GSB1201L vs Century Stealth S1 Test Cast

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Saltheart

now I can tell you that after tossing eels into the darkness for better than 3 decades, there is no way ever under any circumstances that I would build the 10 foot stealth as an all around plugging and eeling rod using LC guides. .
.

Please. Although I share your opinion on the importance of picking a blank based on how you and it fish together (rather than on internet hype or casting distance) I find the quote above a bit condescending.

The guide system I am using on the 1201L and tried on the Stealth builds a very, very good FISHING rod. Casts great, is lighter than anything else out there, and fights fish nicely. Those are my priorities. If you rate weed clearance, knot passage, large reel compatibility, and guide cost higher than I do, then clearly it is not the layout for you. To each their own. No need to imply that the other's priorities are wrong.

Likewise, your implication that the guide layout in some manner hugely compromised the test is specious. You, of all people, know that a blank with 9 guides will load evenly during a cast, and that once that blank unloads the line flow is reel height, spool size, guide type/size/placement, and line type dependent.....BUT NOT BLANK dependent.

The S1 is a very nice blank, so is the GSB1201L. There isn't a dramatic difference between them that I can see, but if you wrap one spinning with a K guide layout and want to compare side by side I'd be thrilled because I'd rather be wrong and learn than wrong and clueless (even though the latter is my norm). That is my only reason for wanting to compare the two 11' Century's and the big GSB as well. Not to decide which is "better" for everyone else, but to learn how they are different so I can make an informed decision which I think is best for me. I suspect we agree on that approach.

[Saltheart]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Please. Although I share your opinion on the importance of picking a blank based on how you and it fish together (rather than on internet hype or casting distance) I find the quote above a bit condescending.

The guide system I am using on the 1201L and tried on the Stealth builds a very, very good FISHING rod. Casts great, is lighter than anything else out there, and fights fish nicely. Those are my priorities. If you rate weed clearance, knot passage, large reel compatibility, and guide cost higher than I do, then clearly it is not the layout for you. To each their own. No need to imply that the other's priorities are wrong.

Likewise, your implication that the guide layout in some manner hugely compromised the test is specious. You, of all people, know that a blank with 9 guides will load evenly during a cast, and that once that blank unloads the line flow is reel height, spool size, guide type/size/placement, and line type dependent.....BUT NOT BLANK dependent.

The S1 is a very nice blank, so is the GSB1201L. There isn't a dramatic difference between them that I can see, but if you wrap one spinning with a K guide layout and want to compare side by side I'd be thrilled because I'd rather be wrong and learn than wrong and clueless (even though the latter is my norm). That is my only reason for wanting to compare the two 11' Century's and the big GSB as well. Not to decide which is "better" for everyone else, but to learn how they are different so I can make an informed decision which I think is best for me. I suspect we agree on that approach.

No attempt in my post to say your build was wrong or faulty. I use the example of the guide choices. I don't say there is anything wrong , just that I would not do it that way. In fact just to be sure I didn't tread on anybodies toes I added the sentence...That's just an example though and of course expresses a preference for that application on my part.

Also , the statement that there is no need to imply someone else's priorities are wrong is a little puzzling. again , I am just trying to state that evaluating the rod blanks can involve a lot of things that for one fisherman or one application may be important to some but not to others. Guide placements mean nothing except how they effect the suitability for applications.

In fact I think the clear difference in how you and I and others sometimes look at things is a very sound basis for discussion. My belief is that these new materials system will take a lot of work to develop into optimized builds and the more input , the better. It would be a very boring topic if everybody simply posted ...I agree.

Your builds are very good numbskull.. Believe me when I say that if I didn't think they were good , I wouldn't waste the time to do the indepth analysis and make the comments. All the input helps me a lot. I already know a ton about the 10 foot stealth from your builds and testing of the two rods relative to eachother. and have already factored that into what I will be doing with the 11 footer , a blank I have not even seen yet. So remember that when I get eccentric about some of this stuff , its just the way I look at things and in no way should be taken as criticism. Its all just points of discussion to me and I learn as much from deciding I will not do it the same way someone else did as i do when I decide I will do it the way someone else did.

[Pete_G]

Some of the newer rod companies focused jigging and throwing lures at tuna, GT's, etc; using some similar graphite technologies, are also planning to build rods for surf fisherman.

Not sure what the end result will be or if and when it will come to pass. It's easy to forget "surf fisherman" aren't just in the NorthEast US so the tapers may or may not be that interesting to us.

The prototypes I've handled (but not cast) don't have the "originally built for carp" taper Big Dave was mentioning, for better or worse.