6.5 foot vs 7 foot rod?

[N.Y. Yankee]

Two casting rods, same brand and action. For what reason would you choose one over the other?

[WRB]

6”

 

[Deleted account]

7 minutes ago, WRB said:

6”

TWSS.

[new2BC4bass]

Personal preference only.  I like longer casting rods.  Spinning rods I like shorter.  I'd go 6' if I didn't have room on shore for longer.

[Deleted account]

10 minutes ago, N.Y. Yankee said:

Two casting rods, same brand and action. For what reason would you choose one over the other?

Overall length, as well as handle length ratio to overall length plays a part. For tip down topwaters, and JBs, shorter rod/shorter handle. For jigs, spinnerbaits, cranks and such longer on both. Also when working in close shorter rod, when bombing and covering water, longer rod. Many ariables.

[Boomstick]

I would go 7' unless I was looking for a rod to cast under low hanging branches or something specifically. But it's not too big of a deal.

[bulldog1935]

Shorter rods give you an accuracy advantage fishing close.  

 

Longer rods give you a longer cast and a leverage advantage on fish.  

[Bankc]

Personally, I'd opt for the 7' just to get that tiny bit of extra casting distance.  But if all they had in stock was the 6'6" version, I'd get that be perfectly content.  There's going to be very little real-world difference between them.  

[Deephaven]

I own 1 rod that is 6'6" or under.  For most applications I'd look for longer than 7.

[ironbjorn]

My opinion is that 7' rods are just as accurate as 6'6" rods, and if you're good with a rod, you can get around and under the low hanging stuff just as easy as well. I also don't notice much of a distance difference. So really it's all personal preference. One big difference I actually do notice is that it's easier to pitch with shorter rods while fishing from the bank.

[kayaking_kev]

6'6" for Jerkbaits and 7'0" for most everything else. That's my preference, but I have a 6'0, 7'3, and 7'6 rods also & they have their place.

[Hammer 4]

Having fished from a float tube, and from the shore, the shortest rod I ever owned was 6'10", my shortest rod I have now is 6'9", but I prefer a rod 7' or longer. Fishing from a float tube where your pretty restricted, you find ways to make longer rods work, i.e. pitching with a 7'6" rod, or casting a 8' swimbait rod with a 5 oz bait. 

For me, a shorter rod, say 6'6" really isn't anymore accurate than my 7 footer.

Using the length of rod that suits you best regardless of what others use is the way to go.

[LCG]

My perfect length is 6'9. Not too many options out there for that, but there's a few.

 

I don't think 6" is a huge difference., but there is a little difference. I like 6'6" rods for bank and kayak fishing around trees, but I also like a 7' rod for more open situations. Hence 6'9" being my sweet spot, but I am a bit picky. But in real world usage either one would do you well. 

[Dash Riprock]

I struggle with anything over 6'6" but I've pretty much only ever been an occasional bank fisherman using mid-grade Academy sale combos. I've been trying to get more serious about it lately and upgraded to a couple of 7'ers but I keep going back to the shorter stuff. Maybe if I wasn't so accustomed to dodging trees and brush I'd be a little more comfortable casting the longer rods but unless and until I get a boat, they just don't work for me. 

[ATA]

I use my 6'6" MH for pound hopping my all around rod, 7"s for techniques specifics on bigger lakes plus my 7'6" and 8' and 9' set ups.

[zeth]

7' 99% of the time. 6',6" when fishing docks or very tight quarters. I love a 6'6" rod. Rarely use one though. 

[S Hovanec]

Depends on the grip length. 7' is about the length when the rear grip gets longer on many production rods.  You might be getting a 6" longer overall rod, but only gaining a couple inches because the grip on a 7'er is longer than a 6'6".   Grip length is the biggest reason I started building my own rods.

[CrankFate]

7’ all day for me. But that’s not going to help. It all depends on how you’re going to be fishing and what your body mechanics are.

[jtharris3]

I own one 6’-6” rod. I mainly use it for throwing spinnerbaits and chatterbaits where a really accurate short cast is needed.