What can a 6'3" spinning rod be used for?

[drop-shot fool]

I got some free rods the other day, but all of em were shorter than what i usually throw.  Most of the time i use at least a 6'10" rod because i never felt i could get the leverage i wanted out of a shorter rod.  I think the rod is a med-exfast action.

[SWMIBASSER]

I'm with you in that I just don't have a use for the shorter rods.

If it were a baitcasting rod it would be descent for a jerkbait rod, but even then I myself prefer a 6-1/2 ft rod.

[Simp]

Skipping senkos and other light baits.

[5bass]

Skipping senkos and other light baits.

Yep. Excellent rod length for skipping.

[KSRonH]

sounds like it would work fine for throwing or skipping light to weightless offerings around docks. Probably better suited to jigging for eyes though.

[RoLo]

A 6'3" spinning rod is long enough to be used for anything.

In the very recent past, every spinning rod I owned was between 6'0" and 6'6".

The longer the rod, the more leverage you give to the fish (less power to the angler).

Would it be easier to lift a suitcase by the handle, or with a long pole?

Roger

[tyrius.]

Leverage for what?  It's a spinning rod and not typically designed for horsing fish out of heavy cover.

Also, as Rolo said longer rods give the fish more leverage over you and not the other way around.

I'd use a Med X-fast spinning rod for light jigs, soft plastics, etc.

[Skunked in DR]

I use a 6'3" mxf for skipping, fishing grubs and the occasional shakeyhead.

It also makes a nice rod for vertical jigging if you fish for walleye or sauger.

[BenoBreath]

It would be a good rod for jigging grubs & spoons

off the bottom for smallies.

Good Luck!

BB

[The_Natural]

A 6'3" spinning rod is long enough to be used for anything.

In the very recent past, every spinning rod I owned was between 6'0" and 6'6".

The longer the rod, the more leverage you give to the fish (less power to the angler).

Would it be easier to lift a suitcase by the handle, or with a long pole?

Roger

Yep.  7' rods are a newer trend.  Years ago, your rods were either 6'6" or 7'6" for flippin'.  I bass fished for years with a 6ft Berkley Lightening rod.  Anyway, with what we know today, shorter rods still have their niche.  My number 1 prespawn setup is throwing a jerkbait on a 6' spinning rod with 6-8lb fluorocarbon.  With a short spinning rod, I can work flukes, hard jerkbaits, and topwaters better than with a baitcaster. 

[OIFBasser]

You can use a 6'3" spinning rod the same way you can use a 6'6" rod. You will lose a little leverage, but not by much. I'd use it for spinnerbaits, light jigs w/ grubs, tubes, and any light apps.

[Glenn]

I'd definitely use it for skipping. Also good for pitching into tight spots, as well as open water using anything that will fit on an open-hook jighead (less than 1/4 oz). It's pretty versatile, but I wouldn't use it for splitshotting or dropshotting.

[tyrius.]

You will lose a little leverage, but not by much.

Why do people keep saying this?

A longer rod provides LESS leverage than a shorter one, not more.  It's simple physics.  The longer the rod is, the greater the distance from the fulcrum point (your hands) so you have to work harder to apply the same force to the rod tip.  A shorter rod is just the opposite and requires less effort to "lever" the fish.

[RoLo]

You will lose a little leverage, but not by much.

Why do people keep saying this?

A longer rod provides LESS leverage than a shorter one, not more. It's simple physics. The longer

the rod is, the greater the distance from the fulcrum point (your hands) so you have to work harder to apply the same force to the rod tip. A shorter rod is just the opposite and requires less effort to "lever" the fish.

I've piped that tune since 2005, but apparently to little avail ;D

Let me offer an example:

Saltwater boats that venture offshore generally carry about 3 gaffs (hand-gaff, long gaff, fly-gaff).

If you gaff a two-pound bluefish, you'll probably be able to swing it over the gunwale

like it were a fishing pole. However, if you gaff a 40-lb striped bass, you will quickly learn

that it's impossible to lift the gaff pole more than 20-degrees off perpendicular,

let alone swing it over the rail. The more you swing the gaff outward from the line of perpendicular,

the greater the mechanical advantage of the fish, and the more the fish weighs.

Handily, the weight of the fish will pin the gaff pole in a vertically downward position,

which effectively subtracts the 6-foot lever from the equation, by reducing the length

of the gaff pole to 0-feet. This takes away all the fish's leverage, and gives the angler

maximum manpower (one-to-one ratio). From this position of course,

you just walk your hands vertically down the pole to hoist the fish upward to the gunwale.

In quest of large bluewater gamefish, a "fly-gaff" is used. The long pole is needed to reach the fish

from a boat with high freeboard. But as soon as the gaff is sunk, the pole is removed

from the equation, and fish is tugged to the boat by handlining the gaff line.

Obviously, if a long rod gave the angler any leverage, this would be a monumental blunder,

but a long rod gives the fish the advantage (think "fly-rod").

For this same reason, commercial fisherman who boat hundreds, even thousands of a fish per day,

do not use any pole, which would totally wear them out. They "HAND-LINE" their catch,

by yanking the line hand-over-hand, pitting their strength against fish having no mechanical advantage. (1:1).

Roger

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I do a lot of fishing from the banks, so a shorter rod is nice for working around overhead brush and walking thru brush to get to your spots. As far as leverage goes, I'm in the camp with RoLo and them. A shorter rod gives the angler more leverage (or the fish less).

[The Rooster]

You will lose a little leverage, but not by much.

Why do people keep saying this?

A longer rod provides LESS leverage than a shorter one, not more. It's simple physics. The longer the rod is, the greater the distance from the fulcrum point (your hands) so you have to work harder to apply the same force to the rod tip. A shorter rod is just the opposite and requires less effort to "lever" the fish.

I'm with you and Rolo, actually have been since before this. It's simple physics. I guess "longer rod = more leverage" it's just one of those things though where it's been said to the point that people believe it so it's ingrained right now in people's minds and they can't get it out. But if you actually "think" about it instead of just repeating what we've all heard a 1000 times then it makes no sense at all.

Longer rods give you the advantage of longer casts with less effort, and easier hooksets since they move more line and build up more energy on the swing each way. After that the advantage is over, and it's you against the fish with the fish having more of an edge than he otherwise would've if you'd just stuck him with a shorter rod instead. Well...I guess you could use the longer rod to help guide the fish so that your line doesn't get tangled up in the stickups and brush as much if you fish in heavy cover but no matter what it's going to take more power and pull on the part of the angler to do this which definitely equals LESS leverage, not more.

At the risk of turning this into a debate though, one thing I think might be happening is that people may not really notice the extra power and pull they had to put into it to get the job done. Rather they may have only noticed that the extra 6 or 12 inches of rod helped them to get done what they wanted to get done a lot easier. Basically, it does take more power to do the job, but how much really?? If it's only a small amount more comparitively for great gains in return then it may seem as though the longer rod did all the work even though it really did not.

As for me, I just use rods in lengths based on my level of comfort as I fish, with no thought of any advantage lost or gained. 6'6" is the longest rod I'll use no matter what. Talk about "ingrained" train of thought, that's more "hardheaded" on my part instead, but that's just me. ;D

[RoLo]

Longer rods give you the advantage of longer casts with less effort, and easier hooksets since they move more line and build up more energy on the swing each way. After that the advantage is over, and it's you against the fish with the fish having more of an edge than he otherwise would've if you'd just stuck him with a shorter rod instead.

Both valid points.

The circumferential arc of the longer rod offers greater movement for the same movement at the hand.

This translates to greater travel and greater speed, but at the cost of reduced power.

However, the greater movement of line is only important when using monofilament line,

which technically includes nylon, fluorocarbon and copolymer. When using polyethylene braid,

which is virtually non-stretch, power is arguably more important during the hookset than linear travel.

Well...I guess you could use the longer rod to help guide the fish so that your line doesn't get tangled up in the stickups and brush as much if you fish in heavy cover but no matter what it's going to take more power and pull on the part of the angler to do this which definitely equals LESS leverage, not more.

To be sure, the longer rod may allow you to lift the line over that last spatterdock pad,

but if you ultimately get snarled (which describes me), the shorter rod provides more yank-out power.

As for me, I just use rods in lengths based on my level of comfort as I fish, with no thought of any advantage lost or gained. 6'6" is the longest rod I'll use no matter what.

Not to worry, I seem to remember boating a few heavyweight sharks and tuna on a 6-ft stroker rod

Roger