Straight and bent butt rods

[R. David Nunez]

While reading Captain Dan's post about setting the hook on light line I realized I've never fished a bent butt rod from the stand up position. How does it compare to the straight rod?? I know the crew will adjust the harness for me but what do I have to remember about the difference in fighting style??

I'm so green it isn't funny!!

Keep winding
Dave

[R. David Nunez]

While reading Captain Dan's post about setting the hook on light line I realized I've never fished a bent butt rod from the stand up position. How does it compare to the straight rod?? I know the crew will adjust the harness for me but what do I have to remember about the difference in fighting style??

I'm so green it isn't funny!!

Keep winding
Dave

[Capt. Bart Miller]

Aloha Dave,

Don't worry Dave,green is a lucky color!

As for stand up butts, straight, or curved,you would have a leverage advantage with the curved butt. I am more specificly referring to use when large fish are your target ie. marlin,tuna etc. You would really notice the difference say if the battle had taken you to position straight up and down, or down and dirty. With the curved butt plus experience you can apply more direct lifting pressure to your opponent. On the other hand straight butts and fish on top work just great, it is a fast system,and easy to use. Short curved butts can be enhanced by the addition of an extension which will allow you to fish from the chair, if that ever becomes a decision you wish to make. Have fun,Aloha Bart

[Capt. Bart Miller]

Aloha Dave,

Don't worry Dave,green is a lucky color!

As for stand up butts, straight, or curved,you would have a leverage advantage with the curved butt. I am more specificly referring to use when large fish are your target ie. marlin,tuna etc. You would really notice the difference say if the battle had taken you to position straight up and down, or down and dirty. With the curved butt plus experience you can apply more direct lifting pressure to your opponent. On the other hand straight butts and fish on top work just great, it is a fast system,and easy to use. Short curved butts can be enhanced by the addition of an extension which will allow you to fish from the chair, if that ever becomes a decision you wish to make. Have fun,Aloha Bart

Bart is right on the $$$…

With bent butts, you also need a belt that puts the end / gimble lower, making it harder to move on a rolling deck.
If your on a private boat, & can learn to use em, their great, just takes a few fish to get em down.
IMO, ya get better hook up ratio with em, on the strait butts, the rod can be like a spring, bents, you go to the reel faster..? Smoother set?

Like stated, when it comes time for real pressure, the bents can really add. Often, with the strait butts, folk tend to lift the rod to high, pass the 90 degree on the line angle, thus losing your leverage. With the bents, you can stay at a better angle to the line off the rod tip..?
Ahhh…the pressure….…ya gotta WANT the fish..! no pain…no gain.

I’m getting a couple bent butts for summer live baiting, I’ll just have ta work with the folk a little more…
I'm thinking about the new 70's...?

Good look…
I stay green with Envy…at ALL the things ya get to see for the first time…:)

Dan
Plenty mo `fo learn

Bart is right on the $$$…

With bent butts, you also need a belt that puts the end / gimble lower, making it harder to move on a rolling deck.
If your on a private boat, & can learn to use em, their great, just takes a few fish to get em down.
IMO, ya get better hook up ratio with em, on the strait butts, the rod can be like a spring, bents, you go to the reel faster..? Smoother set?

Like stated, when it comes time for real pressure, the bents can really add. Often, with the strait butts, folk tend to lift the rod to high, pass the 90 degree on the line angle, thus losing your leverage. With the bents, you can stay at a better angle to the line off the rod tip..?
Ahhh…the pressure….…ya gotta WANT the fish..! no pain…no gain.

I’m getting a couple bent butts for summer live baiting, I’ll just have ta work with the folk a little more…
I'm thinking about the new 70's...?

Good look…
I stay green with Envy…at ALL the things ya get to see for the first time…:)

Dan
Plenty mo `fo learn

[dustin]

I saw a funny sort of rod holder (standard angled rod holder would be about 60 degrees, these would be more like 20 degrees) while fishing at Mauritius- it brings the tip on a straight butt down, almost like fishing a bent butt. The idea is to take the strike straight on the reel. Are they used anywhere else in the world?

Bent butts are definitely better for the chair stuff, but I've never worked a standup rod with them- seems to be the hall mark of an XXXH standup stick? They don't seem to be used by the Long Range crowd do they? I'd be a little surprised if the boats at Kona have many bent butt stand up rods, that's more for the specialist, heavy tackle stand up angler? They'd be using bent butt chair rods for the 130# and 80#- for 30# and 50# it'd be more like straight butt trolling rods, or maybe straight butt standups. Dan your thoughts?

Cheers

Dustin

[dustin]

I saw a funny sort of rod holder (standard angled rod holder would be about 60 degrees, these would be more like 20 degrees) while fishing at Mauritius- it brings the tip on a straight butt down, almost like fishing a bent butt. The idea is to take the strike straight on the reel. Are they used anywhere else in the world?

Bent butts are definitely better for the chair stuff, but I've never worked a standup rod with them- seems to be the hall mark of an XXXH standup stick? They don't seem to be used by the Long Range crowd do they? I'd be a little surprised if the boats at Kona have many bent butt stand up rods, that's more for the specialist, heavy tackle stand up angler? They'd be using bent butt chair rods for the 130# and 80#- for 30# and 50# it'd be more like straight butt trolling rods, or maybe straight butt standups. Dan your thoughts?

Cheers

Dustin

in the last few years i have made a change to all curve butts on my 50's and up. the leverage advantage is trendous. i ONLY use curved butts on 50's, 80's, and 130's. on 30's and lower i still use straight butts.

i have also changed to more/mostly stand up. i prefer 50's with curved butts for marlin in mexico, cabo, etc (when i think the fish will be 300 to 600 lbs), and using stand up with a curved butt is better then using a chair. it is not problem beating a 500 lb marlin on 50 lb curved butt stand up (with the right harness and gear). as mentioned in an earlier post, you need the right harness and plate. the OTR harness is the best that i have seen, and i use it with a smitty plate. you hang the plate lower when using a curved butt. if you want a detailed explaination i'd be happy to give one, or to find an article or video that explains it in detail.

overall i see no reason to use straight butts on heavy tackle. additionally stand up can give you a advantage over fighting in the chair. at least 2 granders -- a blue marlin, and a giant tuna, have been caught on stand up, that i know of. that is pushing it somewhat, but advantages on "normal sized fish" are very real.

since i recommended a plate for curved butts, i'll also recommed one for straight butts. i think the black magic plate (and harness) is incredible on when using a straight butt. it gives your a big increase in leverage.

you can purchase the OTR harness and smitty plate from melton's tackle at 800-372-3474 or 714-978-9192. you can purchase the black magic plate from captain harry's at 800-327-4088 or 305-374-4661.

someone mentioned in one of the earlier posts that you get less hook ups with curved butt, i have never found that to be the case.

you can buy aftco curved butts for your rods, and try them to see what you think. then the next time you get rods built or buy rods, you can have them made slightly differently for curved butts. however almost all rods that you currently have should work better with curved butts -- you don't need to buy entirely new rods just to use a curved butt. any good tackle or catalouge house can sell you the aftco butts.

joe singer

in the last few years i have made a change to all curve butts on my 50's and up. the leverage advantage is trendous. i ONLY use curved butts on 50's, 80's, and 130's. on 30's and lower i still use straight butts.

i have also changed to more/mostly stand up. i prefer 50's with curved butts for marlin in mexico, cabo, etc (when i think the fish will be 300 to 600 lbs), and using stand up with a curved butt is better then using a chair. it is not problem beating a 500 lb marlin on 50 lb curved butt stand up (with the right harness and gear). as mentioned in an earlier post, you need the right harness and plate. the OTR harness is the best that i have seen, and i use it with a smitty plate. you hang the plate lower when using a curved butt. if you want a detailed explaination i'd be happy to give one, or to find an article or video that explains it in detail.

overall i see no reason to use straight butts on heavy tackle. additionally stand up can give you a advantage over fighting in the chair. at least 2 granders -- a blue marlin, and a giant tuna, have been caught on stand up, that i know of. that is pushing it somewhat, but advantages on "normal sized fish" are very real.

since i recommended a plate for curved butts, i'll also recommed one for straight butts. i think the black magic plate (and harness) is incredible on when using a straight butt. it gives your a big increase in leverage.

you can purchase the OTR harness and smitty plate from melton's tackle at 800-372-3474 or 714-978-9192. you can purchase the black magic plate from captain harry's at 800-327-4088 or 305-374-4661.

someone mentioned in one of the earlier posts that you get less hook ups with curved butt, i have never found that to be the case.

you can buy aftco curved butts for your rods, and try them to see what you think. then the next time you get rods built or buy rods, you can have them made slightly differently for curved butts. however almost all rods that you currently have should work better with curved butts -- you don't need to buy entirely new rods just to use a curved butt. any good tackle or catalouge house can sell you the aftco butts.

joe singer