a great diagram!

[alantani]

yeah, just found this diagram. it's really nice. my compliments to whoever drew this out. what i do is support the rod at a 45 degree angle, bracing the rod at the butt and the end of the foregrip, then pull straight down until the rod tip is halfway between the top of the arc and the bottom of the butt. whatever that dead weight is, that's the drag at strike that i would use for the reel that goes on this rod

[foakes]

Excellent, Alan!

I see that graph shows a spinning reel.

Is there any difference with a conventional reel, or is it the same principle and numbers?

Best, Fred

[alantani]

same principle, spinner or conventional, 2 pound test to 200.

[Midway Tommy]

I'm  a little surprised it doesn't have a caveat about not letting your rod go below horizontal if you're at a railing or boat's edge.

[jurelometer]

This is a nice, succinct way for crew members to explain to customers the basic way to use a rod on a boat.  I've seen (and given) this explanation more than a few times..

It works well enough pulling on a fish that is more or less below the boat using more or less standard tackle. But short explanations are always a tradeoff:


1. The rod angle is actually relative to the direction that the line is being pulled, not the horizon.  This matters when you are fishing the flats, drifting fast, or fighting a fish that takes surface runs.  Also, you can "high stick" a rod pulling it sideways (happens a lot at the net/gaff).  I prefer to explain never let the rod bend into a "u shape", and to wind the reel a bit instead.

2.  The length and backbone stiffness of the rod changes the range of this so called "power zone".  The most "power" (actually giving the fish the least leverage) is at zero degrees (NOT 90) with the rod pointed along the line.  With very bendy rods, you need to work from slightly past zero to no more than 90 degrees.  Some examples here would be fly rods and those modern bendy jigging rods.  If you bend much farther, you are just bending and unbending the rod without actually moving the fish.

The same is true with standard rods, but with the stouter backbone, standard rods will still be able to lift to a  greater angle, allowing you to retrieve more line per lift (albeit less efficiently than a short stroke), and working with more bend in the rod provides for more elasticity (less pulled hooks, break offs, etc.). Also, if you are fishing a boat with a high rail, going past horizontal, can get a bit un-ergonomic.

Not going to argue with the  chief on how he matches a drag setting to bend on a standard rod (because is is going to be right ).  But I will say that rods that are not meant to be bent at such a large angle during the lift can be fished at a higher drag setting than this.
 

I'm  a little surprised it doesn't have a caveat about not letting your rod go below horizontal if you're at a railing or boat's edge.

Depends on the type of fishing.  Don't do much light freshwater nowadays, but I remember that keeping the rod bent to provide some shock absorption  is important to prevent breakoffs.  I agree that in these circumstances, pointing  the rod tip at  a fish on a short light line is not a such good idea.

With heavier line, it sometimes  works the opposite.  If I want to keep a big snapper in the shallows from rocking me on conventional or spinning (eek ) gear, I don't want to let the fish use the rod bend to gain some line and get its head turned around. I am also not going to break the line by just pulling on it, so I want to give the fish as little leverage as possible, starting my stroke with just a slight bend in the rod, and not lifting too far.  Less bend gives you more control of the fishes head.

When helping someone learn to play big fish from a boat on a fly rod, the first thing I tell them is not to be afraid to get the rod wet.    The top two feet of rod should be in the water for more than half of time fighting a big fish up/down if the deck is near the waterline. 

-J