Has anyone else ever seen a FActory Spiral wrapped rod? I just had the pleasure of stopping into Anglers Pro Shop, a VERY high end tackle shop which carries many products not available in teh US. There were 2 rods, I beleive one was from Zenaq which were spiral wrapped. After a not so close inspection, I was pretty disgusted at what I saw - if anyone has wondered why the factory spirals never took of in Japan - keep reading.

The rod was about 6-6'6 long, and have 8 guides. One one rod, the stripper was straight on top, teh next was offset to teh right SLIGHTLY. The next 4 guides transitioned left, and the last 2 on teh tip were the only 2 which were under teh rod. HAving seen quite a few configurations of spiral wraps over teh past several years, I must admit I was pretty surprised at how bad teh rod looked. Now most spiral wrapped rods aren't teh prettyest, they do kind of look goofy - but this was over teh top bad. The otehr rod also had 5 transition guides, with 2 straight on teh bottom and teh stripper on top.

I always wondered why they never caught on, nwo I know. I cannot imagine how many Japanese customers came in looking to spend $400++ on a factory rod, saw that, and never wanted to see anotehr spiral wrapped rod. MAybe RBO is as confusing to them as teh Fuji Tackle site is to us? lol.

Maybe they were sent here because they wouldn't sell over there?

The first G. Loomis casting rods offered the public in the early 1980's were all spiral wrapped. That was the only way they'd sell them. But, the first guide was right up in front of the reel. The overall configuration was very odd and they didn't take off. Gary said they dropped them not due to them not working, but because they didn't want to spend the money to convince the public that they were better. I never fished one so I can't say if they worked well or not, but just as there are badly configured conventional casting rods there are certainly badly configured spiral wrapped rods.

.....................

I have a set of Fenwick down rigger rods from the early 90's that are spiral wrapped. Out of all the rigger rods I have used they have always been my favorites. It is because of thos rods that I had a friend make me a pair of custom 12 foot Lamiglas spiral wrapped rigger rods for chasing walleye in Lake Erie.
So the short answer is YES!! I have seen factory spiral wrapped rods..............& they are in my rod room. LOL

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

GEEZ...don't get old and read things wrong and them post jibberish

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/27/2007 06:21PM by fred schoenduby.

I have seen the early Loomis that was spiral wrapped, some 12? years back mabye more. A fishing bud of mine had one and it was his favorite rod. He used it carolina rigging and loved it.

DR

In the specialty tackle shops in areas of the south there are four production rods at present that have one form or another of spirals. All sorts of stabs in the dark like the new one (bumper) where normal guide spacing was used back to front and the second guide is 90 left on some and 90 right on others. Several where the first guide is at 90. Most of them only get funny looks and no traffic.

"Most of them only get funny looks and no traffic"

You wouldn't believe how many folks THAT FISH have never seen a spiral of any kind. I get the "whats wrong with your guides" all the time. I even built a guy one, explained in detail what it was and asked him if that was "ok". After I sent him the rod he called me and said it had "damaged guides from the shipping, it must have not been dry yet" and I had to explain to him all over again. about the spiral. I told him to throw a reel on it and fish it, if he didn't like it I'd change if for free.......month later he called raving about how much he loved it sending me pic's of several 40-45" Muskys caught on my "Bass rod". True story.

DR

YOu can tell the guys who rarely see any otehr fishermen, and are surprised people that fish have never seen a spiral wrapped rod. The Party , Charter boat, and Pier fishermen along the coasts will vouch that 98% of the people fishing have never seen or heard of a rod like this. Why would they, if the only people who are promoting it to teh fishing public are on the internet? WHen was the first time you seen a TV ad about a spiral wrapped rod? How about in a major catalouge? This is leadign up to my point.....

If the people in charge of marketting info to teh fishing masses - BPS, Cabela's, ESPN, Outdorr TV shows, etc - have been exposed to any of teh factory spiral wrapped rods the way I have been as well as some others, tehre is NO CHANCE IN @#$%& tehy will ever make mention of them, and if they did they deserve to be fired because tehy really were bad.

It' ssimlar to teh guy who doesn't want a custom rod, because he did not like Ugly Stick Customs or Penn Customstick's. As ridiculous as that sounds, it actaully makes sense when looking at it from teh otehr side of teh equation.

There were a couple of companies making and selling spiral wrapped rods in the early to late 90's. One was called Loew's and the other was called Earhardt Rods. I sold quite a bit of the Earhardt rods after I initially saw and bought several at a Bass Masters Classic in Alabama several years ago. They were built more the traditional way with three transition guides with the first being directly on top. The Lowes brand was sold in Some of the major sporting stores in the south and I think is still in business. Also a few years ago Cabelas had a series of spiral rods in their catalog for a couple of years.

Here in upstate NY there's a rod going around called the Walker Tournament Twist Downrigger Rod, 8'6", 8-20# line, for the give-away price of something like $22.00. Have never seen one up close.

I just repaired a JDM Abu Garcia Bass that was spiral wrapped. Very nice job. Roberts Wrap configuration with Fuji titanium framed SiC guides.


.................................

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Lance you forgot to tell everyone that ALL the rods you build for show sale are spirals and have been for quite a long time! When they fish with them all the questions are answered - they do come back for more!

I believe Gary Kline got Quantum to put the revolver wrap on his signature series rods. I had a guy bring one in my shop a couple of months ago and it was the 8' flipper of Kline's and it was wrapped the revolver way. I was very suprised that it didn't have the Forhan locking wrap.

Mike

If I remember right, Gary Klein and Rich Forhan were business partners at one time.

I had a Quantum come into the shop with One guide on top and all the rest on the bottom of the rod but no bumper guide. Installed a bumper and everyone was happy.

The owner and I could not believe that was the way Quantum would build a rod.

Rolly Beenen
Rovic Custom Rods

Where did you get this info from?

I am a japanese tackle enthusiast the japanese dig the spiral wrapped rods. Its the reason why they have factory spiral wrapped rods, alot of their manufacturers build a few models this way. WE are the ones who lack the spiral wrapped rods.

Matter of fact, to set the record straight the japanese gear is more radical and better quality than everything we have, be it lures, reels, rods, lines, terminal tackle, clothing, accesories and pretty much anything that has to do with fishing. They have so much stuff it would make our/your heads spin.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2007 03:24PM by Henry Engle.

I just wish they would sell some of those fantastic Japanese tackle at good ol' boy prices. I love the products sold in japan, I just can't afford it.

Hi,

Always an interesting topic. I was told that Diawa offered spiral wrapped rods for a couple of years in the late 80's. I did not see them so I am unable to confirm this info. Anyone remember these?

I love it when guys on a party boat try to realign my guides thinking they are helping me out. And this is a one piece rod.

People with health issues are more open to what a spiral wrapped rod can do for them than the average angler. The design allows these folks to fish with less pain wherever their pain is located.

Billy40, I recently completed one of TLIS rods as a spiral wrapped rod.

Slow but sure the word is getting out.

Capt Neil

Capt Neil Faulkner

Shimano in Australia has a spiral wrapped rod, the 'Starlo Stix' range carries them. Designed by Ian Miller (who does most of the Australian Shimano work). It's amazing how many people own an 'Ian Miller' rod that turns out to be a shimano with his name credited on it!

Ben