Stand up rods came on the scene many years ago, but only in the last several years have they become immensely popular. These short, fast taper rods offer the angler the opportunity to literally go one-on-one with some awfully hard fighting fish. And the shortness of the rod makes the fight even more personal.
Rod taper refers to the bendability attributes of a rod. Tapers run from slow - where the entire rod bends in a giant circle under pressure - to super fast - where only the upper quarter or fifth of the rod bends under pressure. The taper on these stand up rods is the fastest found in fishing. The butt of the rod looks like any "normal" offshore rod, but the tip resembles a very light weight rod, and often the entire rod is less than 5 feet long. All the power is in the butt of the rod, and that power requires a strong back to manage.
Fighting fish with these rods does indeed take a strong back. The longer rods give and bend slightly more and are being used for billfish. The shorter guys are designed for straight down fighting - like tuna - and put you right in the middle of the fray - strength versus strength.
Some anglers prefer stand up rods in any situation, and discussions around the rod's abilities are held daily. Some people swear by them - some people swear at them (particularly those with weak backs!). Either way, these rods are providing an interesting new catch method for lots of people.
Stand up rods are made by almost all the major rod manufacturers, and are also being custom built to the angler's specifications. New technology is offering the angler even more power with lighter weight.
Whatever your offshore pleasure is currently, try using a stand up rod on your next trip. See if you swear by them, or swear at them! There is no in-between!
