Rod braces, are they necessary?

[FatTuna]

What do you think about using rod braces? Necessary or optional?

I'm debating whether or not to install them on my new Penns. The Tiagra doesn't even come with them so I assume that means they are optional. Personally, I think they are kind of a pain. Every time you want to service the reel, you have to take them on and off.

Also, how do you feel about using electrical tape as a buffer? A lot of the time when someone gives me a reel to service the rubber pads are long gone. Do you guys use rubber stripping or just tape it up. I've seen people do both.

Something interesting I found in the box of my new reels. There is a little card that says that overtightening rod braces can damage your reel...... I don't see how this is possible. It claims the spool can rub against the frame. Says you should hand tighten and then turn the screw one revolution with the wrench. I've always snugged them up pretty good, never experienced any rubbing. Thoughts?

[Tightlines667]

Depends on the reel, and to a lesser extent the rod.  I fish with them on 80 and 130 class reels, and use rubber strips on all rod braces, and clamps.

[FatTuna]

Depends on the reel, and to a lesser extent the rod.  I fish with them on 80 and 130 class reels, and use rubber strips on all rod braces, and clamps.

Penn 130s on bent butts.

Have you ever fished without them? Notice a difference?

I plan to put the clamp on.

[Tightlines667]

Depends on the reel, and to a lesser extent the rod.  I fish with them on 80 and 130 class reels, and use rubber strips on all rod braces, and clamps.

Penn 130s on bent butts.

Have you ever fished without them? Notice a difference?

I plan to put the clamp on.

You are probably ok fishing without them.  The reel frame and seat are overbuilt, and not likely to twist or warp on you under pressure.  Alot of guys here fish there 130 Penns and Tiagras without them.  Having said that I have ran accross 2 different Tiagra 130s that had bent/warped stands that may have been caused, in part, but not fishing braces.  I would probably fish newer style 130 internationals, and Tiagras w/o braces myself.  The older 80 and smaller internationals and all senators need them.



Just my opinion.

John

[FatTuna]

Thanks John, I trust your opinion. I'm going to try fishing without them.

[Cor]

I have never used anything in addition to the normal reel seat to fix my reel to my rod and have never felt the need to.
Most of the fish I catch are Yellowtail under 20lb but I have also caught many many larger fish as well, including Yellowfin Tuna over 100lb on my casting tackle.

Even on very heavy Tuna rigs using Tiagras mainly the guys here use only the reel seat to fix reels to rods.

Like all things fishing, their may well be some good reasons why others do it differently.

[oc1]

If you are going to use tape then try the rubber electrical tape.  It is thick with a plastic strip on one side to keep it from adhering to itself on the roll.  You stretch it as it is wrapped and it seals to itself.  It gives a lot more cushion than vinyl electrical tape, does not fall off, and water doesn't penetrate under it or between the layers of tape.  It's handy stuff.

I always figured that if the manufacturer thought the reel needed braces then you should use them if you are going to push it near the limits.
-steve

[Bill B]

I agree with Steve....Im a belt AND suspenders kind of guy.....if the manufacturer includes the equipment I trust their engineers and use them all....Bill

[FatTuna]

Thanks for tip about the rubberized tape. I will check that out.

The thing is that Penn is the only manufacturer that I'm aware of that uses them. Pretty sure that Accurate, Shimano, and Avet don't come with braces.

[oc1]

All the big game reels that came off the drawing board before about mid-century had rod braces.  Ocean City, Everol, EVH, Coxe and others.  If they didn't have a brass reel foot, they had a brass reel seat to worry about.  When the reel is tall (e.g. 9/0 to 16/0) you can get a lot of leverage on the foot and seat by pulling on it from the top of the spool and harness lugs. 

Personally, I believe in only loading the amount of line that will be needed for the task and think the new lines have made most of those tall reels obsolete.
-steve

[FatTuna]

I should have specified that I was inquiring about modern reels. Agreed, I would think braces are necessary for an older reel with the softer reel seat.

I disagree that big reels are obsolete though. At this point, I would never fish anything smaller than a 130 for Atlantic bluefin. In the past I fished with smaller reels and they left much to be desired. Line capacity is only one variable. The bigger reels have more torque, more drag, smoother drag at higher settings, and cranks in more line per turn of the handle.

Braid may allow you to pack more line onto smaller reels but it has it's issues. It has a tendency to dig into itself. It has to be spooled super tight and repacked frequently.   It's way more expensive than dacron. Plus you'll have that much more line to reel back in.

Braid allows you to compensate but it's not a substitute.

[oc1]

Yeah, I'll accept all that.
-steve

[eric]

If you are going to use tape then try the rubber electrical tape.  It is thick with a plastic strip on one side to keep it from adhering to itself on the roll.  You stretch it as it is wrapped and it seals to itself.  It gives a lot more cushion than vinyl electrical tape, does not fall off, and water doesn't penetrate under it or between the layers of tape.  It's handy stuff.

I always figured that if the manufacturer thought the reel needed braces then you should use them if you are going to push it near the limits.
-steve

Hi. I used wide heat-shrink tubing for the rod braces on my 12/0 Everol. Worked a treat, leaving no marks on the rod and even colour-coded the heat shrink tubing (blue) to the rod binding. Regards Eric