05-07-2004, 02:22 AM
[cool][blue][size 1]fishmagnet posed a good question on the flyrods. I would like to toss out a similar question on spinning gear for tubing.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]I build most of my own rods. Over the years I have just about standardized on 7 foot spin sticks, in everything from ultralight to medium heavy. The one thing I do when building a rod for tubing is to make the lower part of the handle about two inches shorter than "off-the-shelf" rods. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]This reduces the incidence of catching the handle of the rod on your vest or parts of your anatomy when casting or fighting fish. It also shifts the balance of the rod back a little and fighting a fish is more like the feel of a fly rod...with the longer rod ahead of the reel.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have made and used spinning rods up to 8 feet long for use in my tubes. For the most part, the extra lenght is unhandy, unless you are bubble chuckin with a long leader behind the bubble.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I also use the 12 foot crappie rods made by B&N and have made some long "dip sticks" from fly rod blanks. These are great for sneaking up on shoreline structure and dropping a small jig down to crappies or other structure loving fishies. It gets interesting, though when a big ol kittyfish or bass munches the little jigs you intended for smaller species.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have several powerful "dipsticks" I have built on 10 and 11 foot saltwater blanks. I have used these for vertical drops along the edges of cattails and reeds when big cats and bass are in the cover. When a 20 pound cat grabs a big baitbug and heads out it will almost haul you out of your tube. I have had heavy hooks straightened out by those bad boys.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Oh yeah, on those big dipsticks, I make them both with a standard handle setup and with the reel seat at the rear, like a fly rod. That can help the fatigue factor if you are dipping heavy jigs all day, and it gives good leverage for hooksets and doing battle.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Just remembered I had some pics in my files. Here are a couple.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][size 1]I build most of my own rods. Over the years I have just about standardized on 7 foot spin sticks, in everything from ultralight to medium heavy. The one thing I do when building a rod for tubing is to make the lower part of the handle about two inches shorter than "off-the-shelf" rods. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]This reduces the incidence of catching the handle of the rod on your vest or parts of your anatomy when casting or fighting fish. It also shifts the balance of the rod back a little and fighting a fish is more like the feel of a fly rod...with the longer rod ahead of the reel.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have made and used spinning rods up to 8 feet long for use in my tubes. For the most part, the extra lenght is unhandy, unless you are bubble chuckin with a long leader behind the bubble.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I also use the 12 foot crappie rods made by B&N and have made some long "dip sticks" from fly rod blanks. These are great for sneaking up on shoreline structure and dropping a small jig down to crappies or other structure loving fishies. It gets interesting, though when a big ol kittyfish or bass munches the little jigs you intended for smaller species.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have several powerful "dipsticks" I have built on 10 and 11 foot saltwater blanks. I have used these for vertical drops along the edges of cattails and reeds when big cats and bass are in the cover. When a 20 pound cat grabs a big baitbug and heads out it will almost haul you out of your tube. I have had heavy hooks straightened out by those bad boys.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Oh yeah, on those big dipsticks, I make them both with a standard handle setup and with the reel seat at the rear, like a fly rod. That can help the fatigue factor if you are dipping heavy jigs all day, and it gives good leverage for hooksets and doing battle.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Just remembered I had some pics in my files. Here are a couple.[/size][/#0000ff]
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