Here is an article that I come across a while ago for which a thread in the Largemouth forum brought to the forefront.

I think has some great insight regarding our rods and how to get the most out of them when we have those hawgs on the other end. The article is from The Reel News Publication (a local periodical) written by J.D. Wade. I wish to give him full credit.

I learned something from it and I hope you do also.

Please feel free to throw in your two cents, yay or nay, etc. I believe this is a topic worthy of all opinions and further pursuit. Anyway, passing on!

Article Below:

Know Your Rod Angle by JD Wade

You've just set the hook in the mouth of that trophy fish and the battle is on!! It's going to be an epic event, a real white knuckle ordeal, and you are going to have to show it who's boss. This may be the ultimate test of your rod, and the strength of your arms. The angle at which you hold your rod may mean the difference between success and failure.

Whether you are trying to land your biggest ever salmon or halibut, a feisty walleye, an angry bass or maybe a giant trout, each rod you use has a certain amount of lifting power built into its design. The key to winning the tough battles between angler and swimming adversary is knowing how to tap into that lifting power. A research team conducted a study for G. LOOMIS company, that blew away conventional thinking about the most efficient rod angles for controlling fish. The results also help us understand rod dynamics.

The researchers used a 6 foot 6 inch G. LOOMIS saltwater rod with three pounds of suspended weight, acting as a pre-load. During the testing, the rod would be quickly raised 14 inches, from seven different angles. This was to stimulate the pumping action used in a battle with a sounding fish. The amount of lifting power was measured at the different angles. 0 degrees being straight down, and 180 degrees straight up.

At 30 degrees the rod exerted 62 pounds of lift. From 60 degrees the lift dropped to 48 pounds and 90 degrees produced 37 pounds. Those angles provided kind of lift the necessary to move a big fish. Therefore, 30 to 90 degrees can be called the power zone.

Above 90 degrees the lifting power dropped off dramatically. At 120 degrees, only 9 pounds of lift was measured. The results were nearly identical using the same length bass casting rod .

I think this shows you may want to keep you rod tip up, as we are always instructed, when the fish is running, but when it's your turn fight back line, holding your rod not higher than parallel with the water will conserve your own strength, and take maximum advantage of your rod's design.

J.D. Wade has written an award winning, best selling book, SHELLFISH GUIDE, published by Evergreen Pacific Publishing. . .

I must be "unconventional" then, becouse I alway's try to fight the fish with the rod to my left, with the rod at or just above parallel to the water.

Good stuff there, thanks, amigo.

Pfluemis, you'll still have the angle, just in a different plane.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that bending your rod much past 90 degrees put you in the danger zone. This is when rods will snap. I can verify that. I've snapped a few in my time.

Cheers,

GK