What Do You Prefer In Rod Length?

[GoTakeANap]

What do you guys prefer in rod lengths? Ive been stuck between 6'6 and 7'. Bought a 7' two weeks ago and im not sure if I like it. What does the length do for you in a rod?

[new2BC4bass]

Besides longer casts? Picking up more line?

I've come to prefer 7' or longer rods. About half my rods are 6'6" with a couple 6'9" and 6'10" rods thrown into the mix.

[swarrin4]

I prefer longer rods. I also use soft plastics and crank baits a good bit. For cranks it helps with casting distance. With the carolina rig longer rods will help move more line during hook set in turn getting better hook sets. I also like using mh-h rods that are long near heavy cover to pull the fish out easier using braided line. Shorter rods have advantages to, like casting in smaller areas. I am sure there are probably a lot of things I am missing but these are what I know and am comfortable giving advice on.

[SirSnookalot]

Time and a place for most lengths for me. First of all I see no real difference in distance between my 7-8' rods, a 10-12' rod will cast into another county but that isn't for fishing that most people do here. It can be windy here in Florida, when the wind really blows I back down the length to 7', the rods are much easier for me to handle.

For my pond use a 6'6 rod works well, canals it's med 7 footer, that said the thickness of the cover is coming into play too.

[Bankbeater]

Except for my ultralite all of my rods are 6'-6" just because they are easier to get in and out of my car.

[roadwarrior]

Mostly 7" or longer. Longer rods increase casting distance.

An exception is my jerkbait/ topwater rod. 6'6" is easier for

"working" these lures.

[guest]

7' is the sweet spot for me. I like being able to pick up a lot of line on my hooksets, but comfort also comes into play.

I use] longer rods for heavy cover techniques, but they are tip heavy. A good 7' rod will be very close to neutral balance.

[ww2farmer]

Depends on what i am doing. Most of my rods are 7', but I like longer rods for flipping(7'11") and deep cranking (7'10"), and shorter rods (6'6")... for topwaters (except frogs), jerkbaits, and skipping docks.

[OkobojiEagle]

6.5' - 7'

oe

[Darren.]

5'9" primarily, 6', 6'3", 6'6" in that order.

For me, I prefer the casting control of shorter rods as opposed to longer casts. I may be in the minority, but I've always preferred shorter rods. And I love them for kayaking, i.e., easier casting and rod control in tight areas.

Would I use a longer rod? Maybe. But just prefer shorter rods.

[Deleted account]

Depends on what I'm doing, what does "I'm not sure I like it" mean???

[M-D]

6'-6" and 7' is my preferred length. If I am short casting a spinnerbait at brush, willows and such I like a 6' as it much easier to make pinpoint casts.

[Diggy]

7ft and longer although I may need a 6'6 just in case I go somewhere brush filled

[LgMouthGambler]

Its all about personal preference. I am more comfortable with a 6'6/6'8 rod. I dont need to cast more than say 30 yds, so for me the accuracy is more important. Its funny that the 2-4 inches makes soo much difference in my accuracy.

[Capt.Bob]

Talk about loaded questions?? I will start by saying if one rod length is all you need or like I need fishing lessons or you are really missing something.

I use 5' to 6' for ultra lights for gills and crappie with preference to the 5'. for large and small mouth and walleye in shallow water, reefs, and sunken Islands I would be lost without my Legend Elite 6'3 medium, or 6' IMX light. For open water and deep water bass walleye Cats and bigger fish 6'6" to 7' in various weights and actions depending on plastic jig crank or whatever lure I am using, I don't use my medium 7' fast action for cranks, and I don't use my 7' medium moderate action for plastics or finesse, I love my 6'10" MHF action in cramped areas or my 7'6 HF action in more open areas for flippin pitchin jigs and plastics in heavy weeds nad brush or timber. For Pike and Muskie 6'10 to" 8'6" in even heavier and faster actions. I need all these rods reels and line weights and lures depending on what where and how I'm fishing, and Jeannine knows it!

For sure if you are doing a lot of shore fishing where casting areas can be limited, shorten up, 6' most times and 6'6" can be hard to use in some spots. And as I said the shorter rods work fine as you are likely fishing shallower water and need to make shorter more accurate cast. To cover it all just keep buyin em and building your arsenal!!

[bobbyK]

I agree with with Capt. Bob (a higher ranked Bob than me!). I have a bunch of lengths that I use for different situations. Front or back of someone's boat, I prefer 7' rods. For shore work, I use mostly 6' rods due to the overhanging trees and such limiting my casts and sets.

For my kayak - my preferred fishing outing - I prefer mostly 6' rods just cause they are easier to handle sitting so close to the water. I do take 7' rods on the kayak but those are used almost exclusively for casting moving baits like cranks, spinnerbaits, and chatter and swim jigs. For slow baits, plastics, jigs, C-rig, etc, I like precision casting with shorter rods.

Bobby K

[smalljaw67]

Capt Bob's approach is similar to the way I fish. I like rods from 6.3" to 7' for most of my fishing, I upgraded a 7' flipping stick to a 7'2" and then a 7'6" telescopic but I only use if for really heavy cover with big jigs and plastics. For my crankbaits I use a 7'MH for my deeper stuff as well as open water but for square bills and shallow cranks I like my 6'3" M-MF Elite tech casting rod, it is great fishing river smallies out of the jon boat. Jerkbaits and topwater get fished with the 6'3" M-MF or the 6'10"MH-MF, it all depends on the size of the bait and where I'm fishing. While I do have 7' rods I much prefer the 6'6" -6'10" range, heck, I even pitch with a 6'6" rod that I have and use just for the technique but I've been using it so long I can put a 3/8oz or 1/2oz jig in a coffee can from 30 feet out 8 out of 10 times on average and when I tried with the 7 foot rod forget it.

[out_doors_guy]

It really depends on personal preference, really. For spinning rods I like 6' rods for skipping baits and 6'6" for casting. Baitcasting: for shallow water casting to targets, working jerkbaits and top water a 6'6", fishing deep weedlines, pitching shallow cover, carolina rigs shallow to medium crank baits a 7'. For flipping and deep cranks, 7'6". It all boils down to what you are comfortable with. Fish with what feels right to you and not someone else.

[BassinNY]

7' for me. I fish from the banks 95% of the time and never had an issue.

[bugman]

6' with a x-fast tip for short pin point casts.

7' fast tip for open water

7'+ for flip/pitch, c-rig or frog

[North Ga Hillbilly]

It's 7' or longer for everything for me. I use all the way up to 9' for some bigger baits.

NGaHB

[James Yalem]

5' 6" I'm old fashioned and sit to fish.

[GoTakeANap]

Depends on what I'm doing, what does "I'm not sure I like it" mean???

not sure if i like it. just dont know. guess its gonna take some time to get use to. ive always fished with a 6ft rod. nothing bigger. gotta watch where my wife is in the boat at all times. dont wanna take her head off.

[Bair]

7' to 8'6" but all of them in a M or MH action. I like longer fishing rods because my hook up ratio and landing ratio goes way up especially for crankbaits, a knock on the wood but I have never lost a fish off of treble hooks using my 8'6" cranking rod.

[BassinMD]

I'm 6'4" so for me a longer rod is more comfortable I have some 6'6 rods but most of mine are 7'- 8' I like the power and slack pull they offer