rod accuracy

[WJC]

I hear about "rod accuracy" at various distances on these rod review shootouts. What would make a rod accurate at 60 feet and inaccurate at 30 feet?

How can a rod that's comfortable to cast contribute to inaccuracy at certain distances within its comfortable casting range?

Thanks,
JIm

[Lasse Karlsson]

I'd think it would all be in the head of the tester, but that's just my oppinion

Cheers
Lasse

[Paul Arden]

Hi Jim,

For hovering the fly many comp accuracy guys I know prefer a slightly softer rod. But I'm sure that's not what they are talking about and so it's complete crap - both in reviews and marketing

Cheers, Paul

[Merlin]

Agree with Lasse, but maybe this is because few people have been using earlier rods, with simpler patterns. Today most rods have multiple layers at various angle (for fibers). I found a difference in precision between my G rods (80s), and the new ones (post 2005). They twist less which makes a difference IMHO.

Merlin

[Lasse Karlsson]

Hi Merlin

How much are you talking about?

Cheers
Lasse

[Paul Arden]

I know accuracy casters who still use fibreglass (Haysia) and the US team werr using older softer rods. I don't see how the rod can twist can cause problems using a vertical stroke?

Cheers, Paul

[Graeme H]

Marketing hype.

People are accurate. A rod is just a tool.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Michal Duzynski]

Bravo!!!

[Merlin]

Hi Lasse

I am speaking about a few inches, and I refer to fishing conditions, mostly side casting. I think that if you cast cast in a vertical plane, this is hardly detectable if your tracking is close to perfection, but this may be different in a non vertical plane. I experienced more direct hits with my new rods. I prefer graphite to glass here, too soft a rod tends to change the tracking plane in side casting (the rod tends to flex on the side). Sometimes I surprize myself to hit the target on the very first cast (is it uncounscious experience improvement?), you know, the deadly accurate cast.

It makes some sense in physics terms to me, if a rod can twist easily it is more challenging to keep its tip on the desired track.

Now coming back to casting shootouts, the influence of the caster is likely significant. Maybe too much distance casting makes you less good at short distance.

Merlin

[WJC]

Thanks everyone for confirmation that I have not missed out on some critical information for my entire life.

A couple years ago I did a CCS ERN on a beast of beasts rod a friend gave me that took the equivalent weight (in a bucket of water hung from the tip) of 277 pennies to bend the specified amount . It worked out to be the combined ERN's of a 16 wt plus an 11.5 weight. So, presumably, it is either a soft 28 wt or a stiff 27 wt., not that it makes a huge difference.

Then strung with an old 4 wt line, outside we went casting at a baking pan. The result was that it was very accurate at short distances once I got the hang of using about a 6 inch casting arc and very fast mini-hauls with a death grip on the handle.

Also, as with all my other rods, the further from the target, the worse the accuracy was. No surprise there. Fortunately many years of experience at doing similarly stupid things reminded me not to push the distance thing and I survived without any pulled muscles.

Thank you again for all your input.

Cheers,
Jim