Get A Grip With Your Fly Rod
A fishing rod is a fishing rod is a fishing rod, right? Yeah and a golf club is a golf club is a golf club. Fishing rods may all seem the same, but they are just as unique as golf clubs are.
I actually do not like to play golf. Even so, I am fully aware that there are different clubs for different situations. A driver is the club to go big and long, but would be a pretty useless club on the green.
Fishing is all about specialization. Trying to use a fly fishing rod to bring in a sail fish off Cabo San Lucas is not going to go well. Fly rods are unique and we can see why when we break down the design into certain components.
The first thing you will notice with a fly rod is the grip area is much bigger than on a spinner rod. Why? Well, you are going to be casting over and over. The larger grip is designed to give you plenty of space to do that.
Friction is a big issue with fly rod designs. Your basic spinner rod does not. This is because there are breaks between the casting and reeling in of the line. The line is also thinner, which allows for less friction.
Fly fishing involves nearly constant line movement so rubbing and heat can be a big problem. Limiting the negative impacts of this friction is a central theme to consider in the design process.
Subtlety is the name of the game. The first thing to note is the strip guide is ceramic instead of metal. This is the first loop off the reel. This will cut down on the heat, but also limits the length of the cast.
Moving up the rod we find some odd looking wire guides. Most rods have simple and traditional metal loops. The purpose is simply to make sure the line moves efficiently up and down the rod.
Our fly rod line is going to take a bigger beating than a spinner rod. To cut down on friction and heat, fly rod guides are designed in a spiral form. This snake like look diffuses the friction as the line moves around and cuts heat damage.
Fishing is like any sport. There are specialty tools for every situation. If you are going to fly fish, knowing how your rod is designed and why it works the way it does is vital. Now you have an idea.
