8 ft. plus bass rods

[Jon P.]

Earlier this month B.A.S.S. updated their rod length regulations allowing rods up to ten feet in length on the tournament scene. this opens the door to a variety of new presentations with noodle rods, fly rods, surf rods, monster swimbait rods, etc.

Personally I bought a noodle rod for weightless worms and dropshotting and a surf rod for deep cranking and swimbaiting and I have always had a fly rod with shooting line on hand for super finesse topwater situations, which is crazy effective. so out of curiosity what are you planning to do with the new regulations?

[J Francho]

I'm not restricted by B.A.S.S. rules regulations, are you?

Also:

 

[Jon P.]

4 hours ago, J Francho said:

I'm not restricted by B.A.S.S. rules regulations, are you?

Also:

 

personally I like to practice for tournaments with tournament regulations in mind

[WRB]

Unless you are fishing B.A.S.S sanctioned events no reason to follow their rules unless your local (club) events adopted the rules.

Can't see many of today's bass anglers going to rods exceeding 9' unless it's for true flipping where long rods are an advantage.

Tom

 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

My understanding is that fly rods are not allowed under the new rules either. 

[Jon P.]

10 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

My understanding is that fly rods are not allowed under the new rules either. 

why not?

 

[flyfisher]

the old rules specified the reels/styles that could be used and fly fishing gear was not explicitly permitted.

[WRB]

2 hours ago, Jon P. said:

why not?

 

You could endanger your boat partner with back casts and prevent a partner who doesn't fly fish opportunity to use his/her fishing presentations.

Tom

[WIGuide]

I don't see it changing how I fish at all. I don't care for longer rods to begin with and try to stay under the 7' mark unless the technique calls for it (flippin'/punchin') I don't even have a long crankbait rod. Just because they change what you can use doesn't mean I'm going to change what I use, even if I am fishing in a tournament. 

[J Francho]

15 hours ago, Jon P. said:

personally I like to practice for tournaments with tournament regulations in mind

I've been in club tournaments, opens, and team tournaments.  Never has there been a restriction on the length or style of tackle.  It's mostly no trolling, one line in the water per angler, and some culling rules.  Just fish, if you want to become a good tournament angler.  The fishing is the most important part.  The rest is easily to acclimate to.

15 hours ago, WRB said:

Can't see many of today's bass anglers going to rods exceeding 9' unless it's for true flipping where long rods are an advantage.

Based on my experience using 10-15' light power rods for steelhead, salmon, and browns, a long rod with a progressive taper would be great for taming Great Lakes smallies.  I have a 10' rod I use with a centrepin that I have rigged up with a spinning reel, and if it was a bit faster in the tip, but retained the flex in the mid section, it would be a great drop shot rod.

[RB 77]

6 hours ago, WIGuide said:

I don't see it changing how I fish at all. I don't care for longer rods to begin with and try to stay under the 7' mark unless the technique calls for it (flippin'/punchin') I don't even have a long crankbait rod. Just because they change what you can use doesn't mean I'm going to change what I use, even if I am fishing in a tournament. 

 

I hear ya! The only time I use 8' rods for anything is Swimbait and A-Rig fishing.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

12 hours ago, J Francho said:

I've been in club tournaments, opens, and team tournaments.  Never has there been a restriction on the length or style of tackle.  It's mostly no trolling, one line in the water per angler, and some culling rules.  Just fish, if you want to become a good tournament angler.  The fishing is the most important part.  The rest is easily to acclimate to.

Based on my experience using 10-15' light power rods for steelhead, salmon, and browns, a long rod with a progressive taper would be great for taming Great Lakes smallies.  I have a 10' rod I use with a centrepin that I have rigged up with a spinning reel, and if it was a bit faster in the tip, but retained the flex in the mid section, it would be a great drop shot rod.

The pin Rod works well for float-n-fly presentation too. 

[Jon P.]

On 10/28/2016 at 5:32 AM, WIGuide said:

I don't see it changing how I fish at all. I don't care for longer rods to begin with and try to stay under the 7' mark unless the technique calls for it (flippin'/punchin') I don't even have a long crankbait rod. Just because they change what you can use doesn't mean I'm going to change what I use, even if I am fishing in a tournament. 

The big thing with the ability to have longer rods is the ability to cast larger presentations like swimbaits and umbrella rigs easier. also, casting distance.

[Bankbeater]

I'm not planning to change a thing. 

[WIGuide]

12 hours ago, Jon P. said:

The big thing with the ability to have longer rods is the ability to cast larger presentations like swimbaits and umbrella rigs easier. also, casting distance.

I fully understand the pro/con column of longer rods, but your question was  "out of curiosity what are you planning to do with the new regulations?" I answered that, I'm not planning on doing anything different. I don't need a rod over half the length of my boat to catch a bass.