Selecting a Reel for a New Rod - Balancing

[rizeye]

there is no logical reason to suspect that balancing a rod horizontal to the ground is good for casting. how often do you cast in this configuration? zero. Horizontal balancing is only good for when you carry the rod.

[Hackler]

Yes, but walking around with a rod resting only on your forefinger is no less than uber impressive.

[sagefisher]

I found a style of reel that I liked and I stuck with it for almost all my rods. The Large Arbor style reels are really nice when winding in the line but space is limited and they do not hold a lot of backing. Because of that I tend to oversize my fly reels by one/two sizes, just so I can have sufficient backing if it is needed. The balance of the fly rod is actually the least of my concerns as long as the rod feels right when I am casting, that is all I care about. I oversize the line on some of my rods, now that really messes with the balance thing, but as I said, as long as I am able to cast the line the way I want to, I don't care so much about balance. I know that is not the 'proper' way to look at it but I just like to fish. As long as it works for me, I do it.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[afishinado]

Balancing a reel to the rod has been debated forever. It really makes little difference for casting, but what about fishing? 10% of the time on the stream is spent casting, and 90% of the time is spent fishing. There's nothing worse (for me anyway) than holding up a tip-heavy rod all day during the drift. A butt-heavy rod takes second place. Anyway, I try to balance the rod with a reel. No need to get too scientific about it, close is close enough. Moving you hand up and down the grip slightly changes the balance of the rod when you are fishing. Most people do that naturally. As long as it is close, you will be fine.

[appalachian angler]

For me, it is easier to overcome the lightness of a reel to keep the rod up during the drift, than it is to cast all day with a heavy reel on the same rod. Overcoming the added mass of reel during the casting stroke will fatigue your arm muscles and joints up to and including your shoulder and neck muscles. Try using the same rod (and line if possible) with a light reel. Then try the same rod and line on a reel weighing significantly more (plus 1 or more ounces heavier) employing the same type of fishing for a day, and see if you can't tell the difference. As you get older, you will feel the difference more pronouncedly! Heavy reels seem to cause me to squeeze the rod grip tighter during casting to achieve the same results. This added tension is what I believe causes the muscle fatigue in arm and shoulder.

[DaleW]

First off ... what do I know(?)

But it has been my EXPERIENCE that the lighter reels I've liked most. True, one can get into some junky light ones to be sure, and that will out-weight the lightness! But a half decent performing, light reel is my favorite. Especially as I approach the big eight -o-

[afishinado]

I agree, when casting, the balance of a fly rod / reel never seems to make much of a difference. But on the stream, we cast 10% of the time and hold the rod through the drift 90% of the time. For me, I really hate to fish and hold up a rod that'a either tip or butt heavy. I always try to chose a reel that balances out the rod or even weight the reel slightly to achieve a decent balance. But no need to carry it too far - close is good enough. You will naturally move your hand slightly up or down the grip will help balance the rod so as not to fight it when fishing. If the rod is grossly out of balance you will find yourself holding the rod up on the blank if it is tip-heavy, and holding the rod into the reel seat if it is butt-heavy. Neither extreme makes for a comfortable grip, IMO.

[redietz]

I agree, when casting, the balance of a fly rod / reel never seems to make much of a difference. But on the stream, we cast 10% of the time and hold the rod through the drift 90% of the time. For me, I really hate to fish and hold up a rod that'a either tip or butt heavy. I always try to chose a reel that balances out the rod or even weight the reel slightly to achieve a decent balance. But no need to carry it too far - close is good enough. You will naturally move your hand slightly up or down the grip will help balance the rod so as not to fight it when fishing. If the rod is grossly out of balance you will find yourself holding the rod up on the blank if it is tip-heavy, and holding the rod into the reel seat if it is butt-heavy. Neither extreme makes for a comfortable grip, IMO.

I totally agree with this. I often fish with older 9 foot "blue collar" cane rods. These are heavy, and can be unpleasant to fish with if I put a light-weight reel on them. Add a heavier reel, and the unpleasantness goes away.

There's a reason that "back in the day" almost all reel seats were down-locking. It was to place the as far to the butt of rod as possible to help balance the rod. With the lighter rods nowadays, most reel seats are uplocking.

But you're also right: close is good enough.

[lastchance]

Close is plenty good enough. Unless the weight difference is extreme, the average fisherman can't tell the difference.