Long vs Short Rods?

[Quarry Man]

I started out fishing 7' rods when i started getting into bass. I then got a couple 7'3" rods. no I have a few 6'6" rods. I like the small rods for side hook sets, not hard sweeps but mostly pressure. i can't cast very far with them. I like longer rods so i can get way out there, but the issue becomes weight and balance. I was thinking that dobyns should be my rod of choice over 7'3" due to balance. is this a good idea. Also is a 6'4" M St. Croix Avid X good for jerk baits?

[Nscheele]

My experience has been to use what is comfortable and what works for me, rather than spend time worrying about what I should use. My favorite rods for chatter baits and spinner baits are short, fast action, medium heavy bps extremes. One is a 6' the other is 6'6". That goes against all convention of a spinner bait rod but it works perfect for me. My favorite jerk bait set up is an abu promax combo that's medium power, who knows about tip speed, feels fast to me. My advice would be to try out the rods you are interested in if possible. Past that of you have something you use and it performs well, is comfortable, and fits your budget then you have it. 

[NHBull]

Anything other than 7 or 7.2 just feels foreign to me

[The Bassman]

I fully appreciate the benefits of longer rods and their necessity in certain apps but personally prefer rods under 6'6".  Lightness, accuracy, and maneuverability in tight places are key to me.

[Darren.]

I'm with @The Bassman, 6'6" and under with about 5'9" or 6' 

being the sweet spot for me.

 

I just prefer shorter rods. My son has a 7 foot inshore rod we

bought him for that purpose, but it just isn't in my wheelhouse

of size.

 

To each his/her own. I caught my PB on a 6' M casting rod, and

over a dozen 6# bass on my 5'9" Compre. They all get the job

done.

 

Simply a matter of preference in my book.

[Angealy]

Personally, I use most rod sizes from 4-7,5-6,6 foot/etc.

It really depends on location and what not for rods and setups.

[r83srock]

7' is where it stops for me. I have a 6 footer I use for topwater, square bills, jerkbaits. I use 6'6" for most things.

[new2BC4bass]

Personal preference is the name of the game.  Darren uses mostly spinning rods, and I am with him when it comes to spinning rods.  I like 6'6" or less.  However, with baitcast rods I usually prefer 7'-7'4".....but I have a few outside that range that have become favorites.

 

To answer your questions, yes a balanced rod is a good thing and will probably feel lighter than a tip heavy rod.  Dobyns rods have a good reputation for being balanced...so I read.  You will notice that they aren't particularly light.  My experience with them is extremely limited.  I only have one...a 704CB Glass.  I like it a lot.  The Avid X should make a good jerkbait rod, but I have zero experience with any Avid...X or otherwise.  I just know that most seem to prefer shorter rods although you will find guys using a 7 footer so what is that saying?  Oh ya, personal preference.  

[Quarry Man]

1 minute ago, new2BC4bass said:

Personal preference is the name of the game.  Darren uses mostly spinning rods, and I am with him when it comes to spinning rods.  I like 6'6" or less.  However, with baitcast rods I usually prefer 7'-7'4".....but I have a few outside that range that have become favorites.

 

To answer your questions, yes a balanced rod is a good thing and will probably feel lighter than a tip heavy rod.  Dobyns rods have a good reputation for being balanced...so I read.  You will notice that they aren't particularly light.  My experience with them is extremely limited.  I only have one...a 704CB Glass.  I like it a lot.  The Avid X should make a good jerkbait rod, but I have zero experience with any Avid...X or otherwise.  I just know that most seem to prefer shorter rods although you will find guys using a 7 footer so what is that saying?  Oh ya, personal preference.  

 

Thanks for all the help! I also sent a PM about fishing sometime!

[Muddy wolf]

Just me but I have rods from 5ft to 7 ft 6 in. I use the shorter ones for accurate casting and longer ones for distance. I use 6 ft to 7ft most often

[tander]

Most of my rods are 6'6" except my pitching/carolina rod. I grew up where a 5'6" was the standard with a pistol grip handle. Shorter is a lot more accurate which is my most concern.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

My short rod is a 6'9" ML/XF CroixLTB it is the worst feeling tip heavy rod I use. I have a 7'6" MH/F Fenwick and an Avid 8' ML/M that feel lighter better balanced in hand so its not just the length that determines how a rod will feel. My lightest rod a 7' M/F is also one of my best balanced rods so being lightweight doesnt mean tip heavy like most seem to think that light equates to tip heavy. 

 I actually prefer longer rod from the banks on the waters I fish. I can better reach over and around bank brush piles and limbs overhanging than a foot and a half shorter rod. The increased distance has definitely caught me more fish as well.

[scaleface]

A 5'6" pistol grip rod makes walking baits a lot easier to work but thats the only thing I like it for . 

[Crankin4Bass]

I fish from a kayak so mostly 6' to 6'6" for me, spinning and casting. I had an old 5'6" pistol grip rod in my youth and miss that. Wish they still made those.

[Fishin' Fool]

To each their own, my sweet spot is between 7'3" and 7'5".

[S Hovanec]

6 hours ago, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

My short rod is a 6'9" ML/XF CroixLTB it is the worst feeling tip heavy rod I use.

 

That doesn't surprise me at all.  The LTBs are notoriously tip heavy.  I have a 6'9" MLXF I built myself and the only reason it's not tip heavy is because of the 1.5oz butt cap and 2oz reel seat on it.  Overall it's a heavy rod, but it doesn't feel heavy cause of the great balance.

[Bluebasser86]

I have rods from 6' 2" to 7' 11" that are main bass rods. I prefer the longer rods but the shorter ones serve a purpose too.

[JustJames]

Each length rod would serve their own purpose and work best in some situations but not others. I'd rather have more rods than reels so I can pick the rod that work best. I don't limit the rod length that suit me but rather on what type of fishing I would mainly do with said rod. My all purpose rods would be 6'10 but I use 6' all the way to 7'9 depend on what type of techniques.

[DogBone_384]

5 hours ago, Crankin4Bass said:

I fish from a kayak so mostly 6' to 6'6" for me, spinning and casting. I had an old 5'6" pistol grip rod in my youth and miss that. Wish they still made those.

Funny you had a 5'6" pistol grip rod in your youth.  I have a 5'8" BPS Pro Comp Graphite downstairs with a spin cast reel on it for nieces/nephews I might take fishing.  I'd guess it's early to mid '80s.

 

Lastly, Merry Christmas, and what part of MA are you in?

[Quarry Man]

I have family in lancaster, Hudson, and Marlbororough,likely more too.

1 hour ago, DogBone_384 said:

 

Lastly, Merry Christmas, and what part of MA are you in?

 

[DogBone_384]

Another member turned me onto a couple of great SMB ponds in Plymouth. They’re worth the drive.

 

I don’t dare add up the gas receipts this year ..... I drive a Tundra, great truck, just a PIG as far as gas mileage.

[MDbassin]

I have 1 rod over 7ft and it's a Dobyns Fury 735C (7ft 3in mag hvy) and as much as that rod comes in handy when I'm fishing in the slop, it's length can be a pain to deal with.

 

I use it's as a frog rod and a pitch/flip rod as I'm not a fan of the typical flipping sticks that come in at around the 7ft 6in mark but trying to work a frog with that rod is cumbersome and after a while day of frog fishing with it I feel like I did an 8hr straight forearm workout.

 

13 has a rod out I will be trying this year it's the *** 6ft 5in heavy specifically for making walking frogs easier. After that i will be leaving the 7ft 3in as a flipping rod but for the most part all my rods are 6ft 10in to 7ft with a few exceptions for topwater and jerkbaits (6ft 6in, 6ft 4in)

[Bankbeater]

Most of the rods I use for jigs, and plastics are 6’6”. The rod I use for crankbaits is 7’0”. 

[scaleface]

Most   rods have a handle that is to long for my liking . I have to hold them out further  it is uncomfortable and makes my  back ache. My worm rod is 6'8" and the handle is about two inches shorter than other rods of its size . I have tried to replace that rod two or three times but keep going back to it . One of these days I'm going to get brave and take a hack saw to a rod handle . I'd like to shorten most of them . 

[Darren.]

25 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Most   rods have a handle that is to long for my liking . I have to hold them out further  it is uncomfortable and makes my  back ache. My worm rod is 6'8" and the handle is about two inches shorter than other rods of its size . I have tried to replace that rod two or three times but keep going back to it . One of these days I'm going to get brave and take a hack saw to a rod handle . I'd like to shorten most of them . 

I did that to two of my Carbonlites. Basically took off three

inches of the open split grip away. Both rods are now 6'3"

with short butt ends that are perfect for kayak fishing.

 

However...I need a better way of cleaning out the cut section

inside the cap. Probably could have ordered new butt caps

at mudhole, but wanted to keep the look.