I started out when 5'-6" and 6' rod were the thing. Currently my arsenal consists of all 7' rods with one 6'-6" MH for more targeted casting (i.e. throwing spinner baits into tight spaces). I do still have two 6' M Original Lightening rods that I recently got back out just to see how they felt in comparison to what I fish with now. About the only thing that I could imagine using them for would be for small topwater baits (i.e. small poppers).