Post by custheyder on Nov 21, 2014 11:18:28 GMT
Confused?
Know the difference between a 7:3, 6:4 and 5:5?
Is it universal across manufactures?
Let me answer those from my perspective as a manufacturer.
Yes it is very confusing. The 7:3, 6:4 and 5:5 refer to the amount of rod that is flexing but what it doesn't tell you is how much they flex and how that feels casting. What this means is that no two models with the same flex rating will flex in the same way. I don't just mean across manufacturers. I mean within the same manufacturers ranges as well.
Chris Stewart, of Tenkara Bum fame, put together his "common cents" system which, when combined with the profile pictures, gives a pretty good impression of how the rod will behave when casting. Tenkara USA have done away with the flex rating system but not replaced it with anything.Their belief is that they are producing the best casting rod they can for a given length. Which is perfectly okay, not disputing that decision. I feel that the decision doesn't help people who want to compare rods or decide if the rod is suitable for them.
I'm also considering dropping the flex rating but I do want to describe the action of my rods. So what I propose is this:
Tip: Fast, Medium or Soft.
Backbone: Strong, Medium, Full.
Tips: Soft tips have a lot of flex in them and are suitable for light lines with unweighted and lightly weighted flies. Fast tips can handle heavier flies and heavier lines. Medium is somewhere in between.
Backbone: A Strong backbone is going to feel quite stiff and be able to handle larger fish in big currents. A Full backbone will feel much more forgiving even though flex might not be the full flex of the rod. Medium is somewhere between the two.
What I am describing is how the rod reacts in the hand, not necessarily the measurable proportions of where the rod flexes. Currently, I think, my rods would fall into the following categories:
6:4 360cm
Tip: Soft
Backbone: Medium
6:4 410cm
Tip: Soft
Backbone: Full
7:3 360cm
Tip: Medium
Backbone: Strong
7:3 410cm
Tip: Medium
Backbone: Medium
As you can see from my analysis of the rods I make, the 6:4 and 7:3 are different rods at different lengths. By splitting the action of the tip and the backbone it is easier to choose a rod which is most suitable to the style of fishing you enjoy. The length of the rod should always be the longest you can handle given the vegetation cover and a preference for a long or short line on your rod.
In comparison a Hane rod (carp rod) would probably come in with a fast tip and a strong backbone.
Instead of putting the length with 6:4 or 7:3 on my rods I might then use the following shorthand: 360cm SM, 360cm MS, 410cm SF, 410cm MM.
What do you think? Could this be more workable in describing Tenkara rods? What else would you suggest?
Know the difference between a 7:3, 6:4 and 5:5?
Is it universal across manufactures?
Let me answer those from my perspective as a manufacturer.
Yes it is very confusing. The 7:3, 6:4 and 5:5 refer to the amount of rod that is flexing but what it doesn't tell you is how much they flex and how that feels casting. What this means is that no two models with the same flex rating will flex in the same way. I don't just mean across manufacturers. I mean within the same manufacturers ranges as well.
Chris Stewart, of Tenkara Bum fame, put together his "common cents" system which, when combined with the profile pictures, gives a pretty good impression of how the rod will behave when casting. Tenkara USA have done away with the flex rating system but not replaced it with anything.Their belief is that they are producing the best casting rod they can for a given length. Which is perfectly okay, not disputing that decision. I feel that the decision doesn't help people who want to compare rods or decide if the rod is suitable for them.
I'm also considering dropping the flex rating but I do want to describe the action of my rods. So what I propose is this:
Tip: Fast, Medium or Soft.
Backbone: Strong, Medium, Full.
Tips: Soft tips have a lot of flex in them and are suitable for light lines with unweighted and lightly weighted flies. Fast tips can handle heavier flies and heavier lines. Medium is somewhere in between.
Backbone: A Strong backbone is going to feel quite stiff and be able to handle larger fish in big currents. A Full backbone will feel much more forgiving even though flex might not be the full flex of the rod. Medium is somewhere between the two.
What I am describing is how the rod reacts in the hand, not necessarily the measurable proportions of where the rod flexes. Currently, I think, my rods would fall into the following categories:
6:4 360cm
Tip: Soft
Backbone: Medium
6:4 410cm
Tip: Soft
Backbone: Full
7:3 360cm
Tip: Medium
Backbone: Strong
7:3 410cm
Tip: Medium
Backbone: Medium
As you can see from my analysis of the rods I make, the 6:4 and 7:3 are different rods at different lengths. By splitting the action of the tip and the backbone it is easier to choose a rod which is most suitable to the style of fishing you enjoy. The length of the rod should always be the longest you can handle given the vegetation cover and a preference for a long or short line on your rod.
In comparison a Hane rod (carp rod) would probably come in with a fast tip and a strong backbone.
Instead of putting the length with 6:4 or 7:3 on my rods I might then use the following shorthand: 360cm SM, 360cm MS, 410cm SF, 410cm MM.
What do you think? Could this be more workable in describing Tenkara rods? What else would you suggest?