Fly Rods: Sage's Jerry Siem on Fighting Grips

Dan Blanton posted Jerry Siem’s response to an inquiry about the utility of fighting grips on larger fly rods on his bulletin board. “First of all, rod blanks need to be designed to adequately support having a foregrip and the foregrip should be positioned quite close to the casting grip. Having a ferrule inches above theforegrip isn’t a concern if the blank is designed to handle it and if the angler puts the rod together tight. The shaft does bend through the fighting grip, as well as the ferrule, ever so slightly, which does not focus a shearing point at all.” For those who don’t know, Jerry Siem is one of the modern greats in rod design and casting and has worked for Sage for many years.