What is a balanced rod?

[dman]

I believe I have quality gear...Maybe not super-elite gear but good stuff from Powell, Falcon and Loomis (imx), Revo stx', Sorons, Chronarchs, Stradics - and i really dont understand what a balanced rod means....If it means just holding my rod like im fishing then all my rods are super top heavy - the tops go right down....If i could hold the rod at the reel and it doesnt drop in either direction - I would assume thats balanced but i must be wrong...But if it balances out somewhere else - well, whats the point of that?   did i make any sense?     I have a revo on a Vendetta rod and these are supposed to be balanced well together but the tip just drops right to the ground......

[BASSclary]

A perfectly balanced setup should balance right where you hold the rod and reel, so when you hold it there should be no tip weight.

And for the Revo Vendetta thing, which revo? I thought it was only supposed to balance perfect with the SX

[curls00]

To me, a balanced rod is one that requires very little torque or effort to raise or lower the rod tip.  IE: The balance point is closer to the reel than to the first guide.

Tackletour uses the balance point in inches from the middle of the reel seat, without a reel, as a point of reference.  If a rod is tip-heavy, you'll have a balance point that is far (12"+?) from the middle of the reel seat. If you have a balanced, or "butt heavier" rod if you will, the balance point will be closer... say within 8" of the centre of the reel seat.

What does this mean? Less fatigue in the wrist and forearm after a day of fishing!  More sensitivity, as the rod requires less muscle force to hold "steady" thus freeing up receptors in your hand and fingers to pick up on subtle bites or changes in bottom composition.

Balance has nothing to do with side-to-side balancing.  I guess if you wanted to, you could attach your reel to the rod, let the reel hang below the blank, and then see how far forward of the reel you need to move your finger in order for the combo to "teeter" on your finger. That's a representative balance point of that COMBO.  For reference, most of my combos balance out to within 1" of the reel seat winding checks.  Or, a bit back of the hook keeper on most newer rods. To me, they feel balanced!

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

This is one of those topics that has no right or wrong, but rather is based on personal preference. Weight can be added to the butt of a rod to counter a tip-heavy feel. If a rod is uncomfortable or tiring to use when held the way you will fish it, by all means adjust accordingly. No one else can tell you how to balance your setup. Personally, I avoid adding weight anywhere on a rod for my own use unless absolutely necessary, and then it is minimal. How a rod balances is not necessarily a sign of quality or lack there of, because it is a preference and personal preference cannot be met in a production rod. On a custom build this is one of the main topics discussed at length. There are aftermarket kits available or you can use a rubber chair leg cap with washers or coins inserted and fit over the handle. This is best done with the reel mounted and held in the expected fishing position.

[dman]

bassclary,   its an stx but i also have a Soron on a vendetta and that drops as well.

Curls00,  great reply - thank's for all that info.....Yea,  my rods balance out a few inches up from the reel,  around the hook keeper....I've always wondered though, if that is the balance point - why?  why not balance it out where you actually hold the rod?

[dman]

thank you Delaware Valley Tackle...i feel better knowing it might just be a matter of preference type thing.....I'm gonna add some weight to one of them to see how it feels to have it balanced like i imagine it should be

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

bassclary, its an stx but i also have a Soron on a vendetta and that drops as well.

Curls00, great reply - thank's for all that info.....Yea, my rods balance out a few inches up from the reel, around the hook keeper....I've always wondered though, if that is the balance point - why? why not balance it out where you actually hold the rod?

Because not eryone wants that feeling and one persons grip may be different from the next. Again, there is no right or wrong here.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

thank you Delaware Valley Tackle...i feel better knowing it might just be a matter of preference type thing.....I'm gonna add some weight to one of them to see how it feels to have it balanced like i imagine it should be

Yup, that's all that matters. This is one of our way over-thought topics.

[.ghoti.]

Good answers DVT.

Here's another take on it.

You say your rod is tip heavy when you mount the reel and hold the combo parallel to the ground. The tip wants to drop, right?

If you're using this combo to fish moving baits, it's a moot point. The rod can't be balanced to counteract the pulling resistance of a crankbait or a spinnerbait, so there's no point in discussing that.

It could be a problem if you hold the rod parallel to the ground when fishing contact baits. ( jigs, plastics, etc )

Most people hold the rod with the tip up when fishing contact baits. With the tip perfectly straight up, there is NO TORQUE forcing the rod tip down.  Most of us do not hold the rod perfectly perpendicular to the ground, but it's not far from it.

I've never tried to measure the torque exerted at the fulcrum point with the rod positioned 10 or 15 degrees from perpendicular, and don't intend to do so. I'm not sure I have an instrument in my lab that would even measure a force that low.

Some of  the recent changes in design have resulted in rods that are indeed more tip heavy. The split grip concept reduces weight from the area behind the reel seat, producing a rod that, all other factors being equal, is more tip heavy. I really enjoyed reading St Croix's description of their redesigned Legend Tournament series rods after they adopted the split grip. They claimed that they had reset the fulcrum point for more efficient casting. What they did was make the rods more tip heavy, but it sounds much better phrased their way.

Another factor is rod length. It wasn't that long ago that 6' rods were normal, and our "long" rods were 6'6". Now, 7' rods are the minimum length many people will consider. I'm in that camp. Most of my rods are 7', or longer. The more rod in front of the reel makes it more tip heavy.

Another factor is power ratings. Again, it wasn't that long ago that most rods were medium power, with everyone having a couple of MH rods. These days? I know guys who won't even look at a rod unless it's at least a heavy power. The heavier the power rating, the thicker the walls, the more tip heavy.

The only real solution for a factory built rod, if you after that "perfect" balance, or what some consider perfect balance, is to add weight to the butt.

I did that. Once. I removed the butt cap, glued in enough lead to balanced the rod "perfectly", and glued the butt cap back on. I had to add 2 3/4oz of lead. It now balanced exactly at the middle of the reel.

With that much weight at the butt end it was very hard to control during casting. I could not hit the broad side of a barn with it. Never did it again. And never will.

[dodgeguy]

all rods imho need to be balanced.they are all tip heavy.a perfectly balanced rod balances in the center of the reel seat.this enables you to put any reel on it and not change the balance because the reel is above the fulcrum.yes it adds weight to the rod but when fishing most people think the rod feels lighter because your not fighting tip weight all day.

[dodgeguy]

http://www.basspro.com/The-Balancer-Rod-Balancing-System/product/16515/-324028

i  use these.