True or False

[Westlakedrive]

The stiffer the rod the longer the cast.
I have some rod blanks burning a hole in my basement.

[benster]

False, I would think a more limber rod will give you more whip and a longer cast. Think of the new golf clubs and hockey sticks as compared to the old wood ones of days gone by.

[wally-eye]

Dang Wes. Stiff rod, longer cast and a burning hole..........:lol:

Where does one even start with that..........:lol:

The answer is not going to be as easy as you think especially if you take Roberts take on it then my take on it........

I'm in the camp of the longer more limber rods for better casting distance. As I said others will have their own take on it.........it comes down to what any particular person is used to and they have used most of their life......I know I can match just about anyones distance with either my spinning rod or casting rod if we cast the same weight..........and they are using a stiffer rod.

BUT distance is not a real good judge of a rod in my opinion.......

Dan.

[sfw1960]

Casting distance ( from a rod stand point ONLY ) is a product of a few basic actions.
1.) The fulcrum action or swing (acceleration) - which has a bit to do with the length.
2.) The ability to "load" the blank with the weight needed to put a bend in the blank and "crack the whip"...:lol: (launch)
3.) The operator's ability to accelerate & time the casting action.
(swing and release)

You've seen first-hand that I can cast a bait a ways , but I have rod actions from light to M-L to M-H with a few mediums in between.
Under ideal conditions I can chuck a 1/2 oz 90+ feet...but sometimes I'd rather toss a 1/4 oz. 50 feet though.
Dan loves his fLuBBeR sTiX for EVERY TYPE of fishing he does and nobody will ever tell him different , but then it's very unlikely he'll ever take or have the opportunity to troll a bait 120 feet back in total darkness with only the feedback of a slight wobble from a bait barely moving along and waiting for a large nocturnal feeder to gently mouth a 5" bait at an almost identical speed as the bait is moving , where you say to yourself...
Was that a tick of seaweed or a bite ?
I never see him vertical jiggin deep (40-60 FOW)water either , it's a challenge for sure. I couldn't throw spinnerbaits on a fLuBBeR sTiX , but for live bait , jerk baits or cranks (except for the UNGODLY weight) they will work. I like a MH 6' rod for jiggin' (Vertical and/or deep)
My shoulders ain't so good anymore and throwing baits with a 13 oz. rig doesn't make me hurt so bad at the end of a day as much as a rod & reel that weighs TWICE that much.
The distance casting champions use reallllly longasss rods - so proof that length makes a difference is in th' puddin'.
Dan's not one to experiment or change , where as I'll try just about anything at least once!
:lol:
I like my M-L 7 1/2 foot IM6 rod for live bait and when I know I'm not necessarily in the hunt for a big one , I may use some of the medium sticks I have for pitching lighter baits. I usually use my bait casters for 7/16 oz. & up and spinning rigs for lighter weights ( but I do toss some 7/16 oz baits W/ spinning rigs) .

The stiffer the rod the harder you have to load it to cast , and usually with more weight also - but when you have a stiffer rod you DO have the ability to generate and release more kinetic energy.
Therefore you have the ingredients for a longer cast. The fLuBBeR sTiX can only be loaded so much before they wash out & hit a "wall' for storing that kinetic energy.
I bet if Dan & I had a casting contest throwing 1 oz. baits , I bet I'd show him something "new" about his theory....
Distance is part of the total package when CASTING to fish , the further you can stay from your targets - the more likely you will go undetected and possibly pluck a few more from the area before suspicion sets in.
;)
Those two big eyes I caught last Jan. with Severus & Sixshooter were landed on a medium spinning rod with 8LB Yo-Zuri Hybrid (stretchy city) and the bites were hard as hell to cipher with only about 70' back and I also had a few BIG fish crash the bottom & shake my bait that night. With the setups I use nowadays , that wouldn't have happened.

Good thread Wes and you should get quite a variety of opinions here and YOU , like me - don't want or need to impress with what you may have learned , but are always on the hunt for a possible edge in the next thing to help you whack more 4" perch!
:lol:

RAS

[Westlakedrive]

thats a pretty good summation Robert. I think you said a lot of things well there.

[wally-eye]

Got what it takes.........:lol: I'll stick to just tossing x-raps and leave the rest for the big boys....:lol:

http://www.longdistancecasting.forumflash.com/index.php?showtopic=571

[Oldgrandman]

Technique, line type, lure/bait, and reel spool type all play a part in it. I can cast a long ways on soft and stiff rods alike depending on what I am casting. Too much, too little, or improperly spooled line on your reel can fubar a cast as well...thats what I have noticed. Alone, I do not think a rod makes a difference.
A good backwind never hurts, LOL!

[wolverines]

The stiffer the rod the longer the cast.
I have some rod blanks burning a hole in my basement.



Short answer: No...Match the weight of the lure your throwing to the rod. When matched properly, you'll in turn have the ability for longer casts... Your rods will be stamped with a weight range near the handle. If your heavy rod you're talking about is rated for something like
3/4-1 1/2oz. it's not going to cast a tube with a 3/16oz. head very well or very far.

[ESOX]

Longer rod with fast action matched to the lures weight = longer casts.

[waterfoul]

Longer rod with fast action matched to the lures weight = longer casts.

Exactly. I can throw a hot-n-tot half way across the grand river on my medium/fast action steelie rod. I could not even hope to throw it that far with my medium heavy flippin stick.