How do you guys "balance" your rods?

Anyone have any experience with "the rod balancer" kit???

any input appreciated. Thanks

balance the rod on your hand if it tilts to much forward get a bigger reel if it tilts to far tords the back get a heavier lure.

Here' a cheap way to do it.

http://www.bassresou..._1#entry1060487

Use those rubber cups from the hardware store they sell for the feet of chairs. Put quarters inside to balance. Slide over the end of the handle. Easily removable and adjustable.

Use those rubber cups from the hardware store they sell for the feet of chairs. Put quarters inside to balance. Slide over the end of the handle. Easily removable and adjustable.

x2. Much cheaper than a kit from bass pro shops and works just as well if not better.

I tried the chair caps and they didn't fit nearly as well as the rod balancer. they are also not as long and kept trying to tip before being taped. For the couple of extra dollars I would get the rod balancer.

Mike

Thanks for the input guys. Any others?

Balancing is most useful on rods used for "still presentations" like worms, C-Rigs, and jigs where you let the bait sit still and feel for a bite. On moving bait presentations, the rod is always tip heavy anyway so balancing is much less useful. Personally, I cut off the butt cap, insert weight into the blank and re-glue the butt cap on the rod with epoxy. Use a single edge razor blade and the modification is virtually undetectable. 3 or 4 straight pins through the back of the butt cap will hold it on the rod tightly while the epoxy cures.

A heavier reel won't do much if anything since you palm the reel right where the fulcrum would be. A slightly larger spinning reel can have an effect, depending on your grip. The problem with inseting weight into the blank is that it can come loose and slide further in if you're not careful. Also, it requires more weight than if you position the weight further back. A cap of some kind is probably the best after market solution.

The main consideration is why you want to modify at all. If the goal is to achieve a feel that YOU PREFER by all means go for it. There is no right or wrong balance point since the rod is used on several planes and with different lures. My personal preference is to not add weight anywhere.