how this is over thought, I feel it instantly in 1 sec after picking up any rod.

Unfortunately, I’ve never found a good way to predict what reel will balance with what spinning rod without just owning a bunch of different spinning reels at different weights and trying them all out.   I suppose if you had a good digital scale you could just tape weights to a real you Already own until you find a good balance, then look for a new reel in that weight range. 

[dodgeguy]

15 hours ago, LionHeart said:

It don't work that way.  Your hand is the balance point (when you hold the rod).  Adding or subtracting weight (heavy or light reel) to the location from which the weight is already being balanced does nothing but add or take away over all weight.

Like I said I agree. I used to post that all the time on here. Absolutely got reamed for that opinion.