Medium Heavy Rod Question...

[Scuba Steve]

Maybe a dumb one, but forgive me I have not experienced what I’m about to ask.

 

I have a 6’6 MH baitcast rod. If I were to get a 7’, or a 7’3, would it cast lighter lures better? Does the extra length allow the tip of the rod to taper into a thinner diameter? Or are the tip diameters ultimately the same across all rod lengths? Make sense? Like would a 7’6 be more “whippy” than a 6’6? Thanks for reading.

[OnthePotomac]

If you wish to cast lighter lures go to a medium rod instead of a MH and also go to at least a 7' medium.  It is what I use along with 10lb flouro carbon.  I am not one to have a specific rod for every technique and stay with MH and medium rods.

[STBen1215]

50 minutes ago, Scuba Steve said:

Maybe a dumb one, but forgive me I have not experienced what I’m about to ask.

 

I have a 6’6 MH baitcast rod. If I were to get a 7’, or a 7’3, would it cast lighter lures better? Does the extra length allow the tip of the rod to taper into a thinner diameter? Or are the tip diameters ultimately the same across all rod lengths? Make sense? Like would a 7’6 be more “whippy” than a 6’6? Thanks for reading.

Yes in most cases a longer rod would cast lighter lures better but it's also important to have a rods power (ML,M,MH,H,etc) and lure rating that its supportive of the intended bait. This both ensures great, long casts

[Scuba Steve]

21 minutes ago, OnthePotomac said:

If you wish to cast lighter lures go to a medium rod instead of a MH and also go to at least a 7' medium.  It is what I use along with 10lb flouro carbon.  I am not one to have a specific rod for every technique and stay with MH and medium rods.

I have a 6’6 M and a 6’6 MH in casting. I’ve never been a huge fan of 7’+ rods but I was just wondering if the extra length would fling baits better. 

[Mike L]

Yes and No...

Conventional thinking says yes, the longer the rod the longer the distance. However, There isn’t a definitive answer to your question. 
 Rods across different product lines can be all different with the same spec. 
A M/H from one can be compared to a M/M from another. 
 

I have a 7’4 H/F rod that, all things being equal, with launch anything I tie on farther than a few MH’s. 

The length paired with the actual power and action for what you need or what you want out of it is really the only way. 
 

 

 

Mike

[Scuba Steve]

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

Yes and No...

Conventional thinking says yes, the longer the rod the longer the distance. However, There isn’t a definitive answer to your question. 
 Rods across different product lines can be all different with the same spec. 
A M/H from one can be compared to a M/M from another. 
 

I have a 7’4 H/F rod that, all things being equal, with launch anything I tie on farther than a few MH’s. 

The length paired with the actual power and action for what you need or what you want out of it is really the only way. 
 

 

 

Mike

Lets take st croix for example. Would a 6’6 mojo bass cast and handle the same as a 7’6 in your opinion? Or would the tip be a little more flexible? Same rod specs. Only thing different being length. 

[Mike L]

I don’t own that rod so I can’t say.
If they were EXACTLY the same probably. 
But remember for the 6’6” to reach the same distance the action would have to be farther down the length to load the same. 
 

I know what you’re asking Steve, but again, just because the rod is longer doesn’t necessarily mean it will cast farther. 
Can it? Sure

Will it? Probably 

 

I don’t mean to seem like I’m avoiding the question, I’m not. 
it’s just my opinion from my experience. 
 

Maybe Someone else will chime in. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[Scuba Steve]

17 minutes ago, Mike L said:

I don’t own that rod so I can’t say.
If they were EXACTLY the same probably. 
But remember for the 6’6” to reach the same distance the action would have to be farther down the length to load the same. 
 

I know what you’re asking Steve, but again, just because the rod is longer doesn’t necessarily mean it will cast farther. 
Can it? Sure

Will it? Probably 

 

I don’t mean to seem like I’m avoiding the question, I’m not. 
it’s just my opinion from my experience. 
 

Maybe Someone else will chime in. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

No worries at all i appreciate it. I’ve just been toying with if a longer medium heavy wouldn’t feel as stiff in the tip in the same model. 

[islandbass]

I don’t think you are looking at this the right way. A longer rod will cast farther given the same effort used with a shorter. This difference won’t usually much if your are talking a 6” difference in rod length. Maybe 3-6’. Remember I am say with the same effort of cast. 
 

With that said if you want to maximize your casting distance, you increase your chances when:

 

1) the rod’s lure weight range is truly capable of efficiently throwing your intended lure. I say this because some rods as an example might say 1/4 to 3/4 oz. lure weight range but struggle to bend well enough for a 1/4 oz lure and yet feel over powered when trying to cast a 3/4 oz. lure and that ticks me off. I have typically read such things from our brethren here with some rods.  Then there are rods with the same specs that can easily handle any lure in that range.

 

2) the line you choose. Don’t expect your rod to cast a 1/4 oz. lure the same with 20# mono and 20# braid.  
 

3) the reel you choose. Most bc reels worth their weight IMO, and I ain’t going to be humble about it had better be able to cast 1/4 for me, or it won’t even be considered to be in my line up. Period.  Going less than than, the possibilities start to narrow greatly as they will with a typical bass bc rod. Many more power fish and even while there is a finesse market, they are geared more toward spinning. Yes, there are casting setups out there but many are not going to come cheap. 
 

So if you ask me, you’re just gambling going along the lines that a longer MH will be thinner at the top so it should cast lighter lures further. It might but not necessarily for that reason. 
 

Also, how are you defining light lures? For me 1/4 oz is not light for bass fishing but “standard” and “normal” by which I mean my rods and reels had better cast this without a problem. 
 

Light starts from 1/8 oz.

 

This is just how I define it for myself. 
 

 Lastly, I recommend that you become proficient if you aren’t already at utilizing the rod’s traits in casting your lures vs. trying to muscle it out there. Just think of your rod as a bending catapult or better yet, a spring in which the lure’s weight loads the rod on the way back and springs or catapults it forward. This is the key for any cast in reality but it is even more critical if you want to cast light lures and not initiate an unintended backlash. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Significantly longer rods will cast the same weight farther but not lighter weights in general. Look at the lure weight rating and the sweet spot is usually somewhere near the mid range. 

[Scuba Steve]

23 minutes ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Significantly longer rods will cast the same weight farther but not lighter weights in general. Look at the lure weight rating and the sweet spot is usually somewhere near the mid range. 

your first sentence was more what im after. I understand recommended lure rating and everything thats not what im asking. I was curious if that same rod rated 1/4-3/4 would have an easier time casting 1/4 if it was longer. Thats all. 
 

reason being if I take my 6’6 mh wading with me, and I wanted to try a smaller presentation, would it be easier with a longer rod. 
 

maybe i worded it poorly off the bat. But i think i get it.

[lo n slo]

it will help a little if you have the right line size, but accuracy tends to suffer with the longer rods. i usually value line size and/or reel choice over rod length when throwing lighter stuff

[Scuba Steve]

2 hours ago, lo n slo said:

it will help a little if you have the right line size, but accuracy tends to suffer with the longer rods. i usually value line size and/or reel choice over rod length when throwing lighter stuff

Agree 100%

[DanielG]

My favorite rod is a Dobyns Champion 7.3 MHF glass rod. I find that it's relatively forgiving, to a certain extent, for casting weights.

One of the reasons I like it is because it's the 'funnest' rod to catch a fish on, i.e. wrestle with it and crank it in. So, I put up with however it casts different baits.