Rod ratings - what do all the numbers mean?

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Mike_M
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Rod ratings - what do all the numbers mean?

Post by Mike_M » Thu Feb 04, 2016 8:16 pm

So, in looking for a new rod and reel, I'm becoming confused by the various ratings they have. Just when I think I have it worked out, something new comes along and confuses me.

For instance, my little Daiwa D-shock says it is rated 2-6kg. Is this the breaking strain of the line I can use? Or is it the maximum weight it can lift without breaking the tip? Or is it something else again?

It also says it is for casting lures 5-15g. Does this mean it can't be used for lighter ones, or just that it doesn't perform as well in casting it? Or is it that it won't be able to impart sufficient effective action to the lure in the water? On the other side of the equation, does the 15g imply that any heavier lure will risk breakage of the rod, or is 16-17g ok?

It's hard enough trying to find a short enough rod, let alone one that I can understand what it is trying to tell me. Can anyone help? :notworthy:

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mazman
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Re: Rod ratings - what do all the number mean?

Post by mazman » Thu Feb 04, 2016 8:20 pm

The lure weight is a general guide to what weight lure's you should be casting, under the minimum weight and it becomes difficult to achieve distance, over the maximum is doable you just need to slow your casting down to avoid snapping the tip and use more of the rod in the cast.

Cheers Alex
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purple5ive
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Re: Rod ratings - what do all the numbers mean?

Post by purple5ive » Thu Feb 04, 2016 9:32 pm

yes. whats been said alread the lure or cast weight is only a guide, you can usually cast a couple of gms heavy or lighter (or more if your carefull) than the stated weights if you know what your doing.

the 2-6 kg is the line rating that the rod can be used with
1kg is roughly 2lb so a 2-6kg means 4-12lb rating.
casting weight is also rated in Oz. 1oz is 24gm , 1/2 oz is 12gm, 1/4 oz 6.XX gm, 1/8oz 3gms etc etc etc

you will also find somethign along the lines of 702H or similar things on the rod
this basically means 70 is the length in foot, and the 2 means its a 2 piece rod, H stands for heavy action

another eg is 6102 MLFS
thats a 6 foot 10inch rod, 2 piece , ML- Medium Light, F- Fast, S- spin
ML is Medium Light Rating, This is usually related to the Line class the rod can handle
F- Fast means Fast action, this is how quickly the rod tip can flex back to its stationary Position (there slow, Fast, Xfast and XXfast)
s- Spin means its a Spinning type Rod, theres also B for Baitcasting rods.

this is just a eg.. theres many more different types and it gets a bit hard to understand, specially if your starting out.

for all intended purposes, most poeple usually just go for the line rating and lure casting weight and how long the rod is and wethere its a 1 piece or 2 piece or even a 3 piece.

cheers

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Re: Rod ratings - what do all the numbers mean?

Post by Basti » Thu Feb 04, 2016 10:04 pm

Mike_M wrote:For instance, my little Daiwa D-shock says it is rated 2-6kg. Is this the breaking strain of the line I can use? Or is it the maximum weight it can lift without breaking the tip? Or is it something else again?
correct. the rod is designed to handle a maximum of 6kg strain. it will most likely NOT lift a 6kg fish safely, this is a good way to break your rod. match your line and drag settings to your rod class and the whole thing will work much better. you always want the line to break before the rod, for obvious reasons but use say 1kg line and you'll break off before your rod does any real work.
Mike_M wrote:It also says it is for casting lures 5-15g. Does this mean it can't be used for lighter ones, or just that it doesn't perform as well in casting it? On the other side of the equation, does the 15g imply that any heavier lure will risk breakage of the rod, or is 16-17g ok?
you can use lighter lures, but it'll be tough casting them very far. they wont load the rod on the cast. you'll find yourself having to whip the rod to get any distance. heavy lures on the other hand will load the rod too much and you'll have to lob them out rather than cast.

Mike_M
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Re: Rod ratings - what do all the numbers mean?

Post by Mike_M » Sat Feb 06, 2016 8:02 pm

Thanks guys, that all makes good sense.

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ducky
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Re: Rod ratings - what do all the numbers mean?

Post by ducky » Sun Feb 07, 2016 4:02 pm

Some brands screw with this a bit. G loomis for example will code a rod as an 842-2 but I'm pretty confident that means it's an 84" (7 foot) - 2 piece rod. I have no idea what the 2 in the 842 stands for though.

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mazman
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Re: Rod ratings - what do all the numbers mean?

Post by mazman » Sun Feb 07, 2016 5:02 pm

one of the two's is a power rating I believe, took me a while to work out that g loomis weren't making giant rods but had their codes in inches.
edit: doesn't have a set value and seems to just indicate how heavy it is compared to other rods in the same range
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