What’s In a Rod?
by Chuck Boso

When casting your favorite lure through the early morning air, you probably don't put much thought into the rod resting in your hand. However, this is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your fishing arsenal. If you take a few minutes to look into the fine art of rod making, you can learn a lot about an industry that has evolved into a major engineering accomplishment.

With so much focus being placed on rod blanks, some builders tend to miss how important guide quality is during the production process. Even blanks made from the lightest and most durable fibers are unable to deliver top angling performance without the proper guides. Fuji is the world's foremost manufacturer of top quality rod components and has created the New Guide Concept in fishing rod design. This concept improves the ability for the angler to detect subtle signals from the line while fishing. Their design engineers have conducted extensive research in how to improve both guide placement and rod performance. They create charts with the aid of computers which outline how to select and set guides so the angler can obtain the best possible results. Rod builders, who adhere to the recommendations made by Fuji engineers, commonly see dramatic improvements in both their casting and spinning rods.

One of the most prominent fishing rod companies in operation today is Kistler Custom Rods which is based in Magnolia Texas. Nine years ago, Trey Kistler decided to start his own custom rod company. He had recently discovered that his father was leaving his position at Castaway Graphite Rods to seek other opportunities. For several years, Trey had worked with his father at Castaway and All-Star Rods. He felt this was just enough experience to get him headed in the right direction. The next few years involved a lot of trial and error but ultimately his gamble paid off with success. A large amount of time and engineering was poured into this endeavor and after nine years, Kistler has become one of the most trusted names in the fishing rod industry. They are currently the sponsor for several of the Elite Series Pros including 2008 Bassmaster Classic Winner Alton Jones.

Over the years Trey and company have made several changes for the better. One such change was the switch to the brand new innovative FUJI reel seats on many of their rod models. Kistler is also now offering the lightest yet strongest graphite blanks to be produced in the history of graphite technology. These are said to be some of the toughest rods on the market. In 2003 Kistler came out with their Helium LTA Rods. This series of rod was immediately embraced by anglers across the country. Perhaps the key productive step which has made the helium so famous is the proprietary graphite combination of secret materials. However, even more anglers have come to appreciate their popular Magnesium series that were introduced only a short time later. A popular feature on all Kistler models is the often imitated but never duplicated "Hook Hanger".

One example of a popular Kistler rod is the Jig and Pig Special. The design features of this rod include a fast action tip, reinforced flanged ring tip top and one of the stiffest backbones currently available at Kistler. The Fuji ACS double finger grooved reel seat as well as stainless steel guide frames with press fitted Zirconia inserts make these rods some of the finest available today.

Another popular rod with anglers is the Falcon brand. This brand came about after a few friends took a few prototype rods along on a fishing trip to the ever popular Falcon Lake in South Texas. The lake not only provided them with a wealth of great fishing, it gave them an idea as to a name for their soon to be popular rod company. Falcon rods were introduced to the public at the 1991 Tulsa Boat Show and quickly sold out. The company has come a long way since that point. Every year they even host the annual customer appreciation tournament known as the "Grand Challenge". Held on Grand Lake in Oklahoma, it is known as one of the largest customer based tournaments in the country.

Over the years, Falcon has developed a reputation as a family owned business that still listens to fishermen and what they want in a high performance fishing rod. This has led Falcon to produce several series of fishing rods with great feel and action. Anglers know that these rods perform at the highest level of competition when the chips are down. They have tried to utilize the lunker landing actions developed over the years by experienced anglers everywhere.

Falcon's original series consisted of 25 different models and they continue to improve on these. This series established Falcon's reputation as a great American rod maker. Although the appearance has changed slightly, the quality craftsmanship that has made these rods so popular remains the same. 14 casting models and 11 spinning models are now constructed of stronger, lighter and low-to-the-blank Fuji guides which allows for longer casts. Their blank-through handle construction has created one of the best combinations of strength, sensitivity as well as durability on the market today. They do this by combining 33 million modulus graphite blanks with the popular Fuji ergonomic graphite reel seats.

American Eagle Rods of Tulsa, Oklahoma boasts a "By anglers, for anglers" design approach on their rod line. They often solicit input from experienced anglers regarding their current and future rod designs. This allows them to remain on the cutting edge of rod technology. The level of customer satisfaction they insist on relies on a series of extensive tests involving new concepts to separate them from the other rod manufacturers. All American Eagle Rod lines are designed with the goal of meeting every anglers needs from coast to coast. Their rod lines are composed of corrosion-resistant components that are designed to handle the pressure and stress of any type of fishing. Their freshwater rod line features the use of light weight graphite blanks that are capable of detecting even the lightest touch. Every American Eagle Rod has corrosion-resistant components that can handle the stressful demands of saltwater fishing. They refer to rod action as the way the rod bends instead of power of the rod. Their rod actions are described in direct relation to each of their rod lines. This is in strong contrast to other manufactures who often describe them in other manners. Probably their biggest selling point with the average angler is price. American Eagle is known for high quality at a more affordable price than their competition. As with Kistler and Falcon, American Eagle rods are still made the in the United States.

Choosing a rod sometimes involves knowing what brand of blank is used. Without a doubt, over the past several years a large amount of focus in rod selection has shifted towards the blanks and materials used in construction.

Regardless of what type of fish you are after, G. Loomis most likely has the right fishing rod blank for you. G. Loomis was founded in 1982 by Gary Loomis. Since that time they have used only custom made manufacturing equipment he designed for rod production. Some consider G Loomis as the world standard in the production of fishing rods. This popular company relies on angler feedback combined with a pure love of the sport. Their staff has conducted extensive research both on and off the water. Down to the smallest detail, their staff has determined how to give you the component you need. They continue to design and construct rod blanks made with high-performance feather-light materials fast-action tapers and durability. Each rod is made from a combination of resins and composite sheets that are designed exclusively for G. Loomis rods. This combination is an essential part of the process that ensures a premium quality rod. They guarantee that each rod will be free of potential weak points that could create problems when boating a large fish. Many of the processes involved in their production are proprietary and not used by any other rod manufacturer in the world.

St. Croix rods were founded in 1948 by the Johnson brothers. As an alternative to fiberglass, the company brought graphite to the forefront of angling in 1983 when they first introduced it with their 4300 series. Their blanks differ from other rod blanks by way of their engineering. The design is a partnership between the engineer and rod designers. This combination has produced such breakthrough productions as St. Croix's exclusive Integrated Poly Curve as well as their Advanced Reinforcing Technology. This new technology comes by way of proprietary new software utilized in St. Croix's engineering department to redesign the contour of their rods. Every angler knows that the performance of their fishing rod is only as good as the design behind its construction. Every St. Croix rod is engineered and developed to with the goal to outperform the other brands on the water. St. Croix goes to great lengths in their production process to eliminate stress in the rod. They utilize a process wherein they add an extremely thin layer of graphite fivers to the diameter of the rod which increases the overall hoop strength. This in turn, increases strength at critical points in the rods without adding weight or diameter to the rod.

So, we have come a long way since they cane poles our fathers paid a buck for at the local tackle shop. It has become a science that cannot be ignored. My wife does not understand why I insist having a high quality rod instead of using the $15 sticks they sell at Wal-Mart. Until you have held a quality engineered rod in your hands while fishing, no one can understand. Choose wisely my fellow anglers and you'll never look back. Tight lines and good fishing!

Chuck Boso is an avid angler in Oklahoma City and can frequently be found on his neighboring Lake Thunderbird. He is a free-lance sports writer who often contributes to several local newspapers. He is also a regular contributor to American Bass Angler's Magazine which is published by ABA.Chuck is also a speaker and Oklahoma State Director for Anglers for Christ. He is a competitive angler on the Bassmaster Weekend series, BFL Tour, Fellowship of Christian Anglers and recently joined with other anglers to form the ever growing Sooner Bass Club in Oklahoma. Chuck is currently on the Pro staff and promotional staff for several tackle manufacturers and lure companies. You can contact him at (405)637-7932 or email at chuck.boso@sbcglobal.net  for more information.