10'6" UL rod

[Jonas Staggs]

so I own a 4'6" UL and also a 7' UL rod, but what is the purpose of such a long UL rod? What benefits does it have? 

[jimmyjoe]

   Chiefly, it works as a shock absorber when either setting the hook or fighting the fish. Long, whippy rods are better at protecting light line.     jj

[Jonas Staggs]

9 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Chiefly, it works as a shock absorber when either setting the hook or fighting the fish. Long, whippy rods are better at protecting light line.     jj

so would that translate to a UL used for catching larger fish?

 

 would I get casting distance better than my 7 foot rod? 

 

 

[WRB]

It's called a fly rod

Actually it has little purpose for bass other then float & fly.

Tom

[JustJames]

From my understanding in panfish world, longer rod is used for trolling spider rig. Another use is for casting fix bobbers rig with long leader or vertical jigging around stumps.

[WRB]

Float & fly is a fixed bobber jig rig!

Tom

[islandbass]

51 minutes ago, Jonas Staggs said:

so I own a 4'6" UL and also a 7' UL rod, but what is the purpose of such a long UL rod? What benefits does it have? 

It helps with line control (eg, like in dealing with current).

 

It helps when you have to handle very long leaders for certain types of fishing. For example on my home lake when trout fishing, if you aren’t fishing your powerbait with at least a 9’ leader, your chances are practically zero on appealing to the trout. Try casting a 9’ leader on a typical 5’ UL rod, lol. 

 

It helps with longer casts with less effort of your part. 
 

it is also very handy when float fishing in current. 

I have a 9’6” UL and I love it. 

 

[jimmyjoe]

6 hours ago, Jonas Staggs said:

would I get casting distance better than my 7 foot rod? 

   In my experience, no. However, my experience is limited to the specific rods I used (Daiwa Presso). I suppose it would also depend on the weight of lure that you were trying to cast.

   Someone who uses a 13' or 15' centerpin rod might be able to give you a different viewpoint on how to use rod length to your advantage.    jj

[islandbass]

4 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

   In my experience, no. However, my experience is limited to the specific rods I used (Daiwa Presso). I suppose it would also depend on the weight of lure that you were trying to cast.

   Someone who uses a 13' or 15' centerpin rod might be able to give you a different viewpoint on how to use rod length to your advantage.    jj

In my experience, it’s yes for the same effort, especially if the angler’s mechanics maximize the rod’s casting capabilities.  That additional 3.5’ imho is enough to make a difference of 10-15’ farther. Not really too much but there will be times from the shore that that extra distance could spell the difference between being in the zone and not. 
 

I am speaking about a spinning setup in my argument and not center pins. 

[Fishes in trees]

I'd put a decent small spinning reel on that 10'6" rod, then fill it up with 10 or maybe 8 lb braid, maybe 6.  Might try anaofil instead of braid.  You've got yourself a decent float & fly rig.  For more information, research float & fly.  In my very limited experiences with this rig, a light rod works better than an ultra light, but it doesn't make that much difference.

 

I had one February tournament at Lake of the Ozark, cold and nothing happening, my boater, for reasons known only to him, decided to parallel some limestone bluffs, I was totally back boated.  Anyway, I'd brought along a float & fly rig and I'd bought a box of the appropriate 1/16 oz jigs, so I decided to throw it out the back of the boat.  I fed it line as the boat moved away from the float and 5 casts in a row, when the bobber got 25 or 30 feet away from the boat ( jig was suspended 10 feet down) a 13 to 14 inch spot hit the bait.   AT LOZ, for the BFL tournaments, at the time 12" spots were legal.  From noon to 12:20 I went from my side of the live well being empty ( just like his ) to having a limit of spots.  I came close to getting a check - didn't get one - but my attitude was improved for the drive home, just because I caught fish.   Never fished another winter tournament when the conditions lined up for that rig to work, and it was never real common on LOZ, like it is in the deep clear water Tennessee  & Kentucky impoundments.

 

I still have the rig, but these days it takes an act of god to get me out fishing in the winter.  The rod is also good for drifting salmon eggs at Taneycomo.

[J Francho]

The terminal rigs on my float rigs for trout are as long as the water is deep, plus some.  Landing a double digit trout on a 6' leash with anything shorter than a 10' rod, bent in half is pretty impossible without help, unless you walk it back up to shore, which leaves leaves release as not an option.  It also acts as a shock absorber, but I'd say that can be accomplished with around 7' of rod.  Most of the extra length is all back bone.  My longest UL for trout is 15'.  My preferred length is around 11'.  Terminal rig can resemble this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/814377545089061989/

[optimator]

23 hours ago, WRB said:

It's called a fly rod

Actually it has little purpose for bass other then float & fly.

Tom

Actually, it sounds like a noodle rod.