To Spiral Or Not to Spiral... what is your preference?

[Cal]

I am quite surprised by this result so far !

[Hogsticker2]

All my casting rods I’ve built are spiral. 6RV strippers then your pick of 5.5-4 to the tip. I like the 5’s the best. They cast great. Doesn’t matter the blank. Key to casting distance is the blank loading and unloading properly. I’ve ran these rods using an array of techniques and I don’t notice any difference between them. You definitely don’t wrap your tip with braid with spirals near as much. Other advantages people don’t talk about with spirals is if set up right line will never touch the blank. Physically impossible because gravity sucks. It’s already been mentioned less guides. Normally on a 7’3” rod I’m using 8 guides instead of 10. Biggest advantage with a spiral is control. With a spiral wrapped rod when a fish makes a run left or right you have no twisting torque on the rod caused by load. Since the line under the blank can rotate in the guides to naturally change load. With a conventional rod when a fish runs left or right it applies a twisting torsion to the rod since the load is being applied to the top side of the blank. This is transmitted through the guides and into the reel seat and the users wrist. Making it important for the user to keep a firm grip on the rod. With a spiral wrap it is completely eliminated since the line and guides are on the bottom. That torque is absorbed by the tip of the blank and the user will barely notice if at all. Makes fighting a fish much easier with some simple physics. Some will claim they cast farther and all this. I think in a lab in perfect conditions you may see very small gains but nothing real world that you can really claim as a true reliable gain. I personally will never have another conventionally wrapped rod in my lifetime.

This pretty much summarizes my thoughts and feelings on the subject . I also agree that if any additional casting distance is gained, it's marginal.

[Hogsticker2]

I am quite surprised by this result so far !

Those who haven't experienced it can't really comment on it, other than the appearance.

[nvbroncrider]

I am quite surprised by this result so far !

Those who haven't experienced it can't really comment on it, other than the appearance.

Appearance doesn’t matter. Performance does. Time on the water using the tools will make you a believer of what works or doesn’t. Not an engineer in an office.

[Cal]

Appearance doesn’t matter. Performance does. Time on the water using the tools will make you a believer of what works or doesn’t. Not an engineer in an office.

There are plenty of people who have tried it and don't or can't buy into the concept because of appearances.

Those of us who do prefer spiral config are in the minority. There have been several rod manufacturers that have offered the layout in their production rods in the past - and some that still do - and sales suffer because of it. The great majority of the angling public does not believe in it - especially for non-big game species.

[nvbroncrider]

Appearance doesn’t matter. Performance does. Time on the water using the tools will make you a believer of what works or doesn’t. Not an engineer in an office.

There are plenty of people who have tried it and don't or can't buy into the concept because of appearances.

Those of us who do prefer spiral config are in the minority. There have been several rod manufacturers that have offered the layout in their production rods in the past - and some that still do - and sales suffer because of it. The great majority of the angling public does not believe in it - especially for non-big game species.

They just haven’t been converted to the dark side!!!!

It’s a dangerous place!!

[Hogsticker2]

I am quite surprised by this result so far !

Those who haven't experienced it can't really comment on it, other than the appearance.

Appearance doesn’t matter. Performance does. Time on the water using the tools will make you a believer of what works or doesn’t. Not an engineer in an office.

My point was that appearance does matter to some, and if they haven't tried it, they obviously wouldn't know if they like the performance or not. Seems silly, but everyone has different priorities.

[KlingerNOK]

I like my spiral wrapped rods while fishing them but hate the way they tangle up with other rods sitting on the deck of the boat. Maybe if I only had 3-4 rods on the deck at a time they'd be OK, but that is rarely the case.

[uljersey]

A bit late to this party but wondering if spiral wraps are feasible on a cranking / reaction bait rod or are they more for a contact type of presentation ?

[DrTrevorkian]

I think they work for everything, but that’s just me.

[goldrod]

I have a custom Flippin stick that’s spiral wrapped and you can tell the differences

[Cal]

I think they work for everything, but that’s just me.

this

[uljersey]

I think they work for everything, but that’s just me.

Ok, so theoretically I may (or not) see increased casting distance on a trap rod when bombing open water on a search and destroy mission and on a shorter squarebill rod I may see better accuracy when pinpointing precise targets ?

[Hogsticker2]

I think they work for everything, but that’s just me.

Ok, so theoretically I may (or not) see increased casting distance on a trap rod when bombing open water on a search and destroy mission and on a shorter squarebill rod I may see better accuracy when pinpointing precise targets ?

Doesn't matter what baits you're throwing, the advantages of a spiral wrap still apply.

[uljersey]

I think they work for everything, but that’s just me.

Ok, so theoretically I may (or not) see increased casting distance on a trap rod when bombing open water on a search and destroy mission and on a shorter squarebill rod I may see better accuracy when pinpointing precise targets ?

Doesn't matter what baits you're throwing, the advantages of a spiral wrap still apply.

Thanks to all for your input