fishing rod basics

Fishing Rods

Essentially, the primary functions of a fishing rod are to hold the line away from snagging at anything in the boat, dock or pier by keeping the line straight into the water, and to keep the line taut so the fish cannot throw the hook off. This is done through the ‘play' a rod gives while bending from pressure. Which is why a good line-rod combination is essential in sportfishing: a too-flimsy rod for the line and the rod may break when a good fish strikes, or it will not cast the bait with any authority. On the other hand, a too-thin line for a given rod and it is the line that will snap before the rod fulfills its function. The perfect combination is a line that will bend the rod to its almost-full arc before it (the line, that is) finally snaps. This combination will give the best sporting chance to the fish and enjoyment to the sportfisherman.

Probably the first practical fishing rod was a long stick tied with some sort of natural filament and extended over a bank to better reach the fish in the water. As it evolved based on necessity and available materials, the fishing rod became more and more specialized. Today, fishing rods are available in thousands of models, purposes, makes, lengths, and materials of manufacture. They ran the gamut from one-of-a-kind, handmade bamboo fly rods to mass-produced solid fiberglass children's first gear. They specialized into beach rods, tuna rods, fly fishing rods, bass rods, noodle rods, and other kinds manufactured solely for one purpose. Rods use bamboo, fiberglass, boron, and the latest, graphite, as materials, getting lighter and more sensitive in the process.

Beach Rods

In areas where deeper water runs pretty close to shore, and fish use this water as their migration highway, beach rods are common. Long -anywhere from 10 to 20 feet-and sturdy, these rods are used to sling baits and lures to the fish from the beach or shallow water.

Generally, beach rods have longer butts so that they can be placed in beach rod holders - usually short poles with cut rings to hold the rod--- stuck into the sand. Longer butts also make for a stronger two-handed swing to cast the lure or bait farther, enabling the fisherman to reach the bigger fish in the deeper water.

Beach rods can be telescopic for ease of carrying, or segmented into two, three, or even four, take-down pieces that are usually stronger and thinner than telescopics. Which is better for you? Depends on your needs and circumstances, but segmented ones are generally better, especially in areas where larger fish than usual are not uncommon and stronger rods are needed.

Tuna Rods

These rods are improvements on boat rods to better fight the tuna and other deep-sea fish such as the marlin and shark. Usually short and strong, with longer butts and roller guides, tuna rods were developed to better resist the scorching run of a hooked tuna and its tremendous reluctance to go topwater when spent. The short stick is generally suited to the lift-reel in, lift-reel in technique of forcing the fish upstairs.

This is not to say that all tuna rods are short and stubby, however. Some rods are long and supple, and cater to the other idea that a parabolic rod can better control the direction of the tuna's swim. In other words, its long arc keeps the pressure on the tuna to go up even when the fisherman is reeling in and relaxes his pressure a bit, which can sometimes allow the fish to dive.

Many say, however, that long rods are more appropriate for a billfish's tailwalking antics than to a diving tuna's forceful diving act. I will not judge on that.

Fly Fishing Rods

Of all the kinds of specialized fishing, flyfishing is the most specialized. Flyfishing is essentially presenting a simulated insect or fish or any other food to a fish without using floats or sinkers to help in the cast. Only the weight of the line is utilized to throw the lure to the fish, so some length of line is required to have some weight. When you think that a fly lure weighs less than an ounce, you can imagine the skill needed to cast it 50 meters or so. And when at least several false casts is required before the fly is finally presented, you can think how exhaustive flyfishing can be.

So to make for better casting, long, supple, light and slender rods are needed. Bamboo as rod material was best, until fiberglass, boron and graphite rods came along, so that today, these rods of synthetic materials can perform as good as or better than bamboo rods, and yet require less maintenance and care.

Still, many still swear by bamboo, of which those from South Mainland Asia were considered best, the Tonkin cane. Each rod is made by hand from selected bamboo poles in a long tedious manual process, but which produces beautiful and functional pieces that can be called -and often called so-- works of art. Many ancient rods of this craft and beauty survive today, relics of the past and heirlooms for the future.

Bamboo may be outdated as fly rod material and bamboo rods a thing of the past. Yet, fishing isn't all just catching fish; it is also admiring the beauty of nature. A fisherman isn't just a food gatherer; he is also appreciative of things of art and craft. And a bamboo fly rod, when built with love and passion, is both a thing of craft and beauty. Who is the fisherman who will not want such as his possession?