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More about The Stick
by Ken Abrames

©2001

Form follows Function.
What is the function of a fly rod? That question and its implications are what rod designers use as their starting point when conceiving a new experimental rod. What will it be used for and how can it perform its task? From there the idea is brought to the design table and created on paper. Then the steps necessary for it to become an actual rod are taken and soon the design is tested and either approved or it goes back to the drawing board for another round of development.
The question of function is the root of what form the rod will embody to function as is required. If the function is stated as: it must cast tight loops with high line speed and be powerful enough to land big fish then the form will conform to the stated goal. The rod will reflect this concept. The fly rod market is full of this form based on this perception of function. There is absolutly nothing wrong with this idea of function and form in rod manufacture but it is not the only idea of function and form that holds merit for fly rod design.
In my book, Striper Moon, I describe my idea of what I think a perfect rod for striper fishing should embody. I begin by stating a premise as a question. What is the the reason, the purpose for your choice of a rod? Is there an all- around rod for striper fishing? That really depends on you and your style of fishing. I have an opinion based on my own experiences. The rod must be long enough to make good strong mends. It must be soft enough to absorb some of the shock produced when fighting a big fish close in. It should be able to handle several line sizes. It should have very large guides. It must have power to fight fish. I go on and break each part of these functions down and end up stating that my prefered rod is 10/12 feet long and it handles longer lines with grace. I do not expound on the idea of casting tight loops and high line speed as the most important function of a fly rod but talk about some of the other functions that a good fly rod can also embrace. A fly rod can cast long lines without being engineered to conform to the function of high line speed and tight loops. Bamboo is a perfect example. Originally graphite was marketed as the answer to how to build a rod with bamboo action and power. I believe that the rod builders' first solutions with graphite were perhaps the high point of the art of creating the graphite fly rod.		 The Stick
Stripping guide The Stick is a 10 1/2 foot fly rod designed with a different and broader function than simply high line speed and tight loops. It's function is to incorporate casting , flexibility for mending and the use of different line weights, power to fight fish, large guides to allow for the smooth transfer of power from the rod to the line, counterbalanced to place the hand at the fulcrum of the casting stroke, and the softness required to not break leaders when the fish is close in.
The 10 1/2 foot rod comes in three line weights: a six, a seven, and an eight. The six will handle an eight weight line without difficulty, the seven will handle a nine and the eight is fine with a ten. This broad range will give you many options that you may find helpful over the course of many seasons. The six weight is a fine rod for both stripers and steelhead, and in big rivers is also a wonderful rod for trout. As for its fish fighting power, it has landed many false albacore quicker than shorter, stiffer rods. It is a rod that you can feel confident with when trying to land a good fish without wearing him down to the point of exhaustion.
The seven is a good all around rod for use in many different environments. It handles a nine weight line without any problem and this will allow you to fish in many situations where at least a nine weight line is required to cast into a strong wind.
The eight weight is my workhorse rod. I use it in the surf and when fishing almost anywhere where there is unprotected water. It handles a ten weight line effortlessly and the nine weight is sweet. I use the eight weight line most often in the early part of the season in the salt rivers and estuaries when the clam worms and the shrimp are mating.
These three rods were created to perform a different function than casting alone. Because of this their form is different and the method of casting them is also different. The line itself will load the rod and the action of the rod is smooth and gentle. You have to wait for the rod to load and unoad. It is a graceful movement quite unlike the hard powering strokes that most fly casters use to load their quicker, stiffer rods.
There is also a 10 foot nine weight in the lineup. It is a very powerful rod and will cast an eleven weight line without strain. Again this rod loads from the weight of the line and you have to wait for it to cast for you. I like this rod with an eleven weight- it will cast into a 30 knot wind very successfully if you drop your knees on the forward cast and keep the line low. It is a great rod for difficult days.

Ken Abrames.
The Stick

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