Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) > Tackle & Techniques

PE Rating of Rods

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braddrew:
Hi Guys,


Great site, thanks for the time you have all taken to help people out :)

I have a question that has been bugging me for a while - how can you assign a PE rating to a rod when there is so much variability between the breaking strain of same thickness PE lines? Take PE3 for example - by the old "rule of thumb" (PE multiplied by 10 gives lb) you're talking about 30lb line, however there are plenty of PE3 lines that are ~50lb (eg Avani Casting SMP). Now the way I'd fish 30lb is very different from the way I'd fish 50lb so if I picked up a PE3 rod, how would I use it? And if I was after a 50lb spin rod, what would I be looking for?

In a similar vein, I just read Brandon's great report on the TBL80/40 (which sounds like an amazing rod) and he makes the comment that it works nice as a heavy PE8 or light PE10 rod. With PE8 up to ~120lb and PE10 up to around ~150lb, would I read this as good for ~130lb (partway between these two maximums) or as good for ~90lb (halfway between 80lb and 100lb)?

Thanks again!



Brad

Mark Harris:
It's a very good question Brad and I will be interested to hear other member responses to this.

You are quite correct that PE is a measure of diameter and nothing else.

Personally a line poundage rating and a VERY importantly, a maximum drag rating in pounds, makes most sense to me.

The physical diameter of the line that balances best with a rod is surely a lesser consideration.

Carl Hollis:
Brad, I hear ya. Since I posted the link below I now assume that PE = lbs, ie PE6-8 = 60-80lbs. I personally think PE ratings, ie line diameter ratings, are a completely useless methodology of describing a rods strength, especially when you are dealing with very thin and very strong PE, but that's just me. Wouldn't it be better if they were weight rated?

The mystery continues....

"The Reef's Edge" - General Popping & Jigging Discussion / PE rating versus breaking strain for setups

Carl

Mark Harris:
Carl, it used to be that PE x 10 = approximate lb rating.  With the technological advances in the Japanese lines especially, that is no longer a valid guide.

For example I regularly use PE6 that is 80 lb rated, PE 8 that is 100 lb rated and PE10 which is 130 lbs.

A poundage or kilogram rating for rod certainly makes most sense to me.  Also many rod makers do not state at all maximum drag ratings. That is really not helpful.

Mark Gwynne:
Yep, it's about time it changed. Can keep it for reels to give a guide on line capacity but it serves no purpose for rods IMO.

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