The rod is meant to be held like a spinning rod. But it has larger casting-type guides with a 6 inch butt and a 8 inch foregrip. The rod was built to handle a Canadian style centerpin reel. Hence the Canadian style float rod in the initial post. I could not get the technique down on casting the centerpin reel, so I just used a spinning reel and it worked just fine. With all that length you have a direct line to the float with hardly any line in the water to create drag and it casts a mile. Unfortunately I have never hooked a fish with it since I have only used it a few times so I cant tell how it handles that way. Sorry but I dont have pics .