If you saw my favorite fishing rods in a tackle shop, not only wouldn’t you buy them, but you probably would point out to the store’s owner that somebody doesn’t know how to build a fishing rod. Most anglers remain wrapped in tradition, convinced that the basic approach to rod building has passed the test of time and if there was a way to improve them other than materials, it would have been done long ago.
My preferences for the past half-century were developed by a small group of light tackle pioneers who graciously showed me more than 50 years ago how much better their concepts were than the rod designs we still use today. They did two things. The first was to insist on a very short butt on the rod whether they were using spinning gear, plug casting tackle, or offshore rods handling 30-pound test line or lighter. Practically all of my rods in these categories are 7-feet long. On the conventional rods for 20-pound and 30-pound test, I use a regular butt cap rather than a gimbal.
Manufacturers shun the task of educating anglers that rods with fish-fighting features prove better on the water than the standard fare they produce year after year. Show a rod maker what sells and that is what he will build. A short butt (the area behind the reel) does two things. The reserve power in any rod rests near the reel. When you battle a fish, the rod blank transfers power from the rod tip toward the reel. A shorter butt with the reel closer to the bottom of the blank provides more power.
At the same time, a short butt keeps the reel close to your body, easing the -strain on your shoulder, back, and arm muscles. In most instances, one’s arms lack the strength of the body and are more prone to fatigue. When challenging a fish of respectable size, anglers complain how much their arms hurt. With a short butt, you simply tuck your elbows against your sides and use your legs, torso, and shoulders to pump a fish.
Newcomers to the short butt complain that the shorter butt makes casting difficult and it also feels strange. On the plus side, it doesn’t take long to get used to rods with short butts for any type of stand-up fishing. On casting rods, you can jam your hands together just like you do when holding a baseball bat and, with a little practice, you won’t believe how far you can cast.
Most spinning and plug casting rods are built with guides that taper in size working toward the tip and a tiptop that is particularly small. If you battle fish that require a heavy leader, there’s a chance that knots may not pass freely through the tiptop. A single foot ceramic guide of reasonable size solves this problem, although people will constantly tell you that you broke the tip of your rod.
Using the most effective tackle holds the key to fun on the water. If you enjoy using your gear and it gives you an advantage such as a short butt and guides that let knots pass through easily, you’re time on the water will be more meaningful. For those who fight their tackle more than the fish, even a good day at sea has its limitations.
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