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Old 01-28-11, 12:33 PM   #1
walkeraviator
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Default Testing rod sensitivity

So yesterday i went to the Louisville Boat/RV show and came across a rod company with a booth. http://www.razrrods.com/ ... They handed me a rod which was insanely light. On the tip eylet thay had about 6 inches of line tied on. He simply tapped the loosely hanging tag of line with his finger. I could plainly see this was THE most sensative rod i had ever held. But then I started thinking. When i go to a store looking for rods, how do i determine sensitivity there by myself without tying line to teh rod??? Any ideas?
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Old 01-28-11, 12:35 PM   #2
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Whew, I thought this was about Viagra, at first
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Old 01-28-11, 01:34 PM   #3
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In my opinion, it's hard to really gauge how sensitive a rod is going to be until it's actually got line running through the guides.

I do like the line tied to the tip idea, I haven't ever tried that. It would be pretty easy to carry a piece of line with you when you go look at rods.
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Old 01-28-11, 01:42 PM   #4
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Somebody recommended this to me; hold the rod, put the tip against someone else's throat, and have them hum quietly. How much vibration you feel should be an indicator as to how sensitive the rod is. I've never tried this, but it's worth a shot...
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Old 01-28-11, 01:46 PM   #5
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Try this: Have a friend put the tip of the rod against their throat and speak in a normal tone as you hold the rod's grip and feel for the vibrations. There is no substitute for actually fishing a rod but this does give you some idea when comparing side by side. The down side is you need a helper and you may get some looks. Oh ya, store clerks are not quick to participate either. lol
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Old 01-28-11, 01:57 PM   #6
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Hang a cat toy off of it and hold it above a box of kittens.
Im not even kidding that I want to train a cat to help me test cast my rods.A cat would be very helpful in testing long distance sensitivity.Once they grab it,they dont let go!.haha!

Something simple I did at home was just lightly rub the blank on a ceiling fan ball chain.
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Old 01-28-11, 04:37 PM   #7
Jrob78
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I have heard of and done all the things you guys mention. Do you guys actually feel like you gain any valuable information from these tests? I always end up feeling like I felt some vibrations being transmitted through the blank but it doesn't really convert to actual fishing sensitivity.
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Old 01-28-11, 06:57 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jrob78 View Post
I have heard of and done all the things you guys mention. Do you guys actually feel like you gain any valuable information from these tests? I always end up feeling like I felt some vibrations being transmitted through the blank but it doesn't really convert to actual fishing sensitivity.

Not really...I cant a justify a rods sensitivity unless I put a lure underwater and weigh all the factors in.Direct contact to a blank is always gonna be easier to feel than a lure thats 30 feet out.

I read a theory that sensitivity is a learned skill...I kind of believe that.
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Old 01-28-11, 08:55 PM   #9
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I used to swear by the throat test. It's a good test to compare most lower end rods. You will be amazed that some of them feel almost dead and others transmit a lot of vibrations. There is a point though, where they all feel the same as long as they transmit something. I was checking a rod that way once when the store clerk told me to test another rod that way. He handed me a one piece cane pole. It had twice the vibration transfer of any rod I ever tried. I have not tried the string trick you mentioned, but I will give that a go. If you think about it, it's not much different from the old can and string kids phone. If the string is tight, it will transfer a ton of vibration. If it's just hanging there loose, it might transfer a tick. Did he hold one end of the string and then flick it like strumming a banjo, or was it just hanging completly loose?
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Old 01-28-11, 09:53 PM   #10
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There's no doubt that various rods do transmit vibrations at different levels, but finding a way of quantifying this, simply by feel, is dang near impossible, IMO. It is such a subjective thing, and I still maintain that the line plays a larger role in overall sensitivity than the rod. The line is our link between the fish and our hand, and unless the rod is somehow amplifying the vibrations that the line sends, we are only feeling what the line gives us. This is why I continue to advocate gripping the line lightly between thumb and forefinger while retrieving our baits, as this will minimize the importance of rod sensitivity.

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Old 01-29-11, 06:56 AM   #11
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I have tried the ole jobbing the rod in the throat method a couple of times hahahahaha. Just had to do it. But anyways. I think there are a lot of variables for sensivity from line choice, weight density and so forth. I think I found at rodbuilding.org about as far as the rod goes, get the most you can from your guides connecting to the blank. And IMO the fish bites the bait, the signal is transferred up the line, the vibration then moves to the guides and on to the blank. I would think your main detection comes from your tip though. I like to make sure all the double footed guides, the singles are a gimme, are flat footed to the blank. I try not to wrap too tight to dull the vibration. A lot of rods now have 10+ guides on a 7' stick, IMO good quality rods are wrapped with good tension, because that can be a lot of dampner between your hand and the tip when you get that much thread and epoxy on the rod. I might be off in right field on it, but just my .02.
I think I got off subject of the question, but I have always used the throat method. Any dedicated fisherman on the isle will help you. I cannot be held responsible for what happens when you ask a another man if you can stick a rod in his throat though, some react differently than others.
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Old 01-29-11, 11:45 AM   #12
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I used to run the tip along the floor. Berber carpet was the best. Store employees frowned at it thought. :-)

Reading the rest of these ideas, I like them a lot better. Great thread.
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Old 01-29-11, 09:44 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jrob78 View Post
I have heard of and done all the things you guys mention. Do you guys actually feel like you gain any valuable information from these tests? I always end up feeling like I felt some vibrations being transmitted through the blank but it doesn't really convert to actual fishing sensitivity.
What do you mean , you have never had a fish vibrate on the end of your line before ??
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Old 01-30-11, 01:49 AM   #14
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I've never done this before but the thought came to me reading this. How about slipping a paper clip to the tip guide of the rod and giving it a little shake to see how well you can feel it move. As light as a paper clips is, I would imagine if you feel that, your going to feel quite of bit when using the rod fishing.
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Old 01-30-11, 10:51 AM   #15
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I've seen the line hanging from the tip thing at a show. The line used was probably a 20lb line. Very stiff and lots of memory. And the dude flicked the line pretty hard. It was rather funny to me to watch all the people go, "wow, I felt that perfectly!"

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Old 01-30-11, 11:09 AM   #16
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No less funny than holding a rod to your throat, rubbing it on a rug, in the end the WHOLE PACKAGE is what sensitivity is about: The Rod and LINE primarily and depending on where your hand is sitting and if you can also finger the line, the reel comes into play. So does the action and drop rate of the lure, which when you know what it feels like, a change in either may tell you that a fish is on.
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Old 01-30-11, 01:01 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WaffleJaw View Post
Something simple I did at home was just lightly rub the blank on a ceiling fan ball chain.
I think you are pressing your luck with that one, I've seen too many Bill Dance videos to try it!

I kind of agree with HarveysMinnow and think that braid can really increase perceived sensitivity. If you are fishing something on slack line and a fish hits you are probably not going to feel anything anyway. This is why I like line-watching.
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Old 01-31-11, 09:21 PM   #18
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When I test a rod I'm really thinking about buying I will bring a reel with line I expect to use with it or a similar model. Then I'll also bring a jig, weight hook plastic combo, or bait I expect to use with the rod. And I will rig it up and make a few casts with it right there in the store. Although it's not in the water I'll get a good idea of the rods sensitivity that way.
If I'm at a show I'll bring a reel and bait in with me. If they have a trout tank see if one of the sales guys will walk over with you and see if the trout guys will let you dunk the bait. Make sure you don't have any exposed hooks that may snag the plastic walls of the tank. That's as close as you'll get unless you really test one out on the water first and then go buy it.
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Last edited by 3dkicker; 01-31-11 at 09:32 PM.
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Old 02-10-11, 11:23 AM   #19
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I've used the carpet trick several times, and I think it gives me an indication. I just lightly tick the rod tip on the carpeting.
I don't like the throat/voice/humming technique. There are too many variables. But with the carpet trick in the store, I can test 2 rods against each other.

There are; as said in earlier posts, many variables as to a rods sensitivity. Line, action of the tip, etc. Another variable that I think comes into play is how the reel you are going to use balances on that particular rod. This goes along with the technique that you want this particular rod for and how the rod will be positioned during use.
When I first got into fishing and couldn't afford much I tried this trick with pretty good success.
I fished with braided lines. I balanced my rods with rubber table leg caps on the butt of the rod. I then added quarters inside the caps until the rig was balanced. Works pretty good. It's still not a $400 rod, but it does improve sensitivity.
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Old 02-13-11, 11:35 PM   #20
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I know its late to bring this post back up but I just got back from the St.Louis Boat show the same vendor was there The line they were using was 15lb Trilene 100% fluro. So I had the guy talking and the vendor across the way was selling Falcons and I asked the guy what makes this different then those falcons, he went on to tell me stuff about the blank that I really had no idea what he was saying but eventually he borrowed another rod from the booth for a comparison which happened to be a Falcon Original which is about 50% cheaper then the razr rods, to be honest I know there is variables but I felt no dramatic difference then the two rods the razr was slightly more sensative but who knows he probably flicked the razr 4x harder in all reality these guys are pushing for sales, and then I went on to tell the guy Im a huge Falcon fan and own 2 of the Originals lol so I would say they are nice rods but some huge breakthrough not really.
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