Texas rig/jig rod length

[GReb]

I used to be in the 6’10 camp and still use that length for certain situations especially senkos and finesse jigs. However my go to trig and jig rods are now 7’3 and 7’4. I really like the added leverage and feel as if my hook up and landing ratio has increased. I fish around a lot of pads and cypress trees so having a mechanical advantage getting those fish out of the cover is a plus

[.ghoti.]

7 hours ago, GReb said:

I used to be in the 6’10 camp and still use that length for certain situations especially senkos and finesse jigs. However my go to trig and jig rods are now 7’3 and 7’4. I really like the added leverage and feel as if my hook up and landing ratio has increased. I fish around a lot of pads and cypress trees so having a mechanical advantage getting those fish out of the cover is a plus

It still amazes me to see people say this. A longer rod gives the “mechanical” advantage to the fish.

[BrianMDTX]

2 minutes ago, .ghoti. said:

It still amazes me to see people say this. A longer rod gives the “mechanical” advantage to the fish.

I’m not up on the physics but I think you are right. 

[Team9nine]

43 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

I’m not up on the physics but I think you are right. 

 

He is...probably the most misunderstood belief in fishing (long rods = more leverage). It’s everywhere...and it’s wrong.

[Deleted account]

18 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

He is...probably the most misunderstood belief in fishing (long rods = more leverage). It’s everywhere...and it’s wrong.

Annoys us science nerds, but understandable. Folks mistake added motion at the tip per unit motion at the hand(s) with more leverage. Since most LMB anglers outweigh most LMBs by a factor of 100:1 (specially in the south ) or so, the added power required isn't a factor. Tuna sticks are short for a reason.

[GReb]

1 hour ago, .ghoti. said:

It still amazes me to see people say this. A longer rod gives the “mechanical” advantage to the fish.

Hmm I may be thinking about this wrong. My thought process was a longer rod changed the angle a little bit and resulted in a better hook set. Psychics may as well be a foreign language for me!

[Deephaven]

6 minutes ago, GReb said:

Hmm I may be thinking about this wrong. My thought process was a longer rod changed the angle a little bit and resulted in a better hook set. Psychics may as well be a foreign language for me!

Your reasoning is wrong, but the result is right.  The longer rod can take up more line/stretch with the same motion on the butt which can help your hookset.  At the same time, the extra leverage the fish has on you is a multiplier on what you feel on the rod.  

[Team9nine]

6 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

  At the same time, the extra leverage the fish has on you is a multiplier on what you feel on the rod.  

 

Which, I think, is why Ike screams “it’s a giant!” every-time he hooks a 2 pound bass - he’s using too long of rods ? 

[galyonj]

 

1 hour ago, GReb said:

Hmm I may be thinking about this wrong. My thought process was a longer rod changed the angle a little bit and resulted in a better hook set. Psychics may as well be a foreign language for me!

 

1 hour ago, Deephaven said:

Your reasoning is wrong, but the result is right.  The longer rod can take up more line/stretch with the same motion on the butt which can help your hookset.  At the same time, the extra leverage the fish has on you is a multiplier on what you feel on the rod.  

  

I feel like that's an easy mistake to make unless it's something one thinks about a lot.

 

In simple terms, mechanical advantage is "force amplification on a movable bar that pivots on a fulcrum attached or positioned on or across a fixed point." Which makes perfect sense, and this is the way we all think about it without really thinking about it. It just is, right?

 

In our example, of course, the rod is the bar. Where it differs is that the rod butt* is the fulcrum against which the fish is exerting force. Every fish we've ever caught, we've -- with the help of fancy equipment -- simply muscled that fish in (even if it didn't feel like it because we're orders of magnitude bigger and stronger than the biggest and strongest largemouth bass).

 

* Usually the rod butt. Probably depends on how you fish.

 

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

 

Which, I think, is why Ike screams “it’s a giant!” every-time he hooks a 2 pound bass - he’s using too long of rods ? 

 

Also he's wee.

[GReb]

10 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

Your reasoning is wrong, but the result is right.  The longer rod can take up more line/stretch with the same motion on the butt which can help your hookset.  At the same time, the extra leverage the fish has on you is a multiplier on what you feel on the rod.  

 I’ve heard that before lmao. If you are attempting to pull fish out of pads and thick grass wouldn’t the rod taking up more line help you get more vertical on the fish and pull it up over the top? 

[Team9nine]

2 minutes ago, GReb said:

 I’ve heard that before lmao. If you are attempting to pull fish out of pads and thick grass wouldn’t the rod taking up more line help you get more vertical on the fish and pull it up over the top? 

 

Yep, if held upright, but it’s not because you gained any additional leverage on the fish. You actually had to use a little more force to do it ?

[Deleted account]

58 minutes ago, galyonj said:

 

 

 

  

I feel like that's an easy mistake to make unless it's something one thinks about a lot.

 

In simple terms, mechanical advantage is "force amplification on a movable bar that pivots on a fulcrum attached or positioned on or across a fixed point." Which makes perfect sense, and this is the way we all think about it without really thinking about it. It just is, right?

 

In our example, of course, the rod is the bar. Where it differs is that the rod butt* is the fulcrum against which the fish is exerting force. Every fish we've ever caught, we've -- with the help of fancy equipment -- simply muscled that fish in (even if it didn't feel like it because we're orders of magnitude bigger and stronger than the biggest and strongest largemouth bass).

 

* Usually the rod butt. Probably depends on how you fish.

 

 

Also he's wee.

And from Jersey (I'm not allowed to make negative Philly references).

[the reel ess]

6-6 on my T rigs rod and 6-10 on my jigs rod. I fish from a kayak and target a lot of specific wood cover. The shorter rod makes for more accurate pitches.

[N Florida Mike]

Ive used a 6.6 for most of my T rigs for years and have nothing but good things to say about it. I use a 7.0 for bigger T. rigs

[RDB]

As far as leverage, I think it’s just semantics.  It takes approx. twice as much effort to lift 1 pound with a 10 foot rod v. a 5 foot rod.  However, all else being equal, the 10 foot rod will move the lure 2 times farther and 2 times faster than the 5’.  I think when pro’s and manufacturers talk about “leverage” in longer flippin’/pitchin’ type rods, they are talking about the hook set (velocity and tip travel).  Whether leverage is the correct term is debatable.  However, if I had to choose between minimizing the effort exerted during the fight or maximizing the likelihood of getting a good hook set, give me the hook set.  The other benefit of longer rods for these underhanded techniques is that you can improve accuracy and distance with longer rods.

[Boomstick]

At the end of the day, anything between 6'6" to 7'6" works just as well for me. The most discernable difference is is the longer rods are easier to hit low hanging branches if that's a concern. Beyond that, you may see marginally better casting distance with a longer rod, more noticeable when flipping and pitching than anything.

[Columbia Craw]

Minimum of 7-3.  I don’t care about leverage or fulcrum principles.  I remember the days of the over the head hook sets.