GEARING UP |
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G . Loomis . “ They can withstand 40 to 80 years of normal use , and by that time , the rod will be obsolete .”
As rod guide materials have evolved , so have the weights of rods due to reduction in weight and size of the guides , including the use of micro guides .
“ Micro guides can offer a nice weight reduction , but many times that ’ s offset because you ’ re forced to add more guides and the wrapping for each of those additional guides ,” Brinkerhoff says . “ Many micro guides are so small
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that the rod wrap is heavier than the guide itself .”
Current industry standards rate a micro guide as a size 4.5 or 5 guide .
“ Twenty years ago , the standard guide was a size 7 for a runner guide and then it shifted to a size 6 and we ’ re now using a 5.5 ,” Brinkerhoff shared . “ Going to smaller guides helps to increase sensitivity since more of the line mass is on the guide ring itself .”
Comfort in Mind
To make rods more comfortable , manufacturers
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began to use alternative rod grips instead of the traditional cork or EVA foam grips . Both of those materials are still widely used , but more options have become available in the past several years and have now moved into mass production .
One current trend in rod building is the use of grips similar to those used on golf clubs .
“ Many anglers also golf , and I think that ’ s part of why these grips have become so popular : because they ’ re familiar with the texture and feel ,” Wheeler says .
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Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit pro Matt Stefan is a fan of new grip options , and now includes Winn-Grips on all of the rods he builds with his own two hands .
“ I feel like I have a better feel of the rod and have more control than I did with cork-handled rods ,” Stefan says . “ It is almost like a basketball material – it ’ s not slippery at all even when you ’ re fishing in the rain and snow . They also seem to be a little warmer to me and that ’ s important when I am fishing in cold-weather conditions .”
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MATT STEFAN : FULL-TIME ANGLER , PART-TIME ROD BUILDER
As a full-time pro who builds his own rods , Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit veteran Matt Stefan has a matter-of-fact view of the rod-building process ( and its final outcome ).
“ The rods I build are utility rods and tools ,” says the Wisconsin pro . “ They don ’ t have all fancy wraps , but they ’ re designed for a specific purpose . Instead of using something that a rod brand labels a ‘ frog rod ,’ I build my own based on how I fish . Everyone ’ s idea of what a frog rod is varies , and it also depends on where you ’ re fishing .”
First Things First : Stefan ’ s blank
Because the composition of the blank has a profound impact on the finished product , it all comes down to choosing the right blank material , and matching it to the power and action of the rod .
Stefan begins the rod-building process with a simple question before embarking on a build : “ How sensitive do I need this rod to be ?”.
“ The blank material is a big part of it ,” Stefan admits . “ I use graphite ( blanks ) for all of my spinning rods , and for baitcasting techniques like flipping , fishing jigs and plastics , and frogging where sensitivity is more important . I
PHOTO BY COBI PELLERITO prefer composite blends for crankbaits , ChatterBaits , and swimbaits , as they give you a more parabolic bend and , I believe , help you land more fish . You don ’ t need as sensitive a rod for these techniques , and fishing them effectively is more important .”
Taking it a step further , Stefan pairs a rod blank with the right action for each technique . The established “ big four ” are extra-fast , fast , moderate , and slow , but there are even more precise variations within the rod building world , and among different blank manufacturers .
“ The extra-fast action is something that I don ’ t use , even for techniques like flipping ,” Stefan says . “ A moderate-fast action is a good choice if you can find it . The faster the action , the more likely you are to have fish throw your hooks because you don ’ t get that ‘ elastic bend ’ when fighting fish .”
For moving baits , a moderate action is Stefan ’ s choice , as he feels it has enough give to prevent him from pulling hooks from the mouth of fish .
Micro guides : Yay or nay ?
Stefan finds himself somewhere in the middle on the subject of guide size , using guides that are considered “ semi-micro ”, ( smaller than traditional rod guides , while not being small enough to be considered micro guides ). He sees many benefits in using them and pays close attention to how they ’ re spaced on the blank .
“ You get better distance and control with a smaller guide because there ’ s less line slapping the guides during the cast , and you can narrow down the cone of flight ,” Stefan says . “ A micro guide has good casting distance , but you can run into issues with knots not going through guides or line wrapping around them during the cast or retrieve .”
Stefan sticks with a mid-priced Fuji Alconite guide , a popular industry choice . When it comes to spacing them , he utilizes both the guidelines on rod building websites like Mud Hole Custom Tackle and uses a specialized spreadsheet that accounts for reel size , rod length , and more .
“ Where you place each guide and how many guides you use can have a big impact on the performance of a rod ,” Stefan believes . “ The standard guidelines are a good place to start , but the spreadsheet I use gives me the best flight patterns for each rod I build . I generally use at least one additional guide on a rod longer than 7 feet long than the guidelines recommend on rod building sites . This adds to the expense and labor in building the rod , but I ’ m convinced that it is worth it because you make the rod more sensitive and increase casting distance .” n
74 FLWFISHING . COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | DECEMBER-JANUARY 2021