What is your ideal balance point on a rod?

[Steez123]

What is your interpretation of a balanced rod? At the reel nut? The foregrip? Or at the center of the reel? I always try to balance my combos at the foregrip because that is my standard. I find it extremely hard to get any closer to the reel without adding weight to the butt. I refuse to use that weight kit at the end of the rod because I think it looks ugly as hell.

I got lucky with one rod that balances right at the reel nut and that is my Daiwa Heartland Z Hama Special paired with a JDM Millionaire CVZ 103L. The only problem I have with this rod is that I can't cast accurately with it. The weightlessness throws me off big time. When I go to cast it, the rod disappears midway through my cast and I lose my timing .

[slicksouthpaw]

beind the foregrip. right in front of the reel.

my cr721 imx balances perfect with my 5.5-7oz reels. corzza balances perfect with a ltz.

my x4 f5 i gotta add suspend strips to the butt to get that balance in front of the reel

[slicksouthpaw]

i keep my pinky on the trigger and my pointing finger on the line. i believe the balance point should be right where u grip

[sly]

Tip up presentations,and pitching: for me the perfect balance is when the fulcrum point is exactly in your hand,the hand I palm my reels, it would be the center of the reel itself.
In practice when it's balanced less than 2 inches above this, it's still pretty good. Now a ligh and slightly unbalanced setup may feel much better in hand than a perfectly balanced but heavier setup.

Tip down presentation: several inches above the reel seat is perfect. The rod is held parallel to or pointing at the surface.

[adam lancia]

Tip up presentations,and pitching: for me the perfect balance is when the fulcrum point is exactly in your hand,the hand I palm my reels, it would be the center of the reel itself.
In practice when it's balanced less than 2 inches above this, it's still pretty good. Now a ligh and slightly unbalanced setup may feel much better in hand than a perfectly balanced but heavier setup.

Tip down presentation: several inches above the reel seat is perfect. The rod is held parallel to or pointing at the surface.

I was wondering about whether the balance point should vary with the type of presentation in order to accentuate each one. Thanks for that!

[smalljaw]

I'll be in the minority but I prefer my rods a little tip heavy, especially spinnerbait and cranking rods. I do a lot of roll casting to targets when fishing a spinnerbait and with my shallow cranks and a rod that balances perfectly ends up hurting my wrist when roll casting. Jig and worm rods are kind of the same deal, the exception is pitching, since my wrist isn't turning over a balanced rod helps and balanced for me is at the fore grip, as soon as the bait hits the water my rod is in perfect position for hook setting, with a tip heavy rod I find that I have to pick the rod up after the pitch so that is the only real time I require a balanced rod.

[slicksouthpaw]

working a jig with a unbalanced rod is one of my biggest pet peeve. im not weight weenie. i just dont like working extra to move my rod tip

hell even tip down presetations, a unbalanced rod bugs me.

i look at it like a sword. there is never a time that a unbalanced sword will help you. no matter what technique you use

[slicksouthpaw]

example. walk the dog technique. with a tip heavy rod, popping downwards isnt the concern. its when u pop back up and recover. a tip heavy rod will effect it.

im not much of a cranker. so i cant really speak on that

[trent_s]

I tend to grip way up on the reel seat, and really cover the reel with my palm...I think ring finger on the trigger.
To me they feel perfect when the balance is right at the nose of the reel, or 1/2-3/4" in front at most. I fish a lot of longer rods and usually buy customs for this reason...but the rear grip can only be so long, and I don't do balancing kits or weight added. So after a certain length rear grip if it's still unbalanced I just roll with it.

[facelessnewsouth]

I'd have to agree, it depends on the technique for the rod. For tip down presentations, I like it an inch or two before the foregrip, but for tip up, it has to be as close to the center of the reel as possible.

[NormanD]

For me, regardless of the presentation, as close to the reel as possible.

[BigG]

Center of reel, but a inch in front of reel works OK. Sometimes it's a trade-off between a lighter rod or balanced rod, especially with the longer rods. I continue to resist adding balancers.

[masterbass]

What do you guys do to balance your set ups?

[mhood]

I like mine at the nose of the reel. A very slight tip w8 feels good to me.

[Steez123]

What do you guys do to balance your set ups?

I just swap my reels around until I find a rod that feels good or is acceptable for me. Not the most economical, but if I can't find the right combo, I just keep buying more rods or reels.