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Power Generated

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I have heard where a fish strke only generates a few pounds of pressure against a rod. This then creates a feel to the fisherman that's it's more power than it acually is. The rod actually becomes a lever in the fish's favor.

This is just something I have a ways wonder what the power is. I know some bigger fish creates more, but for freshwater some smaller fish can appear to me to generate its fair share, i.e. the smallmouth.

I've read on average a fish only creates about 10 psi of thrust during a strike. A larger fish like a musky may generate about 15 +/-, which seems odd.

Has anyone read anything about this or has studied this. I figure that TU has some marine biologist floating around., pun intended. I would really like to know.

Thank you,

Dale

Edited by DaleSW
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I think you need a physicist, not a biologist to answer your question in a practical sense.   I'm neither.  To apply max force to your rod, a fish has to bite a bait directly in line with the line connected to the bait.  That's very unlikely if you think about how fish swim mostly in the horizontal plane.  Something else to consider.  A typical fishing rod is built with epoxied thread wrapped around the guides and it takes only about 12 lbs of strain force to break a guide off of the rod blank.  Personally, I've never seen or heard of that happening so suspect it is pretty rare except maybe for a few saltwater trolling rods where the drag was mistakenly left in the full lockdown mode.   We use flexible blanks, reel drags and stretchy lines to build "give" into the system.  So the whole system is engineered to counter sudden opposing force.

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Dale, will a Structural Engineer work for you?

A fishing rod is a class 3 lever.  Class 3 has the effort between the load and the fulcrum, with the effort the fisherman and the load the fish and the fulcrum the but of the rod.  This is the least efficient system and indeed it gives the fish a substantial advantage.  You might call a class 3 lever a reverse lever.

To test this, take your rod (or a broom stick) and get a 1 pound weight and some cord or line.  Tie the cord to the weight and lift it straight line by hand......pretty easy.  Now, connect the cord to the rod or broom stick and lift it like you were fishing and you will see it feels much harder.  The longer the rod the harder it is.

So, why do we use rods?  As mentioned by BobP, it builds shock absorption into the system.  It also provides line speed for casting because the longer rod travels a longer arc and the greater the distance from the center of the circle the faster the line (lure) is traveling when it is released.  Additionally, it provides reach.  The entire Tenkara fishing system is an example of the reach concept.

Did you know that IFGA actually has a minimum rod length for records?  Long line fisherman can haul in Giant Tuna much easier by hand then sport fishermen with rods. 

How much of an advantage depends on the rod.  A long butt with the butt planted in the body or a gimbal, hand above the reel, shorter rod all shift the disadvantage in favor of the angler, but the fish still has the edge.

I hope this helps some.

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Took me back to science classes. Yes it did. I have fished for Tuna but the rods where with the guide boat. I remember the rods and how the first mate told me to handle it. I'm telling you a shark, tuna can wear you out. However some fresh water species are right there with them, pound for pound with the right equipment.

This all started because of me thinking about a design and material for some plugs and going very light on braided line, for me. I was making some plugs for a friend to musky fish in the Great Lakes. I made him some last year and he asked me to make a few more. I was thinking about stress on a two  jointed swim bait that he wanted.

In the mean time I went on a fishing trip and made me two. The first got hung up on a sunken tree I think, 25'+/- of water. Believe me I put it through a stress test. I had braided line and I couldn't get it back. The other plug caught a 41" Striper while trolling. The line was a right good ways back. No problems but my old ticker was going. Its nothing like catching a nice size fish with your hand made bait. That's what just hung me up on making my own and this group helped me (too many names to give a thanks). I am pretty well confident in my baits now unless some one ask me to make a salt water bait. Wire through is in order then.

My friend caught some nice Musky, not no big ones but the baits held up. A little battle worn but nothing that can't be fixed or replaced. :D

Thanks,

Dale

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