Sesitivity Test

[Tanner]

Someone showed me a great way to test the sensitivity of a rod. This is great if you are out rod shopping, the only problem is that it takes two people to do it. Hold the rod like you would if you were fishing. Now put the tip of the rod lightly against the other persons adams apple and have him/her talk. With a good rod like an upper end Loomis, you will feel quite a vibration going to your hand. With a cheaper rod, you will get little to no vibration. I just bought a Loomis GL3 8'6" 8 - 12 drift rod and the salesman at FMS showed me this trick. Pretty Cool. What are some other ways you ifishers use to determine the quality of a new rod (Before you buy it)?

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Work is for people who have an expensive fishing habit to support.

[First Bite]

Tanner
It sounds like you bought the same rod that I have. A GL3 STR1024C. When I purchased my rod the salesman did the same test to show me the sensitivity. It worked, I guess becasue I bought the rod. It's a nice rod for Steelies.

[Pete]

I always check for the spine of the rod. If the guides aren't aligned correctly with the spine the rod won't cast or fight properly. I check by laying the tip of the rod on the counter and the but on the floor. Then, using a book or the edge of my hand, I press down in the middle of the rod and roll it back and forth. The guides should pop to a position facing the ceiling.

[Big Willie]

I make sure all my rods are yellow. Chicks dig'em.
-Gary

You have likely seen all the rubber singing fish in the stores this season? Well, I tried out a new prototype GL5/IM8 super ultra sensative tip rod for sensativity by having the saleman put a singing fish into a tank of water while I stuck the rodtip into the tank also. These new rods are so sensative you can tell which song the fish are singing with the rodtip a few feet away in the large tank! I almost sold my house and to buy one, but decided I'd use the amount they wanted for the rod to put my kids thru college instead.

[Snagly]

I can tell you one test NOT to use. It's the old "grab the tip and pull it down to the butt" trick. I've seen two people break rods (one brand new) doing this. Both times they had these shocked looks on their faces and yelped that the rods were defective.

Someone then explained that when line wasn't strung through the guides, all the force was being exerted in the last 6" of the tip where they were grabbing it. At this point the NASA scientists calmed down and started feeling deep, deep remorse at having broken their rods.

If I knew what reel I was going to use (and already owned it), I'd bring the reel to the store and at a minimum seat the reel to feel how the combination balanced. Ideally, I'd also bring a practice plug and string it up (with the sales person's permission). Given that steelheaders aren't hugely accurate casters, this could cause some problems in Walmart ("Oops! Landed in that lady's shopping cart over there in the Automotive Dept!"), but at a sporting goods store why not walk out into the parking lot and give a couple of rods a few casts?

I haven't tried this mind you, but someone with an honest face like RT might be able to pull it off.

[Fishin Magician]

I call mine the " 5 O'clock shadow test" Same test as the adams apple est but just run the tip across a fresh 5 O'clock shadow and if you can feel every whisker then you have a good one . Also I agree with Pete that having the guides correctly aligned is important. All my rods are custom built Loomis, The builder I use is extremely meticulous about his work and guarantees it through himself so I will never have to deal with the factory. I have only had one problem and he fixed it no questions asked!!! If anyone wants a custom rod built let me know and I will give you his numbers. Note: He builds all kinds of rods ( I just prefer Loomis) and my custom built rods have actually been a little less than store prices!!! Tight Lines and Screaming Reels!!!!!-John

[Hoosier Daddy]

Hit the salesman repeatedly about the head and neck with it. If it holds up and hurts him/her bad enough that they give you a discount, buy it!

[Trick]

I think I will try the beating the salesman for a discount method. Sounds to me like there must be some serious science behind this method. Is the size of the discount dependant on how much blood you can spill from the salesman?