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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | like I have said, I used a 9 footer out of a BASS boat, using gliders, Weagles, chop baits....
My rod never hits the water, or "slaps" the water.
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Posts: 1504
Location: Oregon | I generally like longer rods because that's what I have used my entire life for salmon fishing. The only downside I can see to using a 9' rod all day for casting is weight. For sure a longer rod casts much easier and will make the 8 easier, particularly for a tall guy like me but a 9' rod is considerably heavier than a shorter stick. A 7' rod feels like a feather.......as for accuracy, I am far more accurate with a longer rod.
jed v. |
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Posts: 2378
| Use whatever you feel comfortable with.
Can we all live with that? |
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Posts: 8788
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I use are 6'-9", 6'-10", 7'-6" and 8'-0". And in my opinion (which I realize I'm not entitled to have) you can;t know what rods are best for anything until you've actually fished with them enough to get used to them and develop your own style of fishing and working baits.
So, if I were to give advice on what rods to buy it would be this:
Fish with as many as you can, find out what you like, and then buy the best version of that you can afford. And that pretty much goes for everything from cars to shoes to fishing equipment. |
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Posts: 66
| Doing an 8 with a 6'9" is a pain on the back after a long day.
When I say my rod "slaps" the water its because when I use a sledge or a suick I start with the rod straight out and pull straight down hard.
(Chop). I would never be able to do that with a 9 footer. (maybe slower and out tho the side but not straight down).
Like I said, its just what I am used to.
Brian |
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| MikeHulbert - 1/31/2008 6:50 PM
Your casting accuracy is alot better with longer rods and alot less fatigue
so wrong longest rod is not good for accuracy,but for distance thats another story |
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| why does anyone think long rods are not good for accuracy? when you cast a million times a year you get pretty good at putting a lure on a spot the size of a dollar bill 75 feet away....maybe the ones that don't think they can make accurate casts with long rods just haven't used them enough and made many casts?
my 2 cents.. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | 100% agree with Mr. B-Rad again... Longer rods make pin pointing cast a breeze. Why would a longer rod take away from casting accuracy? You get to cast easier, and the longer rod will put it out there where you need it. |
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Posts: 1046
| there is no way a long rod can be as accurate as a shorter version. As learned through so many bassmasters. If on a timber loaded river there is noway possible you will be more accurate with a 9`er then if I was throwing a 7`er what I would consider the best rod in tight situations. Seems like common sense to me. I like the long tom`s also, but not for accurate/tight fishing.
Edited by The Handyman 2/1/2008 2:22 PM
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Posts: 8788
| Accuracy comes with practice. I don't think the length of the rod has anything to do with it.
I can be as accurate with a 6' ultraight rod as I am with an 8' muskie rod or a 9'6" surf rod. Completely different setups of course, but when you make thousands of casts with whatever it is, you'll get to the point where you can hit a leaf floating on the water at 50 yards.
I have noticed though that if I'm using a certain muskie rod most of the day and switch to a different one my next few casts are WAY off. Takes a while to get "the feel" back... |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Ok guys,
I'm in the market to buy a new rod to throw reg. Weagles and also the 10" Weagle, along with other top water lures.
I use a 6.9 St Crox and want to get another for topwater... I have three 8' rods and can't seem to get the Weagles popping like I can with the shorter rod. ( smacking the water with the rod tip)
I'm 5'9" tall and fish out of a Skeeter that is pretty close to the water so with the 8' rods I do slap the water every once in a while...So am I to short or is my technech screwed up while trying to throw a Weagle with an 8' rod ??
Sorry about the spelling.
Jerome |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | got a "long" 8' rod two years ago, last year got a 8'6" rod and won't use the 8' anymore ... used andy's 9' last year and have one coming ... now i've got an 8' and an 8'6" that won't get used much. all day, deep 8's, total control and much less stressed after especially a 7 or 8 day stretch of fishing long days everyday. i'm 43 years old and a trip to lotw or eagle is memorable for pain (have severe shoulder injury history) ... it is different and more enjoyable at least for me since i changed equipment. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I wouldn't say that your technique is "screwed up" if you slap the water...It's just how you throw it.
I use my 8'6 as my weagle rod and never come closer than 2 feet away from the water. I guess it's all how you throw it.
As far as the famous Weagle "Swoosh"....it all about the slack line and working it slow and not about the rod. |
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Posts: 32890
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I tried an 8'6" rod for my Weagles, and after trying it for long enough to be sure, went back to my 7' model because I'm simply more comfortable with it.
6'9" custom and 7' standard to 7'6" for me on the gliders/chop baits and side to side stuff, 8' to 8'6" for most everything else. |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Steve,
I like your thinking on this matter, we need to share a boat one of these days.
I have one Weagle that boated 13 fish in 2006, so using that 6'9" rod must be a good thing..... Eh......
Long rods have their place, but the shorter rods also have their place to.
Jerome |
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Posts: 2024
| You can use a longer rod to throw big walk-the-dog baits with. Folks that slap the water tend to come straight down versus slightly to the side. I drop the rod tip off to the right-side of my right ankle, allows me to use slightly longer rods for WTD applications which I think is what Mike was referring to. I also use all wrists since I palm the reel, not sure if that matters a whole lot.
My .02 cents. |
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Posts: 32890
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I also use all wrist and reel, just prefer a shorter rod to do what I do. I don't work a Weagle like most other folks.... And frankly, I will continue to use the rod that I find most comfortable, and recommend everyone else try different rods for different applications to find what works for you. |
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| The original question "Is the any use for a short rod?" I say absolutely yes. We that fish the small streams in West Virginia and Ohio still use "small" rods. We make float trips in 10, 12 or 14 foot flat bottom boats. Usually with only a trolling motor for power. Many of the streams we muskie fish in are less than twenty feet wide. With such small boats space is at a premium. I normally take two rods that are 6 to 7 feet long. Many use rods shorter than that for " throwback baits" rigged with a creature. These streams are not only narrow they are also shallow in many places, so a 6 foot rod is also our depth gauge. Figure 8's are made at shallow depths. We fish a "hole" , a deep section of the stream which may only be 6 feet deep, drift downstream to the next riffle, get out of the boat, float the boat across the riffle, get back into the boat and fish the next "hole". Long rods would be in the way of getting in and out of the boats and would stand a very good chance of getting broken. |
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Posts: 2024
| I guess I should have clarified and said that my WTD rod is 7'6" which I suppose by some is considered "short."
To each their own. Do what's comfortable. |
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Posts: 357
Location: Long Prairie, Minnesota | Personally, I prefer to use a 6'6" or 6'9" rod when throwing my jerkbaits. Why? Because it is what I am comfortable with and like. Just feel like I can get the bait to perform better and have better control. Never have had a problem with hooksets or fighting. However, I do notice a difference when I goto my 8 footer as I try to cast as "hard" as I do with a shorter rod. Have to remind myself to cast "lighter", so I agree with Mike on that point. |
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Posts: 315
| it appears that no one is in my situation. as of right now i have 2 set-ups and looking for a 3rd before the season opens. the first set-up i bought was a few years ago and it was a 7' st croix with an ambassador 6500. thats all i could afford the last one i bought was a 7'6" compre with another ambassador. my situation is the money issue. i dont have a lot to be splurging 
i use what i have and can afford at the moment. my 7' er works great for glide baits and topwaters and the 7'6 is great for everything else in my eyes. if i had the $$$ to buy these really nice 8' rods i probably would but since i cant i use what i got and i still catch fish on them year after year 
-b-
(but if anyone has an extra 2piece 8' or 8'6 layin around ill take it ) |
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| if i had the $$$ to buy these really nice 8' rods i probably would
Okuma has a very nice 8'6" telescopic rod in H and XH pwr that's quite affordable.
http://www.okumafishingteam.com/rods/conventional/evxspecialty.html
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Posts: 291
Location: Minneapolis | I'll sometimes switch to a shorter rod when I'm fishing solo. This probably depends on how tall you are and your boat, but it's a lot harder for me to net a big fish by myself when I'm using 8' and longer rods. The longer rod makes a longer line pendulum that the fish can use to dance just outside of netting distance. |
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