School me on rod lengths

[BrianMDTX]

So, other than Captain Obvious reasons like needing a shorter rod for fishing tight cover from the bank (or simply preferring a shorter or longer rod on principle), what’s the real scoop on rod lengths? In other words, if I have a choice between a 6’6” or a 7’ MHF rod, what is the real driver of one length over the other? Casting distance? Accuracy? Sensitivity? 

[jimmyjoe]

   All I can tell  you is what I've found out for myself:

   Six inches between two rods of the same line, action and maker have not shown me great differences. Eight or nine  inches, yes. A foot or more, heck yes.

   But the big differences are between makers, models and (especially) actions. A slower action, also called a softer action, will store and release energy differently than a faster (or "harder") action. A rod that is only slightly longer but has better energy release for the way YOU cast will show up as MUCH better on distance ..... for you. That's the kicker. It'll be that way for you, and for everyone who casts like you do.

   For some other people, not so much.

   And a slower action is usually more accurate, because it allows the fisherman to feel the energy storage and release better. You may think you cast by sight,  but you really cast by touch.

   So it may be possible that brand "A" has a 7 foot rod that doesn't fit the way you cast and has poor energy storage and release (it's like a pool cue), and brand "B" has a 6'-06" or 6'-08" rod that fits your casting stroke perfectly. Guess which one you'll do best using?

   So the answer to your question is ..... there's no easy answer. Not without you going out there and trying a rod that you are curious about.

   That's the way my world spins. How about yours?      ???       jj

 

  

[Jig Man]

For me is casting distance and accuracy.  I’ve never noticed sensitivity differences in the same caliber of rods.  I am more accurate with a 6’6” rod than a 7’.  I can cast a 7’ farther.  I fish mostly open clear water so most of my rods are at least 7’ long.

[LCG]

This is why I own a spinning rod that's 6'8" and a casting rod that's 6'9". Best of both world, accuracy more important to me than distance. I fish from the bank and a kayak, so that also has bearing to my preference for rod length. 

[RoLo]

1 hour ago, BrianMDTX said:

So, other than Captain Obvious reasons like needing a shorter rod for fishing tight cover from the bank (or simply preferring a shorter or longer rod on principle), what’s the real scoop on rod lengths? In other words, if I have a choice between a 6’6” or a 7’ MHF rod, what is the real driver of one length over the other? Casting distance? Accuracy? Sensitivity? 

 

Casting Distance:  7.0 ft

Accuracy:              6.6 ft

Sensitivity:            Modulus is normally the bigger player (modulus = $)

Power:                  Shorter rod (Though many believe the opposite)

 

Roger

[Linewinder]

So that's casting, but what about length for catching?  Is that a consideration here?

 

Longer seems easier to turn fish away from cover, but maybe that is a function of the rod's action in conjunction with the length.  Vary the length with the action so performance matches more or less between a long vs. short rod?

[islandbass]

Longer rods also mean more line control. 

[Ogandrews]

This is what I use different rod lengths for, everyone is different though

 

6’10- jerkbaits, topwaters I give action like poppers and walking baits

7’1- tight quarters do everything MH 

7’2- squarebill and lipless rod, often casting in smaller areas

7’3”- frog rod

7’5 and 7’6”- majority of my rods, jigs, worms, flipping, finesse baitcaster for bottom contact, 3.8-5.8” swimbaits, chatterbaits spinnerbaits swim jigs ect

7’8”- bigger Crankbait rod

7’11- heavy flipping stick

8’- do all swimbait/finesse musky bait rod

9-9’6”- normal and big bait musky rod

 

could go a lot more in depth but I really prefer a longer rod than most, even though I’m only 5’10 so not tall. 

[J Francho]

In my collection, I have more 7 to 7-3 rods than anything else in MH and H.  It's a comfortable length for most fishing.  

[greentrout]

I find when I fish in a jon boat it is easier for me to use a 6 ft. med. and med. heavy ... spinning and casting rods ... carry a 5'6" for tight zones .... but also have a 6'6" on board ...

 

on big open water the 7 ft. is the go to rod ...

 

can remember about 20 s yrs. ago when the 6 foot rod was the most popular ... 

 

good fishing ...

 

 

[GReb]

After a lot of trial and error I’ve settled on mostly 6’8”-6’10” rods for moving baits and 7’2-7’3” for worms, jigs, frogs. I do have several outliers but this is my general blueprint. 

[WRB]

When I started bass fishing casting rods had pistol grips and 5 1/2' long.

In 1970 I made my 1st trigger straight handle rod using 7' popping rod blank for crankbaits. During the 70's 6 1/2' bass rods w/trigger stick handles became poplar.

Because bass boats didn't have long flipping decks yet 7' rods could get broken tips from the trolling motor bracket. 

In the early 80's I had 6'10" custom Lamiglas casting rods made to fit my boat deck and this length is what I still use for jigs and worms.

The only rods longer are 7'5" frog rod, 2 8' swimbait rods, everything else between 6'8" to 7'. 

Rod lengths are a personal choice.

Casting accuracy takes practice with whatever rod length is used.

Sensitivey is between your ears and finger tips.

Tom

 

 

[Hulkster]

i found i like longer rods, and have slowly been converting my rods over to 7'6 and 7'5 lengths where i can, my musky rod is 8 feet. mind you, i fish from shore so maximum distance really helps. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

In general, longer for distance, shorter for accuracy. Longer rod moves more line for distant hook sets and reach with fixed line as in flipping. Shorter can be easier to handle when fishing vertically as in drop shot under the boat. 

[RoLo]

 

My first fiberglass rods (i.e. Conolon) ran between 5½ & 6 ft long.

When graphite blanks stole the show (Fenwick HMG), rod lengths ran around 6 to 6½ ft.

The longer rods presented a learning curve for me, because they didn't stow as nicely in the truck bed,

didn't fit as well in the boat, and were a nuisance bank-fishing, when toting them thru trees & brush.

 

Today, rod lengths jumped an additional foot, which really doesn’t light my fire.

The advantage of a long rod is ‘casting distance’, plus a longer ‘haul stroke’ in heavy cover.

Ironically, when I got into standup fishing in saltwater, my rod lengths migrated back to the

5½ ft range, where power was essential. The so-called ‘stroker rods' take leverage away from the fish

and give it to the angler. Now, when it comes to freshwater bass fishing,

the angler is free to choose any rod length he personally prefers.

 

Roger

 

 

[roadwarrior]

I like them long...it makes me feel taller!

 

[BrianMDTX]

I’m comfortable with 6’6” to 7’. Then again, on ponds I don’t really have the need to bomb lures in a different time zone lol. 

[RoLo]

1 hour ago, BrianMDTX said:

I’m comfortable with 6’6” to 7’. 

 

The average of which is 6' 9", which is also my target length, opportunity-permitting  ? 

 

Roger

[Boomstick]

Being that I do most my fishing on kayaks or the shore, I like rods around 7' most of the time. I have a 7'4" frog rod, and a 7'6" frog rod, and then I have a 6'8" M/XF rod for jerkbaits and poppers, and a 6'9" ML/XF rod for finesse and my other rods are 7' - 7'2" and that's comfortable casting while sitting on my kayak.

[WRB]

8 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

In general, longer for distance, shorter for accuracy. Longer rod moves more line for distant hook sets and reach with fixed line as in flipping. Shorter can be easier to handle when fishing vertically as in drop shot under the boat. 

Rod sets work ok with short line to lure. Reel sets with rod sweeps are far better when you cast over 60' 3 cranks with a reel is more line recovered them a 8' rod set.

Tom

[Big Hands]

4 hours ago, WRB said:

Rod sets work ok with short line to lure. Reel sets with rod sweeps are far better when you cast over 60' 3 cranks with a reel is more line recovered them a 8' rod set.

Tom

I remember trying 6 lb P-Line monofilament (once) about 25 or 30 years ago. I had to run to the back of the boat in addition to winding down and setting the hook with the rod.

[J Francho]

I'll add this tidbit: 8' rods are an absolute pain in the butt.  I have four or five (one might be 7-11), and the care to move them around, inside the house, garage, into a rod locker, walking through a store, is orders of magnitude clunkier.  I wouldn't be without them, but they're real bother.

 

Not buying into the line pickup thing.  By the math (a² + b² = c²) means .07' (less than an inch) difference, and that's not accounting for rod bend.  I agree, it sure feels better using a longer rod to set the hook on a long cast, so there has to be something there, but I don't think it's line pickup.  Some other reason exists for why.  Could be my geometry is a bad representation.

[NHBull]

6'10"-7'2" is the sweet spot for me.  I also have to factor weight as wrist pain and previous surgeries, make longer rods hard to deal with.  I love my 7'6' Conquest but it just hurts after prolonged usage.

 

[Boomstick]

15 hours ago, J Francho said:

Not buying into the line pickup thing.  By the math (a² + b² = c²) means .07' (less than an inch) difference, and that's not accounting for rod bend.  I agree, it sure feels better using a longer rod to set the hook on a long cast, so there has to be something there, but I don't think it's line pickup.  Some other reason exists for why.  Could be my geometry is a bad representation.

Your math sounds right to me but the one thing you aren't taking into account is torque. The tip of the rod would be moving a little bit faster on a longer rod.

[RoLo]

 

The choice between rod lengths can get a little tacky, because speed & power move in opposite directions.

In other words, the angler is obligated to establish his priorities.

 

As Boomstick mentioned, a longer rod results in higher speed. With respect to hook-setting,  

many anglers believe that circumferential speed is more important than power.   

 

Roger