I have a TFO TiCr fly rod that I built and have used now for several years. It has taken countless smallmouth bass but, and this is subjective mind you, it doesn't seem as fast a rod as it was when I first built it. It seems to me to flex greater and further down the blank than it once did. Hard to quantify at this point in time but just wondered if this is at all possible. As always, thank you for your input.

The action won't change (where the rod initially flexes), but if the rod experiences enough "cycles" then it can soften and slow in speed. I suspect this is what you're talking about. Now having said that, modern carbon fiber rods can undergo hundreds of thousands of such cycles before there is any noticeably softening or slowing of the rod's power and/or speed. What you may be experiencing is just yourself getting used to the rod or perhaps even pressing it harder. Maybe. If you had a reading for the rod's CCF when it was new it would be a simple matter to repeat the measurement now and compare.


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Rob,
The good news about your situation is that if you have a rod that no longer meets your needs ; for what ever reason - just pick up another blank, components and a bit of time and make a new one that is more to your liking.

Good luck

Could it be a different/heavier fly line that is making the rod feel different?

Dan Ertz Wrote:
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> Could it be a different/heavier fly line that is
> making the rod feel different?

Not likely, similar flies that I have use for years.
I only wish I had "quantified" the rod when first purchased so I could directly compare that data, because it was one of the faster 9ft 5wt. rods that I had built up to that time.

hi Rob...you can still measure the CCF now and check it down the road to see iff it changes...doesn,t have to be a new rod does it..

The taper of the line you are casting greatly affects the response - AKA "feel" - of the rod blank. The more line you put in the air with your back cast the more difference the taper makes in the feel of the rod.

I don't think they change over time, however I know that I have changed over time. Lately, I have been happily rediscovering some of the rods I made years ago, especially the old fiberglass ones. I guess they are like old ties and suits, eventually they'll become cool again!

Rob,

Yes, rods can become softer over time. I turned a composite 12 foot surf rod into noodle in less than one year.

You will find the answer to your questions by doing a google search on fishing rod fiberglass scrim . Actually, there are some very good responses about scrim in earlier posts on rodbuilding.org.

It is the breaking of the transverse fiber that allow the tube to go more oval under load (thus softer).

Helix and Dual Helix wraps provide some remedy, however manufacturing is labor intensive. Helix wraps are obsolete and was replaced by better methods about 8 years ago.

Don Becker

This is certainly the case with regard to many glass rods. It is far, far less of a problem with carbon rods. Many if not most modern carbon rods do not utilize glass scrim any more.

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To quote Rob "I have a TFO TiCr fly rod that I built and have used now for several years."

There remain in production many composite rods. Although fiberglass scrim may no longer be a major contributor in preventing a rod from going oval, it is still the transverse wraps that continue to serve this function.

Many if not most of the rods built by modern manufacturers are composed of materials that accomplish the requirements of the rods. As such, you will find numerous materials, patterns, and weaves.

Don Becker



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/26/2017 07:52AM by Tom Kirkman.