BFS rod length

[Fishydishy]

What would you throw on a 7’4 bfs rod? Is it too long for a bfs rod? I am talking about the phenix classic bfs rod. Anyone have any experience with it?

[JediAmoeba]

I have the 7'4" Dobyns Sierra Light and I use it for hair jigs, ned rigs and drop shot. 

[msgf91]

I'm planning to get a 7'4 for bombing micro swimbaits/underspins. I also found a small bfs version of the flashy swimmer that I've been trying out and it works great. Zappu Bredy 

[bulldog1935]

My best lures on 7'3" baitfinesse rod include 1/8-oz jighead and finesse topwaters.  '

Favorite rod for neds and bottom contact is 6'7" Valleyhill - they offered this great one-pc blank in two finish grades, Blackscale XP and Raison Odessa - unfortunately, the Blackscale sold out more than a year ago, and they haven't offered it since, aiming most new longer rods at Japan shore fishing.  

How long can you go? -to extremes for shore fishing, and my salt baitfinesse rods include 8'2" (finesse cranks) and 8'9" (metal microjigs) - casting both into next week.  

A JDM brand to watch is Abu Garcia - Purefishing Japan - they made both my 7'3" and 8'9" baitfinesse, with great actions and light-in-hand regarless of price point.   

[JN94]

Works for any lure you're looking to bomb cast. If you're target casting the bank, might want to look at a little shorter

[Big Hands]

I have had the 7'4" Phenix Classic BFS rod for over half a year now. I throw small/finesse (not so much true BFS IMHO) plastics, jigs, chatterbaits, crankbaits, spoons. . . . all kinds of stuff. A three to four pounder will give you a fun workout. 

 

It has enough backbone to set a treble hook and lighter wire worm and jig hooks. It has 16 guides so it takes a minute to get the line through them all. They are very small diameter guides but I haven't had any issues with braid to leader knots.

 

I have a Shimano Curado BFS and a KastKing Zephyr BFS reel that that I have used on the rod. The Zephyr and Classic BFS combo weighs around 9.5 ounces and is well balanced. 

 

I am not that interested in pushing the boundaries of the lightest weight baits it can throw TBH. I am most likely to be throwing baits that weigh between 3/16 to a 5/16 of an ounce, maybe 3/8 of an ounce, and this rod does that quite well (even though it's only rated for up to 1/4 of an ounce. And although it is rated for 4-10 lbs line, I would only use 10 lbs braid (not straight mono or fluoro of that size). 

 

The 7'4" length works for me since I mostly fish relatively open water. I do occasionally fish some tight quarters and one of the shorter lengths might be more desirable for that, but I opted for the longer casting capabilities of a longer rod, your needs might be different.

 

I have a 7' Shimano Expride L/F spinning rod with a Daiwa LT 2000 Kage and for the baits I throw, the 7'4" Classic BFS / Zephyr BFS bait cast rig has been generally outcasting the spinning setup, sometimes by a lot on all but the lightest baits. On the lighter side of things, I'll just say that I haven't been great at it with the BFS baitcaster. At least some of that is a "me" problem.

 

I don't have a lot of experience with other rods of this type, so there may be other rods out there that will work as well or better.

[BassinBrett]

I just built a North Fork Composite DS 760 BFS set up.  I took it to the Mississippi on Friday for smallmouth and it is awesome.  The extra length made casting longer distances a breeze with 1/10 to 3/16 lures. I would say a 7 foot 4 would be nice too.