BarBar 30-50# Hybrid Standup w/ Power Plus

[SkeeterRonnie]

Here is the BarBar rod with a 20# scale weight. The line touches at nearly every point between the guides. It still has a little left with the load, but the line touching the blank worries me. I wouldnt put more than 20# on this one. The quality is remarkable and the rod is very nice for the price ($149) if I wasnt such a rookie- i would have never put 20# on this rod.. that is WAYYY overstressing the amount of load the rod was designed for. this was my fault! I wouldnt hesitate fishing 14# of drag with a max 20# on this rod...

Here the link for the specs... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...6632&rd=1&rd=1

[TeamOso]

Thats AWEsome, is tht a torque you got on that rig?

[SkeeterRonnie]

thats a Shimano Tiagra 16 with topless frame....

[SkeeterRonnie]

lol.. i think I will set 15 at strike... If it pops... oh well. I plan on replacing it with a heavy OTI jiggin stick when they arrive. then a HooX for one of the OTI 400 gram rods.

[jig]

I am gonna have to go home and try these tests on my rods. You have me curious now.

BTW, I just read on BD.com that the HooX prototype is at the Fred Hall show in California, and is supposed to be out to dealers next week at $409. But I am now also interested in the new 665 2spd Accurate coming out soon as well. Its a lot more, but is supposed to have much higher drag. Gonna wait until some real world reports come in from both. But sure would like to have one or the other before Cinco.

[jig]

MrBill, what is your standard in determining that a rod is maxed out at a certain weight? This is an issue that has been bothering me for a while as I switch to lighter gear and heavier line. I have historically resolved by kinda going middle of the road as to stated line rating (i.e. a 40-60# rod I fish with 50#line, a 20-50# I fish no more than 40# line, 50-130# I fish 80#line, etc.) But I want to try these tests and find the maxed out point myself since I am starting to push tackle to its probably limits. I assume around 1/3 weight for the given line's real breaking strength, but how do you really tell the rod is maxed and about to break, without actually doing so? I really don't want to be standing there with two pieces thinking "hmmm guess that Chaos maxed out 5 lbs lighter."

Oh, and any one else's opinions on this appreciated as well.

[MrBill]

Example:

A rod rated 40 (50) 60 is what the manufacture calls a 50 pound rod. It should be able to be max-ed or pushed to a 60 pound rod. That means 60 pound rated line. The low end of 40 means that anything less than 40 pound test will not give the rod a proper load. Since this rod is designed to be a 50 pound class rod, you probably should not have more than 18 pounds of constant drag used on it. You should also use a minimum of 13 pounds of drag to get the full advantage of the design. It should be able to lift 17 pounds of dead weight with no problem.

The better blank manufactures are conservative on their ratings. That's why people push them beyond the rated strength.

If you don't want to snap the example rod above. Start with 15 pounds and add one pound at a time. When you feel you are "High" sticking it and you feel it starting to twist, you have peeked out. Use a gimbal to keep the rod from twisting during the testing. When you start hearing cracking sounds, stop. The glass is being compressed on the under side, and stretched on the top side.

The Bar-Bar 30-50 that starts this thread is really a 40 pound rod. A 14 pound dead lift should be most this rod can fish. Ronnie pushed the rod by 40% of its rating. I'm surprised he wasn't holding two pieces. It should be fished with a 13-15 pound drag setting.

One more note. Don't start bouncing the weight after you have raised the weight. You will hear the dreaded firecracker sound and be holding two pieces. Just do a slow controlled lift and slowly let it down.

[SkeeterRonnie]

lol... MR BILL!!! I have aquired A.D.D. slowly and easily is not an option.. FAST and Furious for the RUSH!!! LOL! I slowly lifted and told Carol to stand back as I actually thought it was gonna pop... I havent experienced the POP yet, and was subconciously wanting it to happen so I knew what to expect... (plus I would have a good reason to tell her I needed a new rod and could get a stronger one...lol) The above rod will make a good kingfish or snapper rod, small YFT. I wouldnt want to fight a monster on it, and would probably cut the line if one got on to save the rest of the head boat the misery of me fighting it for 3 hours....

[SkeeterRonnie]

it is truly a 40# rod(as advertised), and shouldnt be fished with more than 1/3 of 40#.... I was just "hoping" it was under rated on line class...... realistically I should have 12.122 pounds of drag at strike and be fishing 40# line on it. So I will do 60# line at 15#strike(and that will be pushing it).

[SkeeterRonnie]

theres no reason it still shouldnt handle any of these fish though.....