PUALD Challenge

[Lasse Karlsson]

Paul, your argument, based on your one shootout, is that a stiffer rod equals 2 meters more distance, just like that. And I am asking why none of you, comes to the world championships, and packs out a much stiffer rod than what you have been practicing with in the months up to that?

What I am saying, is that the rod you practice with, is the one that will give you the highest average. And having been tied in competition more times than I care to count where it's the second or third or even once the fourth (even if there isnt a fourth on SL) to determine who got the slot. I do also want average, not to mention, it also yielded the longest of the casts when I did the numbers. Yet I am being told again and again my numbers are wrong and I should just redo... All I ask is for just one of you to actually get more numbers than the lucky shots from 1 shootout But all I get is poor excuses

Far too many people are hung up on the gear, and claims of magic meters by shifting to something else does absolutly nothing for that. Then again, I dont sell rods or lines, maybe if I did, I would want that narrative to be pushed ok low blow, sorry

Cheers
Lasse

[Paul Arden]

I can think of some low blows in response, but I don’t do that

I don’t have anything to prove. We were all convinced by the tests. If the conditions were variable then I too would have needed more proof. If it was only my results I would have wanted more. But the conditions were the same for all and it was a trend shared by all.

Maybe it’s different in Denmark. Maybe it’s different for Lasse. I know it’s not the same for everyone because many people can’t make stiff rods work even when appropriately lined! I would be surprised if even 5% of casters found an increase in distance with such a rod and not a massive decrease.

All I can say, and all I’ve ever said, is that in our test we found an average of 2m difference. I don’t think it’s ground shaking.

We didn’t have an HT10 in those days! The COMP5 was the HT6. I received the final version one month before Estonia! I spent a month testing HT8 vs HT10 in the lead up. I cast the 10 in the comp not because of a better average distance, but because when I hooked one up it went further.

Incidentally I mostly “practise” with softer rods. The rod on the roof is still the HT6 and the line is a MED5

Cheers, Paul

[Zhongxiang]

Paul, any updates regarding the rod repairing?
I have been using a 11wt for the PULD recently and it went further than HT10. Not sure if it's because of technique improvements or change in rod stiffness. I'm very interested to find out what I can do when switch back to HT10
Cheers TC

[Paul Arden]

I haven’t heard - let me check!

[sms]

Did your team ever run a similar experiment, Sakke? I know you were using stiffer rods early on.

I once tried Dan Craft's

• Five Rivers FT 9' 5wt

• Five Rivers FT 9' 12wt

• Five Rivers Signature V 9' (8'10" really) 10wt

against each other (must have been the only "training" that year). I did find them all casting roughly the same max distance. The FT 5wt gave me the most consistent results by far.

Regarding stiffer rods? Ahem, what? Me? No. I think I bought the FT 5wt (and also Sig V 9' 5wt) blank in the winter 2004/2005. Before that I only had Fenwick Streamer 9' 6wt (that was much softer than FT) that I used. And I have never strayed from the FT 5wt except when testing someone else's rod at some competitions and the short test above with the two other Dan Crafts. I do have cast in one comp with FT 6wt top three parts and my FT 5wt butt. That was in the first Nordic Champs in Tampere. Just before my qualification round I noticed I had a broken guide. Fortunately my friend's FT 6wt was a match with the ferrule that we swapped when the timer guys were waiting for the heat to start. When the time started I noticed I had missed a guide in the hurry. After sorting that out too, I cast the longest qualification cast by a fair margin.
Cast like crap in the final thou so that fun didn't last long.

I am thinking of 1) training and 2) really trying a stiffer rod. There is a high probability that 1) does not happen as the track record is what it is (I end up just spey casting 15') and then 2) is not really with any real point.

[Paul Arden]

Yep it was definitely you on the lake at the campground in Fagernes I think the advantages with regards the stiffer rod is less counterflex and a faster recovery to RSP2. The carry is the same obviously - because that’s line and conditions dependent. No doubt the fly leg passes a little bit higher and maybe the forward trajectory can be aimed a little higher too, but I think it’s mostly down to loop formation and propagation. The arc for me at least is also slightly more truncated and so dangling end is less of a problem theoretically.

Of course wind is a far greater variable. But apart from a diet of beans there is not much that can be done about that.

I mostly practise shots and funk. And recently the left hand. I only pick up the comp game or other areas when I have a need.

Cheers, Paul

[sms]

For TD it was FT 5wt. I did have that white beast for sea trout thou. If that was the year of high wind in the STD final, I fckd up that. Should’ve used shorter and heavier line (23-24g cut from GT125 #8 before the final since it was way too long). And should’ve used a softer and lighter rod. The combo was horrible and I was not really able to backcast into the wind and I wore myself out completely early on.

[John Waters]

I have old lines which would be ineligible currently, no labelling on the tip and will need to update in the New Year. So, what is the closing date of this challenge?

John

[Paul Arden]

It’s not my competition John, but I wouldn’t question your integrity Me, I’m going to use a tropical 5MED which I cannot do in the WCs. So technically I’m possibly disqualified! I’m not sure. But I do need to get an entry in Anyway I’m lucky to have already experienced both prizes

I bought 50m of white polypropylene rope today for measuring distance on the lake. I’m not sure what to use as marker points in 10’ intervals after 100’. Tennis balls?

Hope you are well mate, looks like Aussie has CV under control again. I wish the same could be said about Malaysia.

Cheers, Paul

[James9118]

It’s not my competition John, but I wouldn’t question your integrity

Whoa there, you do know he's Australian right? I think we need to see the box and spool the line's from, the receipt from the tackle shop where it was bought, a bank statement showing the appropriate debit, a photo ID and some sort of calibration on the tape measure being used

But seriously John, it would be great to have you enter, just use the 'old' MED that you have. The competition is probably going to run for a while yet while people are improving.

Cheers, James