Long rods vs. short rods for finesse spinning

[snake95]

Just picked up a Dobyns DC 743 SF as part of their Boom Boom series sell off.

 

It is a one-off length in the DC series.

 

Always used 7 ft ish spinning rods for finesse before this.

 

Tried it out today with ned heads and grubs and caught a few.  Good casting distance, accuracy maybe not as good.  Most of the time I am not aiming too close to a specific target with soft plastic finesse techniques.

 

Interested to hear who uses  spinning rods in the 7-4+ range and for what applications?

 

 

[walleyecrazy]

I use a 7’6” for most of my ned and hair jig fishing, and a 7’4” for my Neko fishing. I like the extra casting distance with my finesse stuff. 

[EWREX]

i like spinning rods over 7 ft. when I am making long casts with keitechs, ned rigs, hair jigs, tubes. i stay with 7 ft. or less rods for target casting, skipping docks, dropshotting.

[Deleted account]

Not a fan of long rods.

[Team9nine]

12 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Not a fan of long rods.

 

Ditto - but none of my waters, or my "style," are particularly amenable to them either. 

[EWREX]

19 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Not a fan of long rods.

[NorthernBasser]

6 minutes ago, EWREX said:

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

St Croix Avid 8'ML will use senkos neds 2.8" paddle tails trout magnets crankbaits. A favorite rod of mine.

[aceman387]

I use my 7’6” medium power /fast action Legend Elite for throwing 1/16-1/4 oz Finesse jigs and Texas rigs.

[Spankey]

I guess casting distance can be increased. But with a longer rod at hook set you can get more line off the water faster. Probably works itself into somewhat of a mechanical advantage. 

[Hulkster]

I've moved to 7'5 and 7'6 rods for everything where i can. I really like the extra casting distance over the 7 foot and especially 6'6 rods. 

[cyclops2]

I have never lifted a rod up for a hook set. Mine is level with my belly and at about 70 degrees to the line. I just pull backwards to tighten instantly. Then go to different rod angles.

[Mobasser]

I seem to do best with a shorter spinning rod.6 to 6'6 is my favourite.

[Spankey]

52 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

I seem to do best with a shorter spinning rod.6 to 6'6 is my favourite.

Back when we were fishing through the 70’s and 80’s those 7 foot and 7 1/2 foot rods were not even heard of much or ever. Long rods come to mind with steelhead and carp guys. 
 

When I get home from work I’m gonna dig up an old BPS Catalog and look at some of the lengths. 
 

River fishing crankbaits for Smallies I prefer a shorter length rod. Easier for drift fishing up under trees. I’m not that tall anyway. 6 foot or 6 1/2 foot gets it done. But I do fish 7 foot rods a lot. 

[WRB]

Rod length should suit your style of fishing. Finesse rods you are not making extra long cast unless shore bond. Long Rods casting from shore require more unobstructed casting area. Transporting long Rods is another consideration.

6’10” is my personal preferred spinning rod choice, 7’ is pushing it.

Tom

[Darth-Baiter]

3 hours ago, cyclops2 said:

I have never lifted a rod up for a hook set. Mine is level with my belly and at about 70 degrees to the line. I just pull backwards to tighten instantly. Then go to different rod angles.

Same same no?

 

not sure how a varied movement changes the added arc-length f a longer rod. 
 

 

[Mobasser]

In many ways I can see a longer rods having benefits.  Casting distance, slack line etc. The thing for me is that most 7ftrs I've handled have felt unwieldy and tip heavy. As WRB has said, long sticks can be a pain for bank fishing in some locales. My all around fave is a 5'9 Fenwick. It's considered way short by today's standards. But, it comes down to your own preference and style.                                                 I recently ordered a Charlie Brewer 50th anniversary rod. It's only 4'9 and made of fiberglass. I fished a friend's last season and liked it. It's a cool stick also.

[J Francho]

I have a couple rods that are over 7', but my favorite for finesse are probably considered really short at 6'3".  

[WC53]

Is finesse a total weight of 3-5g or a 3/8 oz jighead plus a senko (which they were calling on a video I just watched).

 

A 4.5 gram hard bait can be flung pretty hard. A 2 gram hb or a Zman finesse creature bait on a 1/16 or 1/32 head only goes so far.

 

A longer rod benefits one scenario and not the others.

[FishTank]

I use to use both but I have broken 3 spinning rods that were over 7'.  They were either Light or ML rods.  I would like to think it was user error.  

 

On the other hand I have 6' ML, 6'8'' MH and a 6'8'' Med.  All three are used for finesse.  I prefer these rods over the longer ones I use to have.  I have thought about going back to a longer rod but for light weight stuff, I can't cast them to far to begin with and I am more out for accuracy than anything else.  

[Bird]

I use a 6'6 for finesse, mainly Neds and drop shot.

My casting accuracy is much better with shorter rods, especially casting to cover. 

 

[Way north bass guy]

I’ve always been a fan of rods in the 7’ range for most of my finesse stuff. A lot of my fishing is for Georgian Bay smallmouth ( aka tanks), in big open water, and I feel like I can handle them better with a longer rod. A couple years ago I got a Cabela’s walleye prodigy series rod that I absolutely love for a drop shot rod. It’s 7’6”, fairly light, but still casts well and has a great backbone in the bottom half for fighting big smallies. Doesn’t hurt that it didn’t cost three boat payments for the rod either?. If I come across any more of these, I’m gonna have to scoop em up cause I’m really liking the extra length. 

[Columbia Craw]

I’m a 7-3, 7-4 guy.  None are remotely close to being tip heavy.  They fit my style of fishing.

[cyclops2]

7' is excellent for long casts with 6 # braided. Can really toss those 1.5" Rapalas and Rebels into some wind.

 

 Mine has all cork & slide rings with 2 wraps of shiny black electrical tape.  It  /  All of them balance between the 3rd and 4th finger when being cast. Do it 8 hours a day.  Every good enough day possible.

[Bankbeater]

I use a 6'6" for finesse plastics.  I like a 7'0" when I'm fishing with small moving baits for crappie and sunfish.