Noodle Rod?

[SerenBlue]

Hi all,

Was looking for nice spin rods when I came across a US shop selling NOODLE rods. What the heck are these, what would its action or purpose be if it was being used in the UK? - Pike rod? Spinning (med/hev/Light?), chub? Carp? Stiff? floppy?

 

Udhi

[argyll]

Hi all,

Was looking for nice spin rods when I came across a US shop selling NOODLE rods. What the heck are these, what would its action or purpose be if it was being used in the UK? - Pike rod? Spinning (med/hev/Light?), chub? Carp? Stiff? floppy?

 

Udhi

 

 

A very soft, longer than average, through action rod sometimes used by steelhead and salmon fishermen particularly around the pacific northwest. Its used to catch very big fish with very light lines 2-4lb bs. The rod absorbs the power of the fish but I suspect the fish has little chance of survival once caught after such a protracted fight. Generally known as stunt fishing. I can't think of any uses for such a rod in the UK although stronger versions of the same rod design would make good big water trolling rods. Its action would certainly make it a crap casting rod

 

I guess the name probably derives from the fact that the rod has all of the brute power of a soft noodle

Edited July 16, 2006 by argyll

[Newt]

The rod absorbs the power of the fish but I suspect the fish has little chance of survival once caught after such a protracted fight.

Not nearly as hard on the fish as you would expect since with the very light gear, the fish don't really seem to go into a protracted 'fight'. They seem at times a little confused about exactly what keeps guiding them toward a landing net but not really too upset about it all.

 

Think of 9-11 ft fly rod blanks ranging from 3wt 9ft to 5wt 11ft but ringed for fixed spool and you pretty well have the idea of a classic noodle rod.

[SerenBlue]

Ah well,

Its good to know that these types are out there, I am sure someone will benefit from info on non-Uk techniques.

 

What are MUSKY and WALLEYE rods all about then??

 

Will keep looking.

[Sportsman]

Not nearly as hard on the fish as you would expect since with the very light gear, the fish don't really seem to go into a protracted 'fight'. They seem at times a little confused about exactly what keeps guiding them toward a landing net but not really too upset about it all.

 

Think of 9-11 ft fly rod blanks ranging from 3wt 9ft to 5wt 11ft but ringed for fixed spool and you pretty well have the idea of a classic noodle rod.

 

I have to agree with Newt on this one. I regularly catch trout up to double figures on a 2 or 3 wt fly rod and 3 or 4 lb tippets, without a protracted fight.

Given the soft rod you can exert a surprising amount of force on a light tippet without breaking or pulling the hook. Try the same amount of force on a heavier rod and you would lose the fish, so you end up taking it easier.

Balanced tackle is the answer, not heavier

[chavender]

so its nothing to do with pot noodles then.

[argyll]

OK Dave..Noodle rods. But first rainbows.

 

Now I know that you're going to tell me that northern 'bows are much tougher than southern fish, but to be honest, you can't compare a stockie rainbow (even a double figure fish) from either side of the border with a wild steelhead or a fresh run chinook. Add to the equation, the fact that these pacific fish are often taken from fast flowing rivers as apposed to a typical UK stillwater, you have an even more pointless comparison.

 

When I believed that size was everything I fished Dever Springs in its heyday and had fish up to 18lb and I never used more than a four weight to catch them. But Dever Springs, like a lot of the home counties stillwaters that I fished in those days was small and even if the fish ran to the far side, I still had half the backing left on the reel. If the fish had put up a big fight I'd still have netted it by letting it run anywhere it wanted and wearing it down. As it happens I never ever had a real hard fighting rainbow, they are just not bred for endurance. Charlie Jardine once netted a 14lb fish for me and remarked that it had come to the net like a dog returning a ball for me to throw.

 

Since I knew about noodle rods but had never seen one in action, I did some googling on the subject. The concept of the noodle rod is not to land a fish quickly. Speed appears to play no part in the equation. Its really about the ability to land very big fish on very light lines by having a rod soft enough to protect the line from any sudden lunge. Far bigger and stronger than you and I are used to finding on a day on the water. The phrase 'great fight' occurs quite often in describing a typical day with a noodle rod. Hardly gives a picture of a big fish coming to the net quietly and quickly. I don't want to appear disapproving...I'm not. Its a different culture and different values exist. But the very concept of a 10-15lb muscle bound steelhead or a giant chinook salmon being guided like a poodle in double quick time from one of those north west river is just not a reality. 'Great fight' = 'Protracted fight'

 

Those anglers that have developed the technique talk about putting maximum pressure on the fish and hooping the rod all the way over in an exagerated 'C'. That I understand, but with 2lb or even 4lb line the clutch must be set to give line at not more than say 1lb and these fish are going to run. With a lot of line and a degree of mobility up and down the bank its not hard to see that an experienced angler will land his fish. But I can find no suggestion that it's a quick process, nobody talks about that.

 

With the encouragement that the IGFA gives to 'stunt' fishing and awarding honours to those that claim, say big marlin and sails on lines as low as 4lb bs, I can well see the attraction of noodle rods. But basic logic says that if it were quick and easy to land very big hard fighting fish on fine lines then we'd all be doing it...and we're not.

 

You and I have had arguments with others on the forum in defence of catching pike on the fly and how easy and quick it can be with the right tackle and technique. But that's usually with a half decent 8-10 weight and 20lb tippet. Not difficult to beat a fish that is probably only capable of exerting a third of its body weight or less in water. You'd have to be a 60-80lb pike to beat a 20lb tippet in a straight pull. I'm sure someone is about to give me a physics lesson but I doubt if I'm far off the mark. But a 2lb or 4lb tippet is different proposition and not something that would allow you the same degree of lattitude. You'd get there but not in a hurry.

Edited July 21, 2006 by argyll

[Newt]

argyll - I was really hoping severus would weigh in on this discussion. Noodle rods are pretty much an invention of his part of the US and to be truthful, I've never seen one. I've also never caught one of the steelhead they have up there.

 

I do know those folks like to land the fish they hook and the noodle rigs must do the job for them. You will notice that Cabelas offers lots more selection since they are basically a northern company while BassPro is more in the southern US where the largemouth bass and catfish are kings.

 

Your point is well taken about different customs for different areas though. Massive amounts of water in the northern US and attitudes toward fish are somewhat different. Many people only fish for species that they will eat.

 

SereneBlue - a muskie (musky, muskellunge) is like a pike with a very bad attitude and the potential to get a bit larger. You do not want to fish for them with light gear. The super large lures that are taking some nice pike in the UK are ones that were developed for muskie fishing.

 

Walleye is almost identical to your Zander and with similar habits. The walleye tackle is purpose designed for catching them but primarily by boat anglers.

[A Worm OOE]

I would not wish to comment on the protracted fisght issue, but the comments about a fish being more "Tame" when played gently struck a chord with me. As a match angler I want my fish out as quickly as possible which many people think requires you to paly the fish hard. Whilst there will obviously be ocaisions when this is true, the majority of the fish I catch, be they big or small, I try to guide to the net rather than dragging them. Admitedly once the fish is near the net a bit of brute force is often required, but to get the fish within netting range is often quicker and easier if done gently. this is particularly true when fishing the pole.

[Sportsman]

Gerry

I take your point about Chinook and steelhead being different to Rainbows and accept that there is a difference between a 15lb steelhead in a powerful river and a 10lb stocky in a pond.

The weight of line and therefore the weight of rod that I use is dictated mostly by the size and weight of the fly I am using. I would be quite happy to fish for pike on a 5wt if I could turn the fly over

If you want to know what proper Rainbows fight like maybe you should come up to Scotland and try catching them on a 3 wt from a float tube, or maybe try wild brownies up to 6lb at Dunalastair