Fishing Longer Rods 2025
mnbassman23 reply :
Hey everyone,
Just curious how many of you enjoy fishing longer rods. I for one am in that category. I've found that over the years my rods have gotten longer and longer for most applications. Not saying that it's a greater advantage in all circumstances, just personal preference is all. I have 2 rods 7ft and under and to me they almost seem short, were as 6 years ago I never use to fish a rod over 7ft. Now most of my rods are between 7'3"-7'10".
What got me thinking about this is I have 2 rods laying around and one of them needs to go. This is going to be mostly a pitching jig rod and a deep football jig rod. Both are heavy action and one is 7'1" and the other is 7'9". I know the 7'1" will be a great fit for these applications, but i'm really considering keeping the longer one.
Anyone else a long rod junkie??
BrettD reply :
Yep most of my rods are over 7' except one and its about to be replaced. I like the extra leverage Im also 6'1 so a 7' topwater rod even works for me.
TrapperJ reply :
man i use to only fish 6' rods and had one 6'6" when i got back into fishing and got a hold of my first 7' rod after watching shows and tournaments on TV and seeing this is the new norm, i havn't looked back. I have one old 6' rod left im holding on to as a backup/buddy rod man does it look dinky next to those 7' and 7'6" rods. Nothing under 7' for me anymore.
thehooligan reply :
I prefer shorter rods. I like 6'3-6'6 for topwater and jerkbaits. And 6'8-6'10 for everything else. I do my share of bank fishing with small cutouts in the brush, its hard to get a 7ft+ rod in there sometimes...
DINK WHISPERER reply :
Great point mnbassman23, i use to have to get use to a 6'6" due to it being so "long", lol. Now, my 8' flippin stick seems just right. I have 2 rods 7' but none under that! They feel so short and whimpy....
Quitlimpin reply :
I've gone in the opposite direction. I am much more comfortable with a 6'3"-6'9" rod. I only have one 7'+ rod left in my regular rotation. Plus, the shorter rods are more easily managed when I'm in my tube.
Teal reply :
Why not keep both?
I mean, you dont have to put a reel on the extra rod. Just keep it around and use it seasonally when needed. Theres a time when i like more of a certain rod/lure on the boat if nothin else just for a different color or sizr of a color bait.
If you dont need the money terribly bad, why not just keep it, ?
And yes, i used to think a 7footer was long. Now i love a 7'6-8'
J Francho reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 4:57 AM, Teal said:Why not keep both?
Yep. Longer rods are great for some things, but sometimes the better leverage provided by a shorter rod trumps that. One technique I've really taken to a shorter rod, a 6' 8" MH/F, is wrestling bass from tight cover, like docks and laydowns, on a "short leash." The shorter rod makes accurate pitches to short range targets much more efficient. This has all but eliminated flipping from my fishing.
Darren. reply :
Not this fisherman. Longest rod I have is 6'6". Favorite to fish is my 5'9" M/XF Compre + Stradic.
Well, actually, the longest rod I have is a 20' long pole, but that's different, LOL.
Short poles are so much easier to transport, for one (for those of us who don't transport rods in a boat). Plus, in my kayak fishing style, I do a lot of fishing in tight spots in which longer rods are just a pain.
.ghoti. reply :
I gradually increased the length of my rods until I hit the point at which enough was enough. That happened at a bit over seven feet. At the beginning of last season I had three 7'6" rods.
A Ducket swimbait rod got sold.
A Dobyns Champion got trimmed down to about 7'2".
A Setyr med-mod crankbait rod got retired, and will probably be offered up for sale sometime. Haven't quite been able to convince myself on that one.
I take a 6'6" and a 6'8" out on the yak.
Teal reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 6:11 AM, .ghoti. said:I gradually increased the length of my rods until I hit the point at which enough was enough. That happened at a bit over seven feet. At the beginning of last season I had three 7'6" rods.
A Ducket swimbait rod got sold.
A Dobyns Champion got trimmed down to about 7'2".
A Setyr med-mod crankbait rod got retired, and will probably be offered up for sale sometime. Haven't quite been able to convince myself on that one.
I take a 6'6" and a 6'8" out on the yak.
Same thing happened to me. I now have 6 rods 7'6 or taller. But i still use my shorter rods too.
jhoffman reply :
I prefer the shorties
The Rooster reply :
Every rod I use is 6'6" regardless of technique or cover being fished. I just change power and action according to what I'm doing but the length is purely based on comfort, ease of cast ability, distance of cast, and accuracy of cast. 6'6" provides a good balance of all that for me.
loodkop reply :
I have rods from 5.6 up to 7.6 and fish them all.
I like shorter rods for walking baits and jerkbaits and currently need to decide between a 7.6 and 7.11 for a deep cranking rod.
It is all just tools and while one size might be able to handle anything, why compromise if you dont need to?
SirSnookalot reply :
QuoteQuoteYep. Longer rods are great for some things, but sometimes the better leverage provided by a shorter rod trumps that.
A shorter rod does yield better leverage, but IMO leverage and backbone are different issues and I believe given identical rod stats the longer rod has has more backbone. A very common ploy when using a longer rod to aid in leverage is moving your hand up on the foregrip or shaft itself, can be a big help in pulling fish out of cover or in my case pulling them away from pilings or offshore when they go under the boat.
War Eagle 44 reply :
My shortest rods are 6'6" and the longest 7'11". I've found, like others have already pointed out, both have their place. I only use the 6'6" rods for pitching in tight quarters, because as has already been said it is more accurate. I like a 7' crankbait rod if I'm casting around cover or to the bank but when I'm in open water I prefer a 7'7" just for the added distance and hookset power. I also prefer my flipping sticks to be long, usually 7'10" but I do have one 7'6" but thats the shortest I'll go with those rods. My frog rod is 7'3" which is a great length for this technique IMO. Overall I have more 7' and up rods but I do still break out the shorter rods.
Oh one of my favorite spinning rods is 6'8", it works great for skipping baits under cover.
J Francho reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 3:45 PM, SirSnookalot said:A shorter rod does yield better leverage, but IMO leverage and backbone are different issues and I believe given identical rod stats the longer rod has has more backbone. A very common ploy when using a longer rod to aid in leverage is moving your hand up on the foregrip or shaft itself, can be a big help in pulling fish out of cover or in my case pulling them away from pilings or offshore when they go under the boat.
So is that why tuna rods are like 6' long? No backbone? Backbone is a function of blank construction, not length.
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
My jig rod is 6'8", all other "regular" bass rods are 7'
Swimbait rods are 8' (3 of them) and 8'6" (only one).
mnbassman23 reply :
Thanks for all the replies. I was not trying to say short rods are obsolete or do not have their place. I use them too for topwater, skipping docks, very tight pitching etc. I was just saying in general most of my rods have gotten longer. I also grew up casting for Muskies long before I ever grabbed a Bass rod so longer rods seemed natural for me from the get go. A 7'6"-8" bass rod is light to me lol were a lot of people complain about most being unbalanced or heavy it just doesn't effect me. Casting for muskies 10 hours a day with 10" lures and heavy long rods will make you appreciate any bass rod.
Thanks again for all the replies, it's great to see everyones preferences and reasonings for using the length of rods they choose.
BrettD reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 10:08 PM, J Francho said:So is that why tuna rods are like 6' long? No backbone? Backbone is a function of blank construction, not length.
I know alot of stand up off shore fishing rods are short because they are used in boats with t-tops or cuddy cabins. When we fished offshore I couldnt count how many times I hit the t-top even with a 5-6 rod. Also trying to get a long rod in out of the cabin is next to impossible.
J Francho reply :
Yep, my point was mainly that length does not determine backbone, blank design and construction does. My 6'8" MH jig rod has TONS more backbone than my 13' centerpin trout rod.
BrettD reply :
Your comparing to totally different rods. If you compare the same rod in a 6-6 MH -fast rod and a 7-6 MH- fast rod the 7-6 rod will usually have more back bone because the rod taper is different they start off close to the same near the tip so they have similar action. But because the rod is extended a foot the between the tip and the reel seat it gives an extra foot of blank with a stiffer taper.
shootermcbob reply :
I prefer a mix...depending on what type of presentations I will be fishing with. fishing from the bank, I like my 7' and longer rods for casting distance, but over the past summer really, really found myself using a cumara 6'9" reaction MH and a 6'8" mh crucial spinning more than just about anything. both very versatile and 'middle of the road' for me in the "length" debate.
Capt.Bob reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 3:45 PM, SirSnookalot said:A shorter rod does yield better leverage, but IMO leverage and backbone are different issues and I believe given identical rod stats the longer rod has has more backbone. A very common ploy when using a longer rod to aid in leverage is moving your hand up on the foregrip or shaft itself, can be a big help in pulling fish out of cover or in my case pulling them away from pilings or offshore when they go under the boat.
Salt water must do something to them, I never noticed that with mine. I have heard salt water makes other rods kinda limp, that didn't used to be, sounds like it has something to do with the Ocean???? Good Point Snook but we don't have that problem in freshwater, once a stiff rod with backbone always that way. 
J Francho reply :
On 3/9/2013 at 12:54 AM, BrettD said:Your comparing to totally different rods. If you compare the same rod in a 6-6 MH -fast rod and a 7-6 MH- fast rod the 7-6 rod will usually have more back bone because the rod taper is different they start off close to the same near the tip so they have similar action. But because the rod is extended a foot the between the tip and the reel seat it gives an extra foot of blank with a stiffer taper.
You are assuming both rods use the same taper. That just isn't so. Rods come in many different tapers. Put my 6'8" MH XF rod next to my 7'4" MH XF rod. There is actually more flex in the top 1/3 of the longer rod, under fish fighting load. It doesn't have to be that way, pick two different rods, and what you state might be true.
The point: length does not determine backbone. Blank wall thickness, taper/action, especially as it applies to secondary bend under fish load, have more bearing on backbone or power.
Maico1 reply :
On 3/9/2013 at 12:41 AM, J Francho said:Yep, my point was mainly that length does not determine backbone, blank design and construction does. My 6'8" MH jig rod has TONS more backbone than my 13' centerpin trout rod.
I couldn't agree more.......same with my 5'10" Topwater Rod and 6'3" CrankBait Rod I use for ripping lipless cranks through the grass. Tons of backbone over my longer rods ,it is all about how the rod is put together.
BrettD reply :
That why I said usually Im must going by two rods I have the are the same exact rods one is 7-7 mh fast and the other is 6-9 mh fast and the 7-7 rod has more backbone. This could be just this an isolated incident but they are the only two rods I have that are the same except lenght.
J Francho reply :
On 3/9/2013 at 1:16 AM, BrettD said:That why I said usually Im must going by two rods I have the are the same exact rods one is 7-7 mh fast and the other is 6-9 mh fast and the 7-7 rod has more backbone. This could be just this an isolated incident but they are the only two rods I have that are the same except lenght.
That's exactly right - isolated example, two specific rods. The point made above was a generalization that longer rods have more backbone. Way off, flat wrong. What longer rods? What power, what action, brand, model? See what I mean?
BrettD reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 3:45 PM, SirSnookalot said:A shorter rod does yield better leverage, but IMO leverage and backbone are different issues and I believe given identical rod stats the longer rod has has more backbone. A very common ploy when using a longer rod to aid in leverage is moving your hand up on the foregrip or shaft itself, can be a big help in pulling fish out of cover or in my case pulling them away from pilings or offshore when they go under the boat.
The part in bold is what I agree with atleast in my experience. Maybe we are both flat wrong.
J Francho reply :
They aren't identical. They are different lengths, lol. The statement makes NO sense.
ColdSVT reply :
On 3/8/2013 at 8:28 AM, The Rooster said:Every rod I use is 6'6" regardless of technique or cover being fished. I just change power and action according to what I'm doing but the length is purely based on comfort, ease of cast ability, distance of cast, and accuracy of cast. 6'6" provides a good balance of all that for me.
this is my reasoning for all of my rods being 7ft. 7 footers are just what i like
i do have one 6'8 however. my 6.8 MHF is for close quarter combat cover fishing!. works great around docks and blow downs. there is a jig tied or creature tied on that rod 99% of the time
The Rooster reply :
On 3/9/2013 at 1:28 AM, J Francho said:They aren't identical. They are different lengths, lol. The statement makes NO sense.
He didn't say they were identical, he said they had identical stats, meaning the same power and action ratings, but he was talking about two different length rods rated the same otherwise. That's what I got from it. It's like, say two rods rated as MH/F, but one being longer than the other, then the longer one usually has the most backbone. I've observed this myself, but it also has been with two rods from the same manufacturer as well when I've seen it. For a long time when my rod shopping was limited to just a few places, this was almost always the case. Now that I get around a bit more and can travel to BPS and Cabela's and other big name places for rods, I've also seen it go the other way as well, where the shorter rod had more backbone than the same exact rated rod in a longer length.
J Francho reply :
That logic would only work if both rods where of a constant diameter, the whole length. Then yes, the 7' would have more tensile strength. Fishing rods are not built that way. There is very little "equal" about two rods that are different lengths. Are you assuming that the shorter rod was cut out of the longer rod? OK, what part? The top or the butt end? Since the taper is progressive, then the answer of which has more backbone isn't so simple. Even if the taper was constant, then if it's the tip you remove to make a smaller rod, then the action will be slower, and power will increase. Take it off the butt end, then the opposite.
There are too many factors, and the tapers are always going to be different. The notion of "sticking to two exact rods" is nonsense, anyway. My 7' M crankbait rod has less backbone than my 6'2" M jerkbait rod. And they're both Avids! There's just way too many tapers, and powers to make that generalization, and I'm not even sure how it would help someone? Someone help me out with that. How is any of this an argument for a longer rod?
The long and short of it is, rear handles have grown, by quite a bit. The "business end" of the blank isn't really much bigger than when everyone fished a 6' rod. Today's typical 7' rod is much the same length from the reel seat forward as the 6'6" rod from a few years ago.
.ghoti. reply :
On 3/9/2013 at 4:11 AM, J Francho said:
The long and short of it is, rear handles have grown, by quite a bit. The "business end" of the blank isn't really much bigger than when everyone fished a 6' rod. Today's typical 7' rod is much the same length from the reel seat forward as the 6'6" rod from a few years ago.
And there, in a nutshell is my problem with longer rods. I put my Dobyns 7'6" Champion up against one of my Setyr rods, a 6'6" model, and from the reel seat forward the Dobyns is a little less than 6" longer. The rest of the difference was in the handle. A handle of such length that it was, well, unhandy.
flippin and pitchin reply :
Personal preference. Fish what's most comfortable for you.
BenB54 reply :
Most of my rods are in the 7'+ range. The only two that I have that are shorter are a 6'6" m-mf for traps and a 6'9" mh-f that I use to flip and pitch docks and tight cover.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 3/9/2013 at 12:37 AM, BrettD said:I know alot of stand up off shore fishing rods are short because they are used in boats with t-tops or cuddy cabins. When we fished offshore I couldnt count how many times I hit the t-top even with a 5-6 rod. Also trying to get a long rod in out of the cabin is next to impossible.
I couldn't agree more, I mostly fish off a Polar 21 and a 28' Sailfish, casting is very difficult as the bimini top is always in the way. I sit on the very tip of the bow when I cast and my rods are all 7'. I have fished in some longer center console boats with more walk around room and it's a lot easier.
Hooligan reply :
They're tools, period. All have their place and time. I use 7-11 and 8-0 crank rods because of the increased casting distance. I use 6-3 and 6-5 rods for top water and jerkbaits because of their control. I have rods that range from 6-0 all the way to 8-0 for a variety of tactics. I have no preference for length other than in those situations where accuracy is needed or distance is needed. Those times are t so much preference but dictated more by the situation.
Also, in response to Snooks advice on moving your hand to the blank on long rod to add backbone- be careful with that one. Doing so can increase the strain on the rod in places it isn't meant to carry that load leading to catastrophic failure. I've seen it and done it, it wouldn't be my recommendation. Then again, to each his own. There are those who say an ugly stick is the best rod made, and those who say they'll fish with nothing less than an NRX...
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