Old Baitcaster Rod

[TedderX]

Why did baitcaster rods used to be short (about 5 foot or so) and also inset into the handle?

[Choporoz]

Nobody bothered to tell my grandfather that he needed a seven and a half foot rod to catch bass.

His rods all fit in the trunk, also.  He didn't have to buy a full size SUV like I did just to cart around all his gear.

Then again he did drive a massive Oldsmobile,  so maybe he could have fit my rods in that trunk.

Additionally,  his casting rods were steel.  Casting a  7 ft steel rod all day would probably be a little exhausting.

[Crestliner2008]

I think the origin of 5'5" BC rods came into being with the notion (by the "pros" at the time) that these shorter rods were more accurate for casting to specific targets. At least that's how I understood it at the time. I still have an old (circa 1970's) BPS fiberglass MH BC rod. Matched with an Ambassadeur 5000 (red), It actually works quite well as a crankbait rod.  And it even has the old fashion rubber "pistol grip" as well. I think it's called the "Bassmaster Classic" rod.

[Raul]

I still have my 5'6" Berkley Lightning Rods, when it comes to placing a bait with pinpoint accuracy they are hard to beat, but one thing is placing the bait right there and the other is setting the hook with them minute pistol grips.

[Drew03cmc]

I prefer 6' and under, normally 5'6" casting rods. I am more accurate with them and I just haven't bought into the "longer is better" nonsense. Give me a good, smooth reel on a 5'6" M casting rod with a Gunfish 95 or 1/8oz swim bait hook and Keitech Swing Impact 4" and I'm a happy camper for a day on the creek. 

[*Hootie]

12 hours ago, Choporoz said:

 

Then again he did drive a massive Oldsmobile,  so maybe he could have fit my rods in that trunk.

 

He probably could have fit your SUV into the trunk of that Oldsmobile....lol. 

Hootie

[smalljaw67]

When I started bass fishing 6'6" was considered a long rod, most used 5' to 6' rods with 5'6" being uses like the 7' rod is today. A big reason was the electronics weren't even close to what you have today so most of the fishing was casting to visual objects so accuracy was big. Distance wasn't the first thing, the line we had was monofilament and it wasn't as thin as it is today, I remember 10lb line was like 17lb is now so even with a long rod distance was limited. I remember Rick Clunn talking about how the new electronics were changing the sport and he said it is the reason for longer rods, faster reels, and the new super lines. He said he remembers when Kentucky Lake was a good lake for flipping and shallow water, and now the electronics have made it an off shore ledge event. So the short rods evolved into longer rods as the need for longer casts or fishing deeper became mainstream instead of just a specialty, sort of like flipping, as there was only 1 flipping stick for a time and now every rod company has a flipping stick.

[WRB]

Old pistol grip 5'6" baitcasting rods have 5' of rod in front of the reel seat, same length as today's 6'6" trigger type handle rods. Most of the rod length is in the handle until you get to 7'+ rods.

First 8' tournament bass rod was Dee Thomas Fenwick flipping rod in the mid 70's, first trigger sticks were also made by Fenwick as I recall.

Tom