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Q. What are the advantages of using a longer fishing rod?

Bill: It allows for more casting distance as talked about in my bill dance fishing course. You can cover more water (casting longer distances). It helps lures like crankbaits achieve greater depths and keeps them in the strike zone longer. It allows you to move line quicker. It provides better hook-sets from a distance. It provides an even shock-absorber action, much like a fly rod. Finally, it also can give you more leverage on fish during the fight.

Q. What does rod action mean and what is a fast action rod and its benefits?

Bill: Simply put, a rod’s action or power describes the amount of flex in a given rod. Light action rods are more flexible and less powerful than heavy action rods.
To answer the second part of your question—a fast action or fast taper means the diameter changes rapidly as you progress from the tip towards the butt of the rod. A fast tapered rod flexes most in the first few inches from the tip.
And finally, its benefits are: more accuracy and can be better used for shorter, more accurate casts. Fast tapers are extremely sensitive because the responsive tip and stiff backbone transmits vibrations very efficiently.

Q. Can you offer some advice on spooling open-face spinning reels?

Bill: Line capacity can affect a reel like this just as it does a baitcasting reel. If you fill the reel to the top of the spool, you run the risk of having the line blow off the spool. If you are using light-weight lures, it is best to fill the spool up to about 1/8-inch of the spool lip.
The less line you have on the spool, the greater the amount of tension will be. This could lead to line breakage. As the diameter of the spool gets smaller, more force is required to pull line off it. Another trick for reducing line twist is to close the bail manually while lifting on the rod tip to take slack out of the line. Otherwise, when you turn the handle to close the bail, you run the risk of throwing a looped section of slack line on the spool and winding over it. This is one of the major causes of line mess with spinning reels.

Q. What about rods for catfish. What should I look for?

Bill: When it comes to fishing rods for catfishing, the aver­age cat man doesn’t need a lot of different rods to cover all the situations he’ll experience. More times than not, he can get by with one type rod action and length for most situations — when I say most situations, I’m referring to cases where you’re mostly fishing for cats in the 1- to 10-pound class.
For this, a moderate-fast, medium-heavy power rod is ideal. This action has a mod­erate tip. The upper third of the rod has a moderate fast ta­per. The flex of the rod carries into the midsection and the strong butt section does not flex at the hook-­set, which al­lows for better hook penetra­tion.

Q. What can you tell me about today’s fishing rods?

Bill: Over the years I’ve had a lot of discussions about fishing rods—the length, the action, the type and what different rods were best suited for.
Today, the most common rods are either fiberglass or graphite. And I’m asked quite often for a bass fishing tips on which is best and why.  In all my years of fishing, I’ve used just about everything. My first rod was a metal rod, and my second was a solid glass rod, then came fiberglass, later there was composite, then Boron and then finally what most of us use today, graphite.
Graphite rods hit the American bass fishing scene back around the mid-1970s and after the word had spread around fishing circles and national ads began to appear, rods made with fiberglass material started finding themselves propped in the corner of work shops, closets and garages collecting dust.
The word was out.  Comments like, “fiberglass rods are less sensitive and softer, which affects your feel,” and “the actions will not react as quick as graphite on the hook-set” became common. Anglers were very impressed with the major break through of using graphite in rod technology.
Sure these new rods were more expensive, but they were smaller in diameter and noticeably lighter—and believe it or not, graphite rods today have drastically improved since those of the ’70s.  Now there are various grades and some are blended with a variety of stronger and lighter materials.
But back to the old… Quantum’s VP of marketing, Bob Bagby tells me that fiberglass rods have resurfaced in recent years and says it’s because some avid bass anglers have found that some of graphite’s characteristic aren’t ideal for all situations. These anglers believe that when using bass lures with treble hooks, the fish actually hook themselves, so you don’t need the rod speed or stiffness to get a solid hook-set.
And, since the hook set is so quick with graphite you can jerk the bait away from the fish.  These anglers also believe that a bass hooked with a glass rod will be hook better and can’t throw a lure as easily.  Companies such as Quantum have designed new rods that incorporate the qualities of graphite, but are a pleasure to cast all day long. Yet, they also exhibit the qualities of those old glass rods, in other words, some have soft tits that can absorb treble hook strikes.
Other advantages I’ve heard that some fishermen mention comparing glass to  graphite is when using certain surface lures like buzz baits, frog baits, chuggers, poppers, minnow baits and so forth,  graphite can create problems simply because of the stiffness.  Anglers have the tendency to jerk the lure away from the fish before it has a good bite on it. This is where a soft tip graphite action really shines.
Despite all these advantages to fiberglass, there’s no set rule for using glass over graphite. However, my choice is graphite.  Why? Simply because graphite rods are lighter, more sensitive, and come in a wider ranger of lengths and actions.
See ya next time, and in the meantime, catch one for me!

Q. What can you tell me about the “action” of a fishing rod?

Bill: A fishing rod’s action or power describes the amount of flex in a given rod. Fast action rods are extremely sensitive because the responsive tip and stiff backbone in the lower section transmit vibrations very efficiently throughout the rod.
Bending or pulling back your rod past the point at which the grip and the line create a 90-degree angle, puts stress on the rod and can cause breakage, regardless of how well it’s made. More tips and tricks can be found on my bill dance fishing video

Q. I do a lot of open-water fish­ing and prefer to use larger lures most of the time. If you were going to buy a rod for this situa­tion what would it be?

Bill: When fishing open water with big baits, my choice in rods is a quality built 7-7-1/2-foot with medium-action. They provide a better hook-set, take up line faster, provide more leverage and power and reduce line stretch when a fish strikes at the end of a long cast.

Q. I see short butt lengths on bass fishing rods and others have longer lengths. What’s the reason­ing?

Bill: Well, both have their place in largemouth bass fishing techniques. The shorter butt lengths provide more control and maneuverability, allowing you to flick cast in and around tight cover and areas much easier. However, you can’t beat a long-handled rod for open-water fishing where long two-handed casts are required. The longer handle also gives you much more leverage when playing a large fish than a short-handled rod.

. I just purchased my first open-face spinning reel and since then, I have had nothing but trouble with it. Any tips on how I can eliminate all the line messes?

Bill: Well, I have a couple of tips to help eliminate this. For one, never over-fill your spool. We touched on this sub­ject in a previous question. When you fill line all the way to the top of a spinning reel spool, you run the risk of having the line balloon or blow off the spool. This is much more of a problem when using light-weight lures versus heavier ones.
The other tip is to close the bail manually with your hand while lifting the rod tip to take the slack out of your line. Otherwise, when you turn the handle to close the bail, you run the risk of flipping a looped section of slack line on the spool and winding over it. Then, on your next cast, here comes the cobweb mess!

Q. Most of the reels on the market today offer a wide range of ratios, ranging from as low as 3.8:1 to as high as 7:1. What do those numbers indicate?

Bill: The ra­tio numbers tell you just how many revolutions the spool makes during one complete turn of the reel han­dle. We talk about this in the bill dance fishing course. Example: a 7 to 1 gear ratio retrieves your line almost twice as fast as a 3.8:1 geared reel.

Q. When fishing heavy cover what type of rod and reel is best for casting distance when using light lures, such as lightweight spinner baits, jigs and crank baits?

Bill: My choice is a 6 1/2- to 7-foot, medium-heavy spinning rod with a wide-spool spinning reel.
With bill dance fishing you’ll see that the key ingredient here is your line. I use a Super Braid with the strength of 20-pound test, yet the diameter of 6-pound mono that has a breaking strength of 30-pound test. The thinner diameter of the braid allows you to cast 1/8-ounce size lures, the same distance as you could with a 1/2- or 3/8-ounce lure. The reason is that the thin diameter line comes OFF the wide spool faster, and a longer rod gives you the added power needed to make long casts with light lures. The medium-heavy action of the rod and strength of the line also helps when fighting a good fish out of those thick places.

Q. How light should your weight be when you are using a Carolina- or Texas rig?

Bill: I have Carolina-rigged in shallow water with a weight as small as 1/8-ounce (split-shot) on a spinning reel. On the other hand, I have used the Carolina-rigged with as much as 1-ounce. The latter was to compensate for a loss of feel due to the wind.
When fishing either rig (Carolina or Texas) feel, maintaining contact with your bait, is of the utmost importance.
With a Texas rig, I will always use the lightest slip sinker that I can get away with. This is especially true when fishing heavy vegetation.
Again, you have to make adjustments to maintain contact or feel. Contact is everything. If you can’t feel the strike, whether fishing with a Texas rig or a Carolina rig, you are fighting a losing battle, or more appropriately put no battle at all. It is doubtful you will set the hook on a fish you never felt hit your bait.
It is more difficult to fish lighter sinkers, but in some situations that is what it takes. You make the adjustments when needed.
And remember that your sinker’s weight doesn’t affect the action of your bait. It, once again, helps you maintain contact.
The Carolina rig is one of the oldest and most effective techniques around, especially in really deep water. It has a natural action and helps you keep the bait in a bass’s face.
As a tip, you may want to check out a sinker made by Lundy Little Joe called a No-Snag. It is 95 percent snag-proof addition to your tackle box and works great on Carolina rigs. They are models that rattle and some that are sold in kits. Check out Lindy’s website at www.lindylittlejoe.com.
  As for choosing between a Texas rig and a Carolina rig? The actions of the two rigs are totally different. And I would never say one is better than the other. Both have their place. You just need to size up the situation and decide which one is the most applicable to catch the fish.

Q. I’ve often heard the saying, ‘There’s no substitute for qual­ity.’ I can understand that in fishing reels and mono line, but why is quality so important in rods? Aren’t they all similar?

Bill: I think that’s about as silly as buying a $20,000 bass boat, and putting it on a $200 trailer. You get what you pay for. Sure, you can buy a fishing rod for under $20, but because of the lower quality and overall construction, the rod is not going to perform as well as a premium one. Qual­ity rods are made of better mate­rials, they’re more sensi­tive, lighter, cast-better for more con­trol and accuracy, which adds up to better lure presentation and more productive casts.

Q. When fishing jerk baits, such as minnow plugs and certain top water baits, what type rod action and length do you prefer?

Bill: When fishing jerk baits, action is everything, and to achieve the proper action it must be done with the right rod. Fishing lures of this type all day is hard on your wrist and arms. It’s smart to use a 5-1/2-foot to 6-foot medium-light action rod to lessen the fatigue, and to create the best possible presentation.

Q. Why do you palm your bait-casting reel instead of holding the handle?

Bill: Well, I find that palming or cupping the reels side-plate directly in my left hand, is a great large mouth bass fishing technique, and creates better sensitivity for me. Also, when I’m fighting a fish, it gives me more power and doesn’t tire my wrist. This allows me more control of the fish. Holding the handle puts a tremendous amount of pressure on your wrist when a fish lunges or when you’re trying to either pull him from cover or keep him out of it.

Q. What is the most popular line weight for bait-casting and open face spinning gear?

Bill: For bait-casting, 14-pound test and for open faced spinning . . . 8-pound test.

I really get confused about the actions in bait casting rods, and how they perform!
Can you give me some insight?

Well, you have basically 4 actions in bait casting rods.

Extra fast, fast, medium and light. All covered in the Bill Dance video.

Knowing how the different actions perform, and matching them to your style of fishing can really make a difference.

With an extra fast action, most of the curve is in the upper quarter of the rod. Now, a fast action confines curve to the upper third, medium action to upper half, and a light action curves well into the butt section of the rod.

An extra-fast tip is extremely sensitive, and provides a much stronger hook set than medium of light actions. Extra fast tips are also less forgiving than medium to light actions making them a poor choice with light lines. They also unload very fast, making them difficult to cast light weight lures and can create back lashing.

Now fast and medium actions offer a compromise, good sensitivity and backbone, without the extreme stiffness of an extra-fast tip and finally light actions are ideal when casting light weight lines and lures and they’re probably the best all-round action for beginning bait casters

Q. Is there any reason I can’t fill my reel spools to less or more than the recommended line capacity?

Bill: Absolutely! When your spool isn’t full, it requires more revo­lutions of the handle to take up line. This also means, your lure speed is going to be slower when you begin the retrieve after a long cast than it’ll be as it gets closer to the rod-tip. In other words, your lure speed increases through-out the retrieve even though your cranking action re­mains the same. If you fill them fuller than recommended, you’re going to have lots of backlashes!

Q. How important is knot-tying to successful bass fishing?

Bill: Very important. It is, after all, the connection between you and the fish. Here are some facts you might find interesting:
• 75 percent of line failure occurs at the knot;
• 15 percent of line failure is due to not changing the line when it has some age and has become stressed or chapped;
• and 10 percent of line failure is due to more minor errors like not checking your line for frays, nicks or cuts, by not retying often and by using inexpensive, low-grade line.

Q. When fishing open water cover how can a 2-pound fish break 8-pound test? Also, what causes a knot to fail?

Bill: This is a question asked by every angler and I cover it in my Bill Dance course. What causes a 2-pounder to break 8-pound test is most often knot failure. As mentioned above it is estimated that poor knots are the reason for 75 percent of line failures.
What causes a knot to fail? There are several factors to consider. Example, a line that is improperly wrapped or twisted over itself will cut itself due to compression when pulled tight.
Consider this formula. A 20-pound test line improperly wrapped or tied over it becomes a 10-pound line due to compressive forces. Also, movement within an improperly tied knot will burn and weaken the monofilament.
To help eliminate knot failure:
• always take time to tie a knot correctly;
• always wet the knot before cinching; down—keeps the line from heating and weakening the mono;
• always tie a knot that is easy for you to tie—it gives you confidence;
• and check your knot periodically, especially when fishing heavy cover or after you have caught a fish.

Q. What knot do you recommend?

Bill: It has been estimated that 75 percent of all line failures can be attributed to poor knot tying or inappropriate knot selection.
For everyday fishing, I recommend the Palomar knot. It’s one of the easiest and quickest knots to tie, and offers extremely high break strength.
To tie it, double about 4 inches of line and pass or thread the loop through the hook eye or split ring on your lure. Now, tie an over hand knot in doubled line. Next, pull the loop over your hook or lure. Finally, pull both ends to tighten the tag in your main line. Once snug, cut off excess to tag end.
This is a super knot, especially when fishing lines that are under 30-pound test and a bass fishing technique I use often.

Best Wishes for a Big Bass Year,



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