[Matthew Thomas]

Hi all,

First of all, what a great forum! Only just joined and already learned a lot just by reading through it! So thanks!

Now, I have just bought the lighter 8foot version of the Teklon Concept..took it out yesterday to get the feel of it and im sad to say i really struggled. I expected it to feel very different from what i have been using (11foot mike ladle surespin)...

But...my casting distance with the Maria Chase (favourite plug) is pretty much halved, which means i really couldnt get the lure out to the distance the fish normally take the lure. I could accept some loss of distance in favour of better ability to work lures, but this seems extreme! Is this jsut something you have to expect??

I modified my casting to style from the easier, slowish cast with the 11footer to a fast little whip, and found the lure turning over on itself in flight, and generally not flying out well. Im using varivas superbraid 20lb with it, and used to use 30lb of the same with the old setup, if that could make any difference?! Im not sure how though! Any ideas where i could be going wrong?

Any help would be much appreciated

Matt

 

[Mark Sleep]

Hi Matthew, welcome to the forum. My rods have got shorter each time I have bought them. When I went from 10ft to 8ft 6, it took me a while to get the hang of it. It is definately more of a sharp, but smooth action, with a lot of bottom hand to lever the rod into the cast. Your casting will definately improve with time on the water.

 

[Keith White]

the longer rod gives more distance if you can move it correctly.

shorter rod needs to move faster to even get close (which at 8ft --11ft) it won't.

 

[Ben Field]

Hi Matthew, welcome aboard! Like Mark says, I'm sure it'll even itself up with practise. It is a bit different when you start using shorter rods, but once you're used to it, rod length becomes quite unimportant. I probably cast almost as far with 7' rods as I do with 9. If you're using lures within a rods (real) casting range then shorter rods are just as capable, if it's all balanced.

 

[Mike Kennard]

Hi Matthew, I tried what I believe is the same rod a few weeks back when I met Mike Newman locallly. I can't remember what lure he was using at the time but it could have even been the same lure. Whatever lure it was it was fairly easy to cast a long way (by lure standards) but I tend to use shorter rods most of the time. It might be as others have said your casting style needs some adjustment. Have you tried similar comparisons with other lures?

 

[Matthew Thomas]

Thanks for the replies

I guess its a case of just persevering to get the best distance i can with the rod, and accept that it wont cast as far as the longer rod (obvious i suppose!).

It works ok with the heavier lures..acheived a decent distance with the Patchinko, although this one goes a LONG way on the other rod, but on the flip side cant be worked so well due to the unweildy nature of the rod.

I just didnt seem to be able to "feel" the lighter lures in the cast very much, felt like i wasnt really loading the rod.

Il keep at it though, give myself chance to become more familiar with the shorter rod, and in the few instances where distance really is quite important perhaps take the old one instead.

Thanks again.

 

[Tim Murphy]

Isn't it to do with leverage??? A 9' rod is 50% longer than a 6' rod, so, assuming they have an identical action the shorter rod has to travel 50% faster to get the same leverage.

 

[Mike Kennard]

The comparisom between short rods and longer rods isn't as simple as it first sounds. It is more to do with tip speed than rod length. It gets more complicated when the different action of rods is taken into account. A long soft rod is not necessarily a longer casting rod than a short one but it is likely to be easier to cast longer distances with (for some types of lure at least) because it is easier to move the tip faster due to the length of the rod. There are a number of things you can try, the first one may be to speed up the cast by using the lower hand more. It is all about technique.

 

[Mick Ward]

Your distance will improve with time mate, without a doubt. Give it some stick, really whip/snap the rod (not litterally!). The Maria isnt a good casting lure and with the shorter rod the distance would defonately be effected.

 

[Jim O M]

Teklon Concept Spin 802ML is teh rod i got in mind.. there is an 8 ft 3in version also..832M
would that not help ?
Novice question..i am that soldier

 

[Marq]

I borrowed the rod for a session Was very impressed All of my fears of using a shorter rod evaporated within a couple of casts Distance no problem Like you i have dropped fom 11ft -8ft You will very quickly adjust

 

[Nick Phillips]

I must say that I use and prefer short rods (5'6"-8'10") ,I find that I can cast miles with my two 7' Sage rods.
As has been stated before the Maria isn't what I would call a 'top caster' more like an ok caster. Try the rod with something like a Patchinko as these cast really well and at least you will build up your confidence in your casting.
Try a Zonk as well,this will show you that short fast rods do work.

 

[Dave Irving]

Duo SLD-F's, Megabass X-120/X140, Both great minnows for bass. Both cast MUCH better than Maria's.
Stick with it, the distance will come as you learn how the rod works best. Also experiment with different drops (thanks Keith for that bit of advice), as it can make a huge difference when casting.

 

[Pedro B]

Hi all,

First of all, what a great forum! Only just joined and already learned a lot just by reading through it! So thanks!

Now, I have just bought the lighter 8foot version of the Teklon Concept..took it out yesterday to get the feel of it and im sad to say i really struggled. I expected it to feel very different from what i have been using (11foot mike ladle surespin)...

But...my casting distance with the Maria Chase (favourite plug) is pretty much halved, which means i really couldnt get the lure out to the distance the fish normally take the lure. I could accept some loss of distance in favour of better ability to work lures, but this seems extreme! Is this jsut something you have to expect??

I modified my casting to style from the easier, slowish cast with the 11footer to a fast little whip, and found the lure turning over on itself in flight, and generally not flying out well. Im using varivas superbraid 20lb with it, and used to use 30lb of the same with the old setup, if that could make any difference?! Im not sure how though! Any ideas where i could be going wrong?

Any help would be much appreciated

Matt

If the rod has a slower tip action than your old rod, it probably loads more easly, so IMO don't apply to much strenght on the cast, let the rod load itself and make most of the casting action.

Most people tend to use strong and fast whip casts, like they used to do in longer faster rods, on slower, smaller rods. That won't work.

 

[Matthew Thomas]

Thanks for all the replies!

Il keep at it and hopefully start acheiving better distances as i get more used to a different casting technique.

I do want to carry on using the Marias though..as its been such a reliable lure for me. Maybe just limit its use to the times when distance isnt too crucial, and il have a look at those other lures mentioned for the times when the distance is more important.

Cheers

 

[mike newman]

Hi Matthew, I tried what I believe is the same rod a few weeks back when I met Mike Newman locallly. I can't remember what lure he was using at the time but it could have even been the same lure. Whatever lure it was it was fairly easy to cast a long way (by lure standards) but I tend to use shorter rods most of the time. It might be as others have said your casting style needs some adjustment. Have you tried similar comparisons with other lures?

it is the same rod and lure. before this rod I've used an 11 foot daiwa super shinobi; with a little practice I now cast the same lure as far with the grauvell. It's down to technique, stick at it and you'll be fine, I find the advantages of the shorter rod (lure contact an control) far outweigh the imagened disadvantages (casting distance)
Mike

 

[Ian Perry]

I had problems when I changed to a shorter rod and found where I had the lure virtually touching the rod tip ion casting with my 11 foot rod now I have about a 2 foot drop on the lure (as per Dave / Keiths' advice).
This has definitely improved my distance but guess it's all down to personal feel and preference.