Anyone Use A 5'6" Rod?

[John G]

I do. I have 2 early 80's Fenwick Eagle Graphites, an early 90's Ugly Stick and an early 90's Lightning Rod. I had a 5'6" Gloomis but I sold it. I am thinking of buying another Gloomis 5'6" rod.

[Bluebasser86]

Had a 5' 4" Cabela's XML I loved for fishing spinnerbaits but it killed my wrist after a day of fishing them. Only rod I have that short now are ultralites for panfish and trout.

[Grey Wolf]

I have one that I use when I'm fishing from the bank with low overhanging tree limbs.

[Goose52]

Sure. I have two 5'6" spinning rods - one is a 2-piece light-power, the other is a 5-piece medium-light pack rod. Great rods - the 2-piece rod has a 33" channel cat to it's credit (on 6lb test). The 5-piece rod has been all over the country (and in several other countries for that matter).

I have a 5'6" pistol-grip medium-power casting rod laying around but haven't used it lately (just can't get into pistol-grip rods anymore!).

Then, I have some shorter rods - 3'm and 5'ul spinning, and a 5'l pistol-grip casting rod that has a spincast reel on it.

[clayton86]

I have a 5'6 bps wally marshall crapie rod I threw a sedona on for wading small secrete creeks that happen to have some large small mouth in them like avg 4lbs usualy with occasional 5s and 6s. Now that's a fun fight smallmouth on a little UL and 4lb test

[tholmes]

I have 2 5'6" pistol grip rods that I carry in my truck for lunch-break fishing trips. They're nothing fancy, an old Berkeley Cherrywood MH and a Mitchell IM6 medium, but they do the job, they fit easily in the cab of my Dakota and if they're broken or stolen, I'm not out much.

Tom

[endless]

Go Smaller, lol! I have a 5' BPS micro elite combo with 6lb line. It had no problems bringing in a 2.8 lb bowfin. I even wacky rig with it sometimes. Nothing big besides like what my son has in my avatar. The bowfin was the only fish of size on the setup.

[Hooligan]

I have a 5-4 that I use for skipping some really tight docks, that's the only application in which I use it though. Otherwise it sits at home.

[jignfule]

There are times I could really use one. I sometimes fish thick trees and overhanging branches with little room to maneuver a short rod would be ideal. Hard to justify the purchase for 4 or 5 outings a year.

[J Francho]

Give it a few years....we'll be touting the new Japanese Short Rod technique, LOL.

[Fishing Rhino]

You need to talk to Grampa1114. He has two that are like wet noodles, one ultralight. But, he sure catches fish with them. A two or three pound bass bends them double, but he has no trouble getting them to the boat.

He's got me into fishing 1/16 ounce jigheads with various baits. So, I just got a six foot light Browning, Saros 1000, spooled with four pound InvisX. At his suggestion, I'll load the extra spool with six pound InvisX. I'm so used to 6.5 foot rods I got the six foot Browning. The 5.5 felt a bit small. Nonetheless, Grampa does very, very well with his 5.5 St Croix.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

i have 5 i use 90% of the the time I love pistol grips they really do perform for what i do best short range to med range t- riggin and SB

[TerryR]

Almost all my rods are shorter than 6 foot. I can't use those pistol grip rods though. Can't hit the broad side of a barn with them, and thhey are uncomfortable to me.

[John G]

I don't care much for the pistol grips either. The GLoomis that I had, had a really short straight grip. Much more comfortable than a pistol grip IMHO. I am surprised that short rods still have a following. John

[scbassin]

I have a total of 7. 2 are 5'2" spinning rods made by Shimano ML 2522, 2 Shimano 5'6" casting rods ML 1551, 1 Berkley Limited Edition casting rod LE-15 & 2 custom built casting rods 5'6" on Shikari blanks. I carry the last 2 in the boat with me but don't use them as much as I did back in the day.

[James Yalem]

Yes, I still use 5' 6" pistol grip rods in heavy or medium-heavy action. I can't stand in a boat due to bad balance. So I find it hard to use rods over 6' and prefer 5' 6". Most of my rods are old, but I do have one source that sells this type of rod for about $120. I have been using this type of rod my whole life since the old Heddon Pal Wormer. I can't pitch or flip, but my casting is very accurate. I can pitch with a spinning rod, but I hate flipping or pitching. With a spinning rod, I can skip cast fairly well.

One good thing about these rods is that I have never broken any using braid lines.

[Bankbeater]

I use to use 5'-6" and 6'-0" all of the time. Now I don't use anything shorter than 6'-6".

[breezy]

I have 2 old 5'6. Casting rods. One fiberglass with a pistol grip but damaged blank unfortunately. Also an old Berkeley grapgite 5'6 rod. Haven't used it much but thinking about finding a reel and keeping in the truck, use wading streams, or for small topwater poppers etc. Hard to use a rod under 6' though.

[Abu Vasili]

I love my 5'6 Falcon. I use it with a spinnning reel when wading in the river/stream for Smallie. Also use when I go to areas with a lot of overhanging trees.

[Charles Reeves]

Most of my rods are 6' 10" - 7 ft. But I do use a 5' 9" Lews TP1 Speed Stick on occasion around cypress trees with low hanging limbs and skipping in tight quarters. It's a great little rod !!

[Fishes in trees]

I quit using pistol grip rods 25 years ago or more, when I got hip to the notion that the pistol grip was killing my wrists AND a straight handled grip worked much better for 2 handed casting.  The 5 or 6 pistol grips that I still own are covered in plastic and stored in a dark corner of my fishing shed, waiting for the pistol grip handle to become cool again.

 

That being said I do own 1 old Mitchell Flucrum 5'9" MH with a straight split grip handle.  On the light side of MH it is a great spook & popper rod.  This rod got retired this year because I found a 6' All Star Med/Extra Fast Tip - straight, full cork handle that I like better.

 

I wonder in the 70's & 80"s how many decent fishermen got carpal tunnel due to using the pistol grip rods too much.

[MIbassyaker]

Yup, two 5'6" panfish spinning rigs, one for me and one for my wife. But they catch bass too, and are a good option for small-stream smallie fishing, where quarters might be a little tight.  Good for 1/16-1/8oz crappie jigs, 2"-3" curly tails, roadrunners, beetle spins, smaller-sized mepps, and such.

[WRB]

You all realize this thread is 8 years older then when it stated in 2011! The OP was using 5'6" rods in the 80's when everyone already graduated to 6'-6'6" bass casting rods. Pistol grip rods are history.

Tom

[The Bassman]

Hank Parker still likes 'em.

[LCG]

I find rods to be such a personal thing. So many variables that are unique to each rod. From length, design, guides, materials, brand preferences, etc. Added to trends in the fishing industry and advances in technology and a whole lot of marketing :). 

 

I use what feels best to me. For length 6'6-6'10" is my comfort zone. Short by today's standards.