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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

Moderators: Paul Arden, Bernd Ziesche, Lasse Karlsson

Boisker
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#1

Post by Boisker »

On another forum, quite a small county based one.... someone had posted at a fly fishing event an instructor had suggested the fellas rod wasn’t really suitable, as fast rods aren’t good for beginners... he’d given some free instruction... typical fly fair event type thing...
the rod is a greys gr70.... so not super fast
So he was looking for opinions as to what rod would be best to replace his greys... budget £200

As an alternative I’d suggested his rod would be fine to learn with and he’d be better spending the £200 on some instruction...

Just thought i’d check I wasn’t talking bull****, the advice came from an instructor which I aint :D
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Lasse Karlsson
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#2

Post by Lasse Karlsson »

One vote here for keeping the rod and spending cash on learning to use it!
There is no such beast as a beginners rod action, a foregiving action or any other type of bollocks.

Cheers
Lasse
Your friendly neighbourhood flyslinger

Flycasting, so simple that instructors need to make it complicated since 1685

Got a Q++ at casting school, wearing shorts ;)
Boisker
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#3

Post by Boisker »

Thanks Lasse... I suddenly had a moment of doubt, even though I knew it was bollox... I didn’t want to give a newcomer to the sport a bad steer.
Interesting there are still instructors suggesting rod changes...
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Graeme H
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#4

Post by Graeme H »

Plus 1 to Lasse's answer.
FFi CCI
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steelehead
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#5

Post by steelehead »

Lasses answer summed it up pretty well. The rod selection does imho not play such a big role, however it can sometimes be helpful to change the line setup.
I had this type of instructor too - he was working for a shop selling premium tackle and tried to convince every beginner to buy rod X with buildin presentation excellence... :???:
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Paul Arden
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#6

Post by Paul Arden »

Yes paid instruction would be the ideal. Or indeed refer him to the first 10 or so videos in the APP http://www.sexyloops.com/flycast/ and ask him to practise. Practise really is the key here, lessons or no lessons. He can also post videos of himself and we’ll offer advice.

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

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Boisker
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#7

Post by Boisker »

I have already sent him this way and sent a link to the video’s :D
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Bernd Ziesche
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#8

Post by Bernd Ziesche »

Hi Boisker,
A fly rod might seem to be pretty stiff with one fly line, while changing the fly line (for example uplining) may result in the rod to feel signifcant less stiff. A rod doesn't change it's stiffness of course, but changing the line has an impact on the bending profile during the cast and thus the resistance profile the caster FEELS during the cast. What feels best to the caster is individual, while supporting a beginner's learning process by offering him some rod bend while just casting a short line length is smart in regard of the fastest learning process in my experience. For example offering a relatively stiff rod with an underlining long belly line while starting with just some meters in front of the rod doesn't support a beginner well.

What matters in my point of view is, that the rod and the line match together and both should support the exercise and the chosen line length best possible. That is what increases learning speed for sure!
When I teach the double haul for a first time I often hang on a short heavy head combined with a thin shooting line. That combination helps to get the "ah, now I do understand" over within seconds, while a line that almost sticks in the rings due to too little momentum supports to have the student focussing on wrong things. Slows down everything.

Back to your original question I would much rather recommend to maybe buy an additonal line.

I am with Lasse about the given rod stiffness not mattering much unless you have an extreme. But you may want to check the length. For the average (beginner) bear I recommend to stay away of anything longer than 9 feet for at least a while.
9' is a proper length.
Regards
Bernd
http://www.first-cast.de
The first cast is always the best cast.
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Bernd Ziesche
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#9

Post by Bernd Ziesche »

Lasse Karlsson wrote: There is no such beast as a beginners rod action,
There is, mate, there is:
Paul Arden wrote:Anyway I’ll just produce a 7WT HT Instructor. I’ve ordered the prototypes. The rod will annihilate the test.
:p :D
http://www.first-cast.de
The first cast is always the best cast.
Boisker
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Quick opinion on rod choice and beginners...

#10

Post by Boisker »

Thanks Bernd.... funnily enough I’d asked if he’d tried other lines yesterday, trouble is it’s not the cheapest option unless you know lots of people with various lines... but good to know my advice as someone who isn’t anywhere near instructor level is on the right guidelines.... reassuring to know I’m not talking bollox :D
A group of us met up a month or so ago with a range of rods and lines... it’s really interesting the subtle and sometimes not so subtle difference it can make to how rods feel.
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