To get a balanced spinning outfit you need a digital spring scale [$5.33 on line] solidly anchored on one end and tied to the tip-top of your rod with 20# test line. Pull on the rod as hard as you dare without breaking it and record this maximum tension. The line you use with this rod should test no more than twice this maximum tension and the reel you use does not need to be able to exert more than twice as much tension as the maximum pull you recorded. Don't be discouraged if your fresh-water rod seems to risk breakage at over 5 pounds of tension - most do.

Lets see if this works and then we can discuss:)

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Tell me what you think Phil. Not bad for a "bass rod" huh?

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Hello every one I am putting my old speed sticks back in service but have a couple of questions was there ever a washer in between the handle and the collet also was the o ring round or the flat type these are the early slip fit handles any help is good help. thanks. Alex.

Great post Russell!

Okay Lynn, since you responded I'll put you on the spot and ask what I intended to ask Phil.

Guy says he is lifting 15 pounds in that pic and blank failed at 18.5 pounds. He clearly has a lot more than a 90 degree bend in the rod and perhaps had even more when it failed at 18.5 pounds. Butt diameter is 1/2", tip size is 6, optimum casting weight is 1 ounce.

So what pound test do you fish with that rod and what is your maximum drag setting? What might we guess the blank would fail at if held to a 90 degree bend?

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Typically, if the rod is utilized properly, and deadlifted to failure, it's going to break in the lower 1/3rd to 1/4 of its length. If the one in your photo broke higher than that, you can almost guarantee that it would have gone well past 18.5 pounds before it failed.

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

I'm just a cheerleader in this post.

Russell: I'd say you were over-gunned for a Micropterus sp. bass. Maybe striped bass or sea bass. I do not think that blank would "balance" well with a Shimano 2500 reel, even though that reel is reputed to have more than enough drag (20#) for that blank.

Heck, I didn't mention bass (other than saying the blank was a bass rod) nor did I mention a 2500 reel.

Evryone has to decide what pound test and drag setting they will fish a given blank at. I can't think of a better way to determine that than testing said blank to failure. A little surprised nobody will touch this question with a ten foot pole. There isn't any right/wrong answer. Just looking for other opinons here.

Russ in Hollywood, FL.

Russell, I'm way too cheap to test a blank to the failure point!

Fish any pound test line you want and set the drag at 20-25 % of the breaking strengh of the line used. Of course when fishing structure, you can use heavy line, tighten the drag all the way down, and just rear back and yank that sucker out and into the boat with no fight.at all. This works for some, however you might blow a reel apart :)
Norm