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Test curves Vs line and casting weight

Mark Evans 2 said:
Thanks guys,

I'm probably overthinking things by the replies, as much as I'd like one I'm never going down the custom build route and anything I buy will be online without trying first, even something priced like a FS Barbel Tamer at around £160 I'd just buy blind, hence using quoted specs to judge a rod.

Thanks for the help and advice guys
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Hi Mark,

I used the Harrisons as an example, but plenty of really good off the shelf rods out there. What do you need the rod for?
 
Ideal rods for casting heavy weights need to preload lower down the blank. Slower action rods will perform better at this.

Lighter weights require the preload to be bios more towards the tip with the rest of the blank being more rigid. Faster action rods will perform better than this.

I’m no expert caster I don’t get enough practice while spending most of my time flicking out floats or underarm lobs but the physics i fully understand

You only have to look at typical pike and carp rods sharing the same test curves.
1 will put 10oz out 50 yards the other will put 3oz out 120yards.

Regarding torrixs …. Every blank above 2.25 tc is actually a carp rod and fast actioned. Wouldn’t be my choice for putting 6oz across the tidal Trent when the chimera 3 and 4 designed as specialist rods would absolutely obliterate it for that task.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Ideal rods for casting heavy weights need to preload lower down the blank. Slower action rods will perform better at this.

Lighter weights require the preload to be bios more towards the tip with the rest of the blank being more rigid. Faster action rods will perform better than this.

I’m no expert caster I don’t get enough practice while spending most of my time flicking out floats or underarm lobs but the physics i fully understand

You only have to look at typical pike and carp rods sharing the same test curves.
1 will put 10oz out 50 yards the other will put 3oz out 120yards.

Regarding torrixs …. Every blank above 2.25 tc is actually a carp rod and fast actioned. Wouldn’t be my choice for putting 6oz across the tidal Trent when the chimera 3 and 4 designed as specialist rods would absolutely obliterate it for that task.
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Yeah, then bend double in the flow.
 
The old rule of thumb was maximum line bs is 5 x the tc.

A very general standard but in my experience not far off the mark. Obviously there are exceptions to this, the use of braid being one, fishing in areas where lines could be easily be cut etc.

The 1.25 avons I use for perch fishing have 6lb line, the 1.25 avons I use for roach fishing have 8lb line, simply because I need to cast heavier feeders a longer distance.
 
I've already a perfectly good £50 barbel rod that does what I need on the Warwickshire Avon, I don't get many barbel and still haven't had one out this season yet

It was just a general question regarding the TC of some current rods Vs their quoted line and casting weights. The spec for the 1.25 in my first post seems overly heavy? 1.25 rods used to be quite light. That 1.25 rod if I were to put 10lb line through it and put out 2oz is exactly how I'm fishing in summer with a 1.75 rod. But that's still within it's quoted range, so I ask myself why would I use a 1.75?

Are current off the shelf rods from the main brands just overbuilt now? Are the specs incorrect just to beef them up and sell?

I probably just need to stop thinking and go fishing
 
Mark Evans 2 said:
I've already a perfectly good £50 barbel rod that does what I need on the Warwickshire Avon, I don't get many barbel and still haven't had one out this season yet

It was just a general question regarding the TC of some current rods Vs their quoted line and casting weights. The spec for the 1.25 in my first post seems overly heavy? 1.25 rods used to be quite light. That 1.25 rod if I were to put 10lb line through it and put out 2oz is exactly how I'm fishing in summer with a 1.75 rod. But that's still within it's quoted range, so I ask myself why would I use a 1.75?

Are current off the shelf rods from the main brands just overbuilt now? Are the specs incorrect just to beef them up and sell?

I probably just need to stop thinking and go fishing
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It’s a good question but judging the line strength based off the test curve is not really how it works because the recommended max line strength is in place to protect the blank and while it usually does follow trend with test curves, strength and stiffness are not the same thing

So if you lock up your clutch on 8lb line playing a fish and if the rod is rated to 6lb line there’s a risk the blank isn’t strong enough to not break before the line snaps. But this is about blank strength not blank stiffness.
In theory (yes it doesn’t happen often) a 2lb rod with very thin blank walls and a very fast taper which gives it its high test curve, could have a lower line rating than a very slim slow taper 1lb rod with super thick walls but bends very easily simply because the 1lb rod is a stronger blank.

I’ve got float rods rated to 10lb lines and some of them actually will handle it the blanks are so strong.

but their test curves are a mile away from Avon and barbel rods with equally high line ratings. It’s all to do with blank strength and not all ratings on the rods are accurate either.
 
I bought a pair of 2.25 torrix and a pair of chimera 3 2.25. I was much more comfortable casting large weights long distances with the Chimeras but the torrix cast 3-4 ounces a long way. It was a case of adjusting style to suit the different rod actions. I sold the torrix and bought a pair of longer Diawa feeder rods for times when I want to fish far bank. There both rated at 150 grams and do a brilliant job. I was actually surprised at just how good they are when the Trent is up and running and the extra length helps in the swims with a load of rubbish down the margins. Obviously not casting far in those conditions and they’ll cast plenty of weight.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
No but a 2.25 chimera no 3 would be a more suitable choice for casting larger payloads longer distances.
I didn’t say anything about which is the better rod. That’s up to the individual
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Sorry Richard, it was the obliterate bit that ruffled my feather's.
Agreed the chimera is the casting tool for 6oz or more in the river, but, I don't tend to fish far with 8, 10 or even 12oz. Just a gentle lob, 10 yrds max.
And I do think the torrix holds up better in the flow.
I own the chimera 3s and as good as they are , prefer my 2.5 torrixs on the tidal.
 
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