A different (?) view on rod-design.

[Lasse Karlsson]

To be honest Vince, back when they made the G series, different tapers where mostly the choice between a DT or a WF :-)
So increasing weight in the rod for a earlier loading, meant you didn't have to make a brick on a string line. So rod manufacturers are still stuck as much as they where back then on rodload as the holy grail...

Cheers
Lasse

[VGB]

Cheers Lasse

[Paul Arden]

I would have to try it. One thought I have is that the heavier tip results in greater counterflex. This could be beneficial with a bass bug. I’m sure they have tried it!

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I didn’t tie this.

[Lasse Karlsson]

At a meeting, a rodbuilder told me about his way of making rods cast better, and he was very etager for me to try it out. He put more rings on the rod, and added a splitshot to the snake just above the top ferrule on a 4 piece 9 footer.
Didn't like the added weight, deeper counterflex and non increase in distance...

Bill Hanneman had his feel fixers, pieces of lead to add to the tip of your rod so it felt better. There was a half line weight, a full line weight and a tcr feel fixer.
Paul should like them, instead of getting a brick on a string line because you bought the wrong rod, you just add weight to the tip so you can use the right line or some other BS....

Cheers
Lasse

[Thomas]

I found this post by Larry Kenney at fiberglassflyrodders forum:

"While I certainly had a hand in the work, the real credit needs for G-series rod design has to go to Harry Wilson who, until his stroke in 1987, was the company's driving force. Other people were involved, of course, including guys who worked with us, people who showed up at the Golden Gate Park casting ponds in San Francisco when we were test-casting rods, shop owners who had particular requests, like Harry Murray of Edinburg VA who pushed for long graphite bass rods (we already had a line of glass bass rods). The G907B, which was the first of the graphite bass rods, introduced in 1981, was indeed based on the butt section of a G906 with a heavier #7 line tip. The stronger, straight taper tip, mounted with relatively heavy Fuji single foot guides, slowed down the rod to deliver slow moving hair bugs with authority and accuracy. Later models changed back to snake guides and I'm guessing it was as much for cosmetic reasons as anything else since those Fujis were so ugly."

/Thomas

[Mangrove Cuckoo]

I have not cast a G series rod in many years but I know some folks that still revere them. Personally, when it comes to older rods I am a big fan of the old Heliply series. I have them from 7 to 10 and still marvel at how easy they cast. It is probably a personal thing, but for some reason they just seemed to fit. I still occasionally take one out and cast it for old time sake and no doubt they are somewhat slow and heavy compared to today's models.

However, I own a few current model top line Scott salt water rods in the larger sizes, and I don't feel the need to look for anything else. The surprise is that I find one of their mid priced rods, the Tidal model, in an 8 wt, to actually be the nicest rod I have ever cast... especially for tossing poppers at the mangroves. That rod simply delivers a popper, for me, almost like magic... if you lay off and let it work. I expect it would do the same for a bass bug.

I forget their exact wording, but Scott says something like the Tidal is not a rod for distance, but rather fishing. And I think they hit the bulls eye. I'm hoping to talk to their booth at the upcoming show and ask them about the design. I would swear they made that rod just for me.

I'm also very anxious to cast their 8'4" salt water models. Not that I need another rod, but the Heliply was an 8'8" rod and I'm just really curious.

[Thomas]

Hi again,

I remember reading somewhere about a famous (everything is relative...) European competition flycaster who manufactured his own rods with solid tips. I wonder if he had similar thoughts on this matter as when Scott made these bass-rods. Is there anybody here that are familiar with this caster and these rods?

Cheers Thomas

[Mangrove Cuckoo]

Thomas,

I can't help you with the European comp caster, but there was a wonderful fellow over here in the US that retired to Florida and hung out with our club occasionally.

His name was Don Phillips and he (mostly unsuccessfully) tried to manufacture boron blanks back in the 1970s. His book "The Technology of Flyrods" is a hard to find jewel on rod manufacturing and the physics of rod design and casting.

I know that he experimented with solid tip sections of his boron rods because the club got to cast a number of his prototypes.

His book was sort of a compilation of his notes on different rod building processes and has a massive index of books, articles, research papers, etc. Your caster is probably mentioned or at least foot-noted in the index.

I'll see if I can dig it up. The book was quite intimidating, physics wise, at least for me back in the 70s. It might be interesting to see how many of his ideas still hold true today!

[Paul Arden]

I have cast a couple of those! I can’t remember the thinking behind them. In fact I can’t remember how they cast either. Hope that helps

[Fla]

His name is Theo Matschewky and this is his website: http://www.solitip.com/home.html

I never cast one of his rods. Adding weight to the tip seems absurd to my understanding of fly rod action.
I had to replace a broken tip of a rod when traveling in Malaysia some years back, and the only material I found was a solid carbon tip. Bending curve looked ok but it cast like shit - Paul had cast ot too, I am sure he can't remember

I should add that lots of people like Theo's solitip rods, and think his repairs cast better than the oiginal rods.

Cheers,
Flavio