Rod Balance

[Myles]

I'm currently using a 7/8 wt Cortland (vintage) bamboo rod with a 7wt WF line... Not having too much touble with my casting - although I'm still practicing a lot!

One thing that I'm noticing, however, is that when I use it, I'm feeling like I'd like a little more weight in the handle (i.e. below my right hand) to 'balance' the thing a little... I keep feeling like I should move my casting hand up to the extreme top of the cork - but it's not that comfortable either...

I love the action, and I'm getting good distance when I need to and accuracy, but it feels just 'out of balance' somewhat...

Is this just a problem with my technique/wrist? Or should my reel be heavier or something? I almost feel like putting a few ounces on the butt...

I'd love to stick with this rod, but I'd sure love to tweak my setup just a little... Anyone with more experience than me (read ANYONE) would sure be a help... Thanks in advance!
Myles

PS. I mostly fish the Housatonic in N. Connecticut, where it seems a lot of guys use graphite 5wt... for whatever that's worth... Love to stick with this rod, though, if I can.

 

[Pete]

Recently, many people have been minimizing the importance of rod-reel balance, and espouse "the lighter the better" regardless of balance. They cite a tornament caster who was actually able to cast farther without any reel (He coiled his line on the floor).

However, you're not fishing for them, you've got to please yourself. If you're uncomfortable with the current set up:

• You could try a heavier reel.
  
  Depending on the design of the reel, you could try to add weight (the old Pfleuger Medalist has a provision for adding shot inside the arbor).
  
  You could use less backing and replace it with some lead tape, or lead-core trolling line.

Or come up with something clever.

BTW: Most of my outfits "balance" somewhere between the mid point of the handle and the hook keeper. I don't find any of them uncomfortable.

If you happen to be using an old Medalist (or similar), and lost the "directions", I scanned them to make a point on another forum. They include instructions for adding weight:
http://www.geocities.com/ppontier/Medalist1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/ppontier/Medalist2.jpg

 

[JeffK]

Balance can be an issue. When bamboo was king balance was much discussed and the older reels were fairly heavy. With today's lighter, shorter graphite rods there has been a big push for lighter reels. The Medalist is one of the few older style reels still available and it is relatively inexpensive to try it out. On the other hand, others in the old days didn't buy the balance theories and went for the lightest reel possible. One of my all time favorite older reels are the Meisselbach-Catucci reels and they are extremely light even by current standards.

In the style category, I see most beginners today trying to "throw" the fly line and ending up using their wrists too much. This can make a fly rod feel heavy in a hurry. Fly casting is done mostly with the arms and body - which is often why women seem to learn more quickly than men. Men have a hard time going away from a snap-the-wrist throwing motion. In the old days the elbow was kept tight to the body in a closed stance - today's casters have a more open style which is more comfortable with modern light rods. Old fly casting teachers used to put a dollar bill between your upper arm and torso and would keep it if it dropped to reinforce a tight style. However, that closed style allows one to use the body more (in the extreme - use your torso to cast and don't move your arm!) and can make using a heavier fly rod feel lighter and less fatigueing. Your body and arm are stronger than your wrist - maybe you need to use them more?

 

[BIGBOW]

Pete's right about the reel. I'd take the rod to a shop and look for one that's a little heavier or larger. A large arbor is mostly used with 7/8 wts. The other suggestion I would give would be to try an 8 wt line instead of your 7. I've found that many rods that split wts like a 7/8 often throw the heavier line better than the lighter one. The rod usually loads better for this reason too. Good luck.