JACK WOLLITZ Rod, reel must be in balance with angler

Balance has become a buzzword among pro anglers and they aren't talking about tipsy people falling into the lake.
The reference is to the practice of selecting the right rods and reels to get the job done as effortlessly as possible. For professional fishermen, any glitch - mechanical or ergonomic - can cost them an opportunity to earn a paycheck.
Better than others: Anglers who specialize in certain species have long recognized that certain rod and reel outfits are better than others in executing lure presentations and then in landing their hooked quarry. Now, their counsel is that anglers should consider matching their gear so that while individual outfits may be well suited for particular tasks, they also vary little in feel and performance.
For instance, a tournament bass angler may lay out a five-rod assortment that includes rods for flipping, pitching, cranking, topwaters and spinnerbaits. The prevailing thought today among top tournament anglers is that their arsenal will be far more effective if those rods and reels match up as closely as possible in actions, gear ratios and overall castability.
The notion is that an angler may work with a certain rod and reel for an hour or two, the muscles becoming accustomed to how much whip or finesse is necessary to get the bait where it needs to be. Then, encountering a flooded thicket where 25-pound-test line is necessary to wrestle out a fish, the angler reaches for another outfit judged to be more appropriate.
Perfect presentation: If the previous rig and the newly selected rod and reel have similar performance characteristics, the angler will be more likely to make a perfect presentation than if he or she had picked up a totally different rod with an unfamiliar reel.
Top anglers seek to attain balance in their outfits. It aids considerably in performance and it decreases the chances for motion-induced injuries at the wrist, elbow and shoulder.
The basic thinking behind matching up outfits is similar to what a golfer considers in buying a set of clubs. To be sure, an angler can get by with just one rod and reel all day, just like a golfer can theoretically play an entire round with a five iron.
But the golfer typically uses at least three clubs on a hole: A driver to launch a rocket, a short iron to finesse the ball to the green and a putter to find the hole.
Anglers, too, pull out their special sticks and, while they don't have to worry about slices, worm-burners and the yips, they do have to avoid birds' nests and other performance-robbing miscues.
More than ever, it is apparent to anglers that they can add an edge to their game by seeking balance in their equipment.
A golfer may seek advice from a pro. When I need a club to do something new for my game, I call certified club-maker Tim Record in Austintown. He takes into account the fact I'm six feet tall with various oddities in my swing, as well as the makeup of the other clubs I carry. Then he builds a club that balances with all of those variables.
It's difficult to find good balance without advice or experience. What works for me may confound you, whether it's a fishing outfit or a golf club.
Best approach: The best approach to finding rods and reels that work for you is to experiment. Buy quality gear and use it enough to get a feel for how it performs. If it works, add matching pieces.
One day soon you'll notice it's become a bit easier to cast far, hit a precise spot in a shady lair or skip a worm under a low-hanging branch. And you'll be rubbing less Ben-Gay into sore joints.
That's what they mean when they talk about the virtues of balance.