For crappies I like the jig to pull down the tip a little so if a crappie hits up I see it on the tip. Is that the best balance?
I fished with a guy who probably brought 15 custom rods, is that what you need? (he was a single guy-just sayin’)In the open water season balance with rod, line & lure is huge—-ideas for ice time?
I try to balance the rod to the weight I am tying on it, this is only done by feel for me anyway. Sorry not really any help other than I agree with your sentiment.
Not easy to sell or explain balance, so it is not talked about much.
Get a good spring bobber that addresses the dip in the rod tip. Unless you’re dealing with a high-end rod a spring can’t be beat. Thjorne Bros Power Noddle was the epitome of a great crappie rod that did exactly what you’re describing.
For crappies I like the jig to pull down the tip a little so if a crappie hits up I see it on the tip. Is that the best balance?
Short answer is yes. But I would not call that balance.
To me rod balance has to do with the overall balance of the set up. Grab your rod by the handle like you would when you are using it. Mark the center of your index finger and middle finger. The rod should balance perfectly horizontal at that spot between your two fingers without a lure on. On hard water rods the weight of the lure gives you that up bite feel (1/16 oz + lure) when it disappears. Smaller the jig the harder it is to feel the up bite and you depend on the blank or spring bobber to help tell you by its bend. What I think you are trying to find is the load an ___oz jig puts on the blank. Sitting dead still a <1/16oz jig should bend the tip just a bit so you can see if there is an up bite. The release of that bend will help you feel the up bite and see it. You also don’t want it to bend too much or you loose jig control while you are working the lure. Some lures you want more of a bob to get the right action on the lure (slower action blank will achieve this) and some jigs you want the lure to be still but dancing (extra fast action blank will achieve this). A lot of rods are like musical instruments. You must learn how to play it to make it sound good. With the perfect combination of blank action and lure weight, you just play and it sounds good. This is a rabbit I have been chasing for a while. Small changes in the blank can affect each lure a bit different along with your personal fishing style. Even changes 14” back from the tip effects lure control. It’s not just the tip.
Good points, Rod!
You should be able to see the up bite in your line. That day we brought you out on poke my buddies and mine rod built for what we were doing caught 10 to 1 over what you were using. You do not need 15 custom rods. I have 20 plus, but most don’t even get touched. A jt pan handler is all you need lol, sorry my favorite crappie rod to date. But the right tool for the right job. Doesn’t mean a cheap rod isn’t going to catch fish, but on a tougher bite day, you might not even know they are biting. I sure don’t balance my rod to every jig but I try to keep certain rods for certain size jigs
I’m a baitcasting rod set up so the rig basically gets palmed balanced for those light bites. For the invisible up bite, yeah the rod tip does show a micro movement from lack of lure weight, however it’s the line that’s most definitive when it shows slack. Much easier to see on the bait casting rod. And then there’s the just slightly drop the rod tip and seeing the lack of tension of line to lure.
On the spinning rod, it’s basically teeter totter balanced on my finger tips. Of course not the best idea if the fish are aggressive.
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