Hi guys plenty of discussions about rods for fixed spool fishing in the Surf.
I know a lot about fixed spool rods because i fish with them 3 days a week and sometimes more but with our R&S requirements, especially with our extremes of angling experienced in the R&S environment one cannot make a single rod to suite all.
I have some of my own Ideas. One is that having more flexibility in the tip of the rod alleviates the tendency of HMG wanting to rip your finger tip off.
I personally find it easier to hold the rod for casting with a Grinder as if I was holding it with a multiplier with the top hand not controlling the reel but pushing the rod.
I've got it sorted and even use one of my Blade HMG's with bionic finger to cast like this but of late and with experimenting with the purglas slimline I found massive casts with a rod with a bit more give in the tip to be way easier.
My take / own thinking on this matter (open to comment and criticism) I would really appreciate feedback to better understand what the recreational as well as competitive anglers want out of a "Grinder Rod" as it's new in RSA and we have a huge spectrum to address.
Some things to take note of with fishing and casting baits with Grinders
If you just go look at casting tournament results some things become totally evident.
Tournament casting distances
Fixed spool reels cast further in the 3-5oz class than multipliers
Mulipliers and Grinders pretty much equal one another as a rule on the 6oz class
Multipliers always outcast the fixed spool reels over 6oz and in fact distances begin to differ drastically the bigger the weights being cast, bionic finger or not.
I suppose one would really have to look at what you want to target with the rod, The 4-6oz in my opinion has adequate backbone to handle any 40kg flatty and raggies to 80kg+
The 6-8oz can comfortably cast up to 10oz and can be fished with a Trini 50 if you want to so in terms of, can it stop a fish, hell yeah
Fishing for Hounds, Smoothies, Diamonds, Blue Rays, Eagle rays ie smaller size in-eds then I'd go for the 4-6oz.
This whole fishing facet in terms of fixed spool reels is in it's infancy so I think clarity in what you are going to target is important.
Remember any of these rods matched with 16kg of drag with the rod held at 45 degrees will stop very many fish up to 100kg and with 650m of 50lbs braid will definitely stop a Bronzie but probably not even slow up a 150kg Bronzie
Put some things into perspective - 0.50mm lines used as throwbait lines is under 30lbs so why use 50lbs braid when 30lbs will add 20% distance and is what you would have fished any other day of the week
What would I do if I was a league fisherman here -
13' 2-4oz Scratching with a an Unlegra 5500 and 20lbs Braid
14' 4-6oz Medium with Ultegra 14000 spool with 50lbs and 10000 spool with 30lbs
14' 7-10oz with a Trini 30 size reel with the traditional 0.55 and Braid Backing
Wading and casting for Bronzies, go big or go home. Grinders that can cast are not made for size Bronzies.
I know a lot about fixed spool rods because i fish with them 3 days a week and sometimes more but with our R&S requirements, especially with our extremes of angling experienced in the R&S environment one cannot make a single rod to suite all.
I have some of my own Ideas. One is that having more flexibility in the tip of the rod alleviates the tendency of HMG wanting to rip your finger tip off.
I personally find it easier to hold the rod for casting with a Grinder as if I was holding it with a multiplier with the top hand not controlling the reel but pushing the rod.
I've got it sorted and even use one of my Blade HMG's with bionic finger to cast like this but of late and with experimenting with the purglas slimline I found massive casts with a rod with a bit more give in the tip to be way easier.
My take / own thinking on this matter (open to comment and criticism) I would really appreciate feedback to better understand what the recreational as well as competitive anglers want out of a "Grinder Rod" as it's new in RSA and we have a huge spectrum to address.
Some things to take note of with fishing and casting baits with Grinders
If you just go look at casting tournament results some things become totally evident.
Tournament casting distances
Fixed spool reels cast further in the 3-5oz class than multipliers
Mulipliers and Grinders pretty much equal one another as a rule on the 6oz class
Multipliers always outcast the fixed spool reels over 6oz and in fact distances begin to differ drastically the bigger the weights being cast, bionic finger or not.
I suppose one would really have to look at what you want to target with the rod, The 4-6oz in my opinion has adequate backbone to handle any 40kg flatty and raggies to 80kg+
The 6-8oz can comfortably cast up to 10oz and can be fished with a Trini 50 if you want to so in terms of, can it stop a fish, hell yeah
Fishing for Hounds, Smoothies, Diamonds, Blue Rays, Eagle rays ie smaller size in-eds then I'd go for the 4-6oz.
This whole fishing facet in terms of fixed spool reels is in it's infancy so I think clarity in what you are going to target is important.
Remember any of these rods matched with 16kg of drag with the rod held at 45 degrees will stop very many fish up to 100kg and with 650m of 50lbs braid will definitely stop a Bronzie but probably not even slow up a 150kg Bronzie
Put some things into perspective - 0.50mm lines used as throwbait lines is under 30lbs so why use 50lbs braid when 30lbs will add 20% distance and is what you would have fished any other day of the week
What would I do if I was a league fisherman here -
13' 2-4oz Scratching with a an Unlegra 5500 and 20lbs Braid
14' 4-6oz Medium with Ultegra 14000 spool with 50lbs and 10000 spool with 30lbs
14' 7-10oz with a Trini 30 size reel with the traditional 0.55 and Braid Backing
Wading and casting for Bronzies, go big or go home. Grinders that can cast are not made for size Bronzies.