Good bow and arrow rod

[panger]

What would be the highest modulus rod you would consider safe to do a bow and arrow cast with? I'm musing about getting a nicer rod to take out on my canoe, so I'd like it to take a few knocks and be able to bow and arrow under tight structure. Currently my squidgy spin does the job, but as always would like something sexier.

[Angry]

I'd suggest something built around one of the Grahite USA multi modulus blanks. I have one, and will buy more. They were available through BM before I left Perth. The blank performs beautifully, and with the multi modulus will take a bit more crap than the really high end blanks (DX). I personely think that not many people would be able to pick any differance in the performance.
Everyones going to have ther own opinions of course and there are plenty of other good options out there. I'm just offering one.
Just keep in mind that the important thing is how the rod feels and works for YOU, not what brand it is.

[panger]

Angry,
I know what you mean by getting something that feels good for you. I am really just after a starting point for rods to look at that are 'bow and arrow safe'. I love the way my TPS feels but there's no way i'm risking my precious with a bow and arrow.

[chris_lemess]

If you can get your hands on a solid blanked rod that'll be perfect. Quite a few trout rods out of Japan come with a solid graphite blank - also in the Daiwa Heartland X and Zs whose code ends with a -S (eg 601LFS-S).

Basic rule; probably don't buy anything that's going to cost you more than $300-odd - you start getting pretty light at that stage, which means thinner walls in the blanks and more chance you're going to blow it.

Higher than that price I'd also be looking at a GUSA blank - only ever heard of one blow up and that was a jig stick with 100kg of tackle salesperson pretending they were a sambo hanging of it.

Keep in mind that if you DO break any rod, DON'T tell the tackle shop you high-stuck it (although it'll probably be pretty obvious). Many a time people come in and say "oh a fish broke it" when they actually mean "I got snagged and kept pulling" (this happens very very often with boat rods). Generally the tackle shop can still get you a replacement as the reps/manafacturers generally budget for these returns.

cheers

Chris

[panger]

Thanks, I was thinking maybe a solid slim Heartland X or Z would do the job.

[swoffa]

Your Struddie TPS should be fine for B&A casting. I use my TPS, BWS and Sofbodz Finesse for B&A occasionally. Struddies are designed to be treated like that.

Here's a tip, don't try IMX Loomis or a BreamBuster for B&A unless you wish to snap them both within 30 seconds of eachother.

[chris_lemess]

I blew up a TPS bending it back on itself. Wouldn't want someone to make the same mistake. Awesome rods, but they're fragile things.

And no rod is made to be treated like that.

[Angry]

done properly, casting bow and arrow style shouldn't be be any more detrimental to a rod than any other casting method (cop out, imho) it is after all just pre loading and flinging (same as a lot of casts). just don't expect too much in the distance department. if you load that baby up like some ugly stick or noodle rod, its gonna break.
funnily enough I'm pretty experianced with bows and arrows (competing, coaching, rebuilding) and my B&A casting sucks, I suppose its the differance between a carbon/fibreglass bow rated at 70 odd pounds and a thin tube of tapered carbon rated at 2-4 kilo.

[chris_lemess]

Mmm I still reckon that pulling a 2kg-rated thin-walled graphite blank back on itself is a distaster waiting to happen.

Each to their own.