What Do You Prefer In Rod Length? 2024
GoTakeANap reply :
What do you guys prefer in rod lengths? Ive been stuck between 6'6 and 7'. Bought a 7' two weeks ago and im not sure if I like it. What does the length do for you in a rod?
new2BC4bass reply :
Besides longer casts? Picking up more line?
I've come to prefer 7' or longer rods. About half my rods are 6'6" with a couple 6'9" and 6'10" rods thrown into the mix.
swarrin4 reply :
I prefer longer rods. I also use soft plastics and crank baits a good bit. For cranks it helps with casting distance. With the carolina rig longer rods will help move more line during hook set in turn getting better hook sets. I also like using mh-h rods that are long near heavy cover to pull the fish out easier using braided line. Shorter rods have advantages to, like casting in smaller areas. I am sure there are probably a lot of things I am missing but these are what I know and am comfortable giving advice on.
SirSnookalot reply :
Time and a place for most lengths for me. First of all I see no real difference in distance between my 7-8' rods, a 10-12' rod will cast into another county but that isn't for fishing that most people do here. It can be windy here in Florida, when the wind really blows I back down the length to 7', the rods are much easier for me to handle.
For my pond use a 6'6 rod works well, canals it's med 7 footer, that said the thickness of the cover is coming into play too.
Bankbeater reply :
roadwarrior reply :
Mostly 7" or longer. Longer rods increase casting distance.
An exception is my jerkbait/ topwater rod. 6'6" is easier for
"working" these lures.
guest reply :
7' is the sweet spot for me. I like being able to pick up a lot of line on my hooksets, but comfort also comes into play.
I use] longer rods for heavy cover techniques, but they are tip heavy. A good 7' rod will be very close to neutral balance.
ww2farmer reply :
Depends on what i am doing. Most of my rods are 7', but I like longer rods for flipping(7'11") and deep cranking (7'10"), and shorter rods (6'6")... for topwaters (except frogs), jerkbaits, and skipping docks.
OkobojiEagle reply :
6.5' - 7'
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Darren. reply :
5'9" primarily, 6', 6'3", 6'6" in that order.
For me, I prefer the casting control of shorter rods as opposed to longer casts. I may be in the minority, but I've always preferred shorter rods. And I love them for kayaking, i.e., easier casting and rod control in tight areas.
Would I use a longer rod? Maybe. But just prefer shorter rods.
BassWhole! reply :
Depends on what I'm doing, what does "I'm not sure I like it" mean???
M-D reply :
6'-6" and 7' is my preferred length. If I am short casting a spinnerbait at brush, willows and such I like a 6' as it much easier to make pinpoint casts.
Diggy reply :
7ft and longer although I may need a 6'6 just in case I go somewhere brush filled
LgMouthGambler reply :
Its all about personal preference. I am more comfortable with a 6'6/6'8 rod. I dont need to cast more than say 30 yds, so for me the accuracy is more important. Its funny that the 2-4 inches makes soo much difference in my accuracy.
Capt.Bob reply :
Talk about loaded questions?? I will start by saying if one rod length is all you need or like I need fishing lessons or you are really missing something.
I use 5' to 6' for ultra lights for gills and crappie with preference to the 5'. for large and small mouth and walleye in shallow water, reefs, and sunken Islands I would be lost without my Legend Elite 6'3 medium, or 6' IMX light. For open water and deep water bass walleye Cats and bigger fish 6'6" to 7' in various weights and actions depending on plastic jig crank or whatever lure I am using, I don't use my medium 7' fast action for cranks, and I don't use my 7' medium moderate action for plastics or finesse, I love my 6'10" MHF action in cramped areas or my 7'6 HF action in more open areas for flippin pitchin jigs and plastics in heavy weeds nad brush or timber. For Pike and Muskie 6'10 to" 8'6" in even heavier and faster actions. I need all these rods reels and line weights and lures depending on what where and how I'm fishing, and Jeannine knows it!
For sure if you are doing a lot of shore fishing where casting areas can be limited, shorten up, 6' most times and 6'6" can be hard to use in some spots. And as I said the shorter rods work fine as you are likely fishing shallower water and need to make shorter more accurate cast. To cover it all just keep buyin em and building your arsenal!!
bobbyK reply :
I agree with with Capt. Bob (a higher ranked Bob than me!). I have a bunch of lengths that I use for different situations. Front or back of someone's boat, I prefer 7' rods. For shore work, I use mostly 6' rods due to the overhanging trees and such limiting my casts and sets.
For my kayak - my preferred fishing outing - I prefer mostly 6' rods just cause they are easier to handle sitting so close to the water. I do take 7' rods on the kayak but those are used almost exclusively for casting moving baits like cranks, spinnerbaits, and chatter and swim jigs. For slow baits, plastics, jigs, C-rig, etc, I like precision casting with shorter rods.
Bobby K
smalljaw67 reply :
Capt Bob's approach is similar to the way I fish. I like rods from 6.3" to 7' for most of my fishing, I upgraded a 7' flipping stick to a 7'2" and then a 7'6" telescopic but I only use if for really heavy cover with big jigs and plastics. For my crankbaits I use a 7'MH for my deeper stuff as well as open water but for square bills and shallow cranks I like my 6'3" M-MF Elite tech casting rod, it is great fishing river smallies out of the jon boat. Jerkbaits and topwater get fished with the 6'3" M-MF or the 6'10"MH-MF, it all depends on the size of the bait and where I'm fishing. While I do have 7' rods I much prefer the 6'6" -6'10" range, heck, I even pitch with a 6'6" rod that I have and use just for the technique but I've been using it so long I can put a 3/8oz or 1/2oz jig in a coffee can from 30 feet out 8 out of 10 times on average and when I tried with the 7 foot rod forget it.
out_doors_guy reply :
It really depends on personal preference, really. For spinning rods I like 6' rods for skipping baits and 6'6" for casting. Baitcasting: for shallow water casting to targets, working jerkbaits and top water a 6'6", fishing deep weedlines, pitching shallow cover, carolina rigs shallow to medium crank baits a 7'. For flipping and deep cranks, 7'6". It all boils down to what you are comfortable with. Fish with what feels right to you and not someone else.
BassinNY reply :
7' for me. I fish from the banks 95% of the time and never had an issue.
bugman reply :
6' with a x-fast tip for short pin point casts.
7' fast tip for open water
7'+ for flip/pitch, c-rig or frog
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
It's 7' or longer for everything for me. I use all the way up to 9' for some bigger baits.
NGaHB
James Yalem reply :
5' 6" I'm old fashioned and sit to fish.
GoTakeANap reply :
On 6/19/2012 at 10:29 PM, reason said:Depends on what I'm doing, what does "I'm not sure I like it" mean???
not sure if i like it. just dont know. guess its gonna take some time to get use to. ive always fished with a 6ft rod. nothing bigger. gotta watch where my wife is in the boat at all times. dont wanna take her head off.
Bair reply :
7' to 8'6" but all of them in a M or MH action. I like longer fishing rods because my hook up ratio and landing ratio goes way up especially for crankbaits, a knock on the wood but I have never lost a fish off of treble hooks using my 8'6" cranking rod.
BassinMD reply :
I'm 6'4" so for me a longer rod is more comfortable I have some 6'6 rods but most of mine are 7'- 8' I like the power and slack pull they offer
0119 reply :
6' and 6'6". Longer rods are useless in the backwaters I fish. Ive got a two 7'2" Cumara's I will never use. Cant stand long rods, everybody thinks there is more length but its all in the rear grip. Place a 6'6" and a 7' next to each other and theres only a 1" difference between the rod tip and reel seat.
Siebert Outdoors reply :
Every bass rod I use is 7'-7'7" I do not use anything shorter. I even use a 7' rod for jerkbaits.
BassThumb reply :
Short rods and long rods both have pros and cons, but with experience, you'll end up with more pros than cons with a long rod. My opinion is that a person will never be able to cast as far with a short rod, but they're more accurate. With a long rod and some practice, you'll be able to cast just as accurately as you would with a short rod, and you'll have that extra distance and the ability to pick up more line on hooksets. I like the 7'-7'4" range personally. I see no advantage of rods under 7' for bass fishing, even for skipping.
tstone reply :
My shortest rod is 6'10", my longest is 7'11".
jj'sbassinforfun reply :
Mostly 7'ers. One 6'9" spinnerbait and a 7'4" swimbait.
DrNip reply :
I use to only use 6' 6" but after doing some heavy crappie fishing this year with 9'+ rods I've begun to hate my 6' 6" bass rods. Will be getting at least a 7' bass rod next time. Probably more along the lines of 7' 4".
Dave P reply :
Shortest is 5'6" and the longest is 7'6". The remainder are split 50/50 6'6" and 7'. The 5'6" is used to pitch spinnerbaits in the spring. I can get into places with it that nobody else can go.
One-eye fisherman reply :
Preference and what/where your fishing. Most my fishing is from shore either smaller pan fish up to trout or catfish. If it's smaller ponds or technical areas as well as smaller fish i use 6'6". If its a big pond or in a boat where i need to do deep casts, while going for bigger trout or catfish then it's 7'. I do flyrod and thats a bigger pole for a different purpose, then there's surf fishing where i bring out big betty my 11', but thats a total different fishing.
My suggestion, buy either a pole with 2 tips so you can switch out length. Otherwise 2 poles, one in each size. We are fisherman and love gear.
shootermcbob reply :
6'8" to 7'10". favorite length and most used is the 7'2" / 7'3" length. Like most, i use the 6'8" for topwater/jerkbait usage.
Yumeya reply :
My most used spinning rods are 7'6" and my longestand most used baitcasters are 7' to 7'1"
A-Jay reply :
A-Jay
The Bassman reply :
On 11/20/2019 at 1:42 PM, One-eye fisherman said:Preference and what/where your fishing. Most my fishing is from shore either smaller pan fish up to trout or catfish. If it's smaller ponds or technical areas as well as smaller fish i use 6'6". If its a big pond or in a boat where i need to do deep casts, while going for bigger trout or catfish then it's 7'. I do flyrod and thats a bigger pole for a different purpose, then there's surf fishing where i bring out big betty my 11', but thats a total different fishing.
My suggestion, buy either a pole with 2 tips so you can switch out length. Otherwise 2 poles, one in each size. We are fisherman and love gear.
Welcome. We joke about new guys digging up old threads but it shows you're doing a lot of research. There's stuff buried in here that I never see. Might be a nugget that I missed. Thanks.
r83srock reply :
6’6” has been my most purchased rod. I went back and forth with 7’ rods for a long time. They used to seem huge, and heavy! When split grips came out, again, it seemed even worse, tip heaviness at least. I think rods have gotten lighter and better balanced in recent years. 7’ish rods seem pretty normal for me now. I do have a 7’4” heavy frog rod that I like too, but I wouldn’t want that length in every rod. It barely fits on the front deck of my little ranger. It’s a tool I’m glad I have though. So, my preference now is 7’, 7’1” same difference for me. I still use 6’6” for a lot of top water, close quarter casts, etc.
onenutinthewater reply :
shortest is 7'6" and just had an 11'6" custom made that I am dying to try out!
Columbia Craw reply :
The longest rod that I can most effectively apply to the technique i'm fishing.
Hammer 4 reply :
I will use a 6'10", but prefer 7' to 8'. 7" is the shortest rod I currently have.
MN Fisher reply :
6'6" or 7' are my preferred lengths. I have one 6' now, but it's being replaced this winter with a 7'.
bunz559 reply :
All my rods, with the exception of a jerkbait rod and smaller squarebill rod, are over 7'2. Most of my rods fall in between the 7'3 to 7'5 range with a few in the 7'11 and 8ft. This is most likely dependent on the bodies of waters I fish most and some the type of bait I'm throwing. Out here in California deep reservoirs, we're fishing deep with little cover and no docks. The extra length helps with longer casts and sweeping hook sets. If I had to choose 1 rod, it would have to be in the 7'3 to 7'4 range.
WRB reply :
On 11/21/2019 at 6:23 AM, A-Jay said:
A-Jay
^^^^2012^^^
.
new2BC4bass reply :
My tastes haven't changed, but the ratio is no longer about 50/50 for 6'6" vs longer than that. I had just gotten back into fishing a little over 2 years before the original post. I have added many rods since then. My rods over 6'6" now constitute about 92% of the total.
It is kind of funny to see such older posts brought to the top again, but it doesn't bother me. Often some good reading, and new information sometimes gets added. 
redmeansdistortion reply :
For bass I like to use a 6' to 7'6". For the chrome bullets I run an 8'6" to 11' depending on technique.
AstroFishingTV reply :
7 foot 2 inches MH, Its not too long and not too short. You can throw just about whatever you want on it. If you are like me and can't afford every length and power of a rod and paying for school, you just meet your needs in the middle ????
Munkin reply :
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