Caring for high modulus rods?

[panger]

I just bit the bullet and forked out for a Strudwick TPS. It feels so sweet, I can't wait to take it out on the water. As I have never owned a high modulus rod before could some of the more experienced owners out there give me some pointers about what to do and what not to do to prevent a rod breakage turning my happy moment turning sour.

[fatman]

A few tips;
when traveling , don't let any part of the rod rub on anything. Store it in a rod locker or holder, esecially when moving around from place to place in a boat.
Don't 'high stick'it when fighting a fish.
Don't use the 'bow & arrow' cast too often.
Don't lay it down with other rods where they can rattle together.
Don't bust off snagged lures by yanking it back.

there's probably a heap more but these are a good starting point.

FATMAN

[Fish Lips]

Fatman,

Can i just ask what you mean by "high stick"ing it?

cheers
FL

[swoffa]

Originally posted by fatman
Don't use the 'bow & arrow' cast too often.
FATMAN

Don't do this at all!
I've broken too many rods lately from B&A casting.
If you want to B&A, give Ian Miller a call and get a rod made for this purpose.

[panger]

Fatman,
thanks for the advice! I do a fair bit of landbased stuff from shore that is fairly high off the water. Is there a risk of high sticking when lifting fish on to the bank?

Panger

[chris_lemess]

High sticking is where the rod is at more than a 90 deg. angle to the fish. When graphite is bent back on itself even to this minor extent, it can explode. I've done it to a TPS and I had a 5 piece rod in my hand.

When I'm fishing with my Loomis I don't like to lift fish from the water up the bank. With my Heartland (solid graphite, lower modulus), I do it all the time. With a TPS make sure you don't lift fish like this. Get a wrap of your leader and "heave-ho".

cheers

[panger]

Chris,
thanks for your wise words, it might have saved me alot of tears when I take the TPS for its first fish.

Is heat an issue for graphite? Say leaving the rod in the boot of a car in the sun.

[rigzz]

Hi,
Heat can be an issue if the rod (blank) is held in a flexed/deformed state whilst quite hot. 2 piece rods tend to be somewhat protected from this in cars (the usual place of exposure to massive heat) if they are taken apart and stored flat or in a tube. I have heard some nasty stories though about 1 piece jobs that had to be bent or contorted to fit into a car and were then left there for some hours on stinking hot days. The bends in the blank tend to become permanent! Don't do it.
Cheers,
Rigzz

[Fish Lips]

A good link for care of high modulus rods...

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewrodcare.shtm

[Traveller]

What's a bow and arrow cast?

[Brody]

traveller,

try this linkbow and arrow cast

[Traveller]

Thanks Brody...

That's the weirdest casting method I've ever seen.....

I can add another thing to list of NOT to do with high modulus rods.... lending rods to friends and friends boat...... One of my friend went out fishing with another friend and well.... he used to have a Gloomis GLX... before the trip..............

[gadaletaaj]

What is the difference between high modulus and low modulus? I have a stella 6'6" spin. what type of graphite is that? is it high modulus? I also have a diawa heartland X 10kg trigger grip. what type of graphite is that? is it high modulus?
just want to know.

[panger]

Gadaletaaj,
high modulus rods are stiffer, lighter and more sensitive than low mod rods. They are also more expensive and 'delicate' than lower modulus rods. The stella i believe is a high grage graphite composite rod (not straight graphite), which is why mine's has taken lots of abuse and is still fine. I think the Heartland x while not really high modulus is getting up there.