Rod Length Controversy

[Meatco1]

It's not the length of the rod that matters, it's how you wave it that counts!!!

Respects,

Richard

[dpreller]

yeah i used to like shorter rods the way they feel etc then i was convinced by a friend of mine and flyshop owner to use some longer rods on our tailwater trout for easier mending and dealing with difficult currents. now im definitly sold on them for those situations. still like a short rod on small streams and such but for tricky currents nymphing mending etc a longer rod does a great job. i own four nine footers now in four through 7 wt and only one 7 1/2 4wt one 8ft four wt and a 81/2 3wt.

[fredaevans]

Originally Posted by rubberguy

as long as it's a "2 hander"....

'Tain't necessarily so. One of the 'biggest mistakes' I see new folks make is 'over rodding' for the fishing they intend to do. For 'pure fishing' most folks should stick with a 12'6" to perhaps a 14 foot rod.

Are there times when shorter, or longer, are appropriate? Indeed there are, just like when a 10wt rod (salmon fishing) would be in order.

[glcaddis]

My personal favorites are in the 8 to 8'6" range. I have a 7'7" that I love for small stream, tiny flies, and small trout. I have a 9' rod that I use when fishing from a drift boat with dries and nymphs. I have another 9'6" rod that I use for streamers. But, if you told I could have only one rod, it would an 8'4" 5 wt.

[FrankB2]

There's nothing that feels more comfortable in my hand all than an 8'6" rod. I do own 9 foot rods, but they were bought for power (Sage Z-Axis being one).
I've never cast a Z-Axis less than 9 feet, but one of the guys at Leland Outfitters told me the 8'6" 5wt Z-Axis was a fantastic casting rod. I do more fishing than casting, but he seemed to really like the shorter length.

[wt bash]

These threads are getting as tired as a fat cop chasing a crackhead! I don't care who said what to who about how long the optimum rod should be, I fish with what I want and that happens to be shorter rods.

[wt bash]

Ooops whoops oh well

[Diver Dan]

Originally Posted by wt bash

Ooops whoops oh well

Is that a new country western song?

Originally Posted by wt bash

how long the optimum rod should be.

20 feet.

Originally Posted by fredaevans

One of the 'biggest mistakes' I see new folks make is 'over rodding' for the fishing they intend to do.

Hey I'm no beginner and I can over rod if I wanna..... by a lot!

[petee]

What controversy :-)? You're going to use whatever length rod works for a given situation. I'm not going to use a 9' 1wt. on a 3' wide brushy creek just because its a 1 wt. Just like I wouldn't use my 6'6" 2wt Bamboo in the ocean.

Granted a longer rod works great for mending and bigger waters, but a guy still needs to learn to cast whatever rod is in their hand for that particular situation. Just like golf clubs. You aren't going to use you driver for every shot just because its the biggest club in your bag ;-)

[Diver Dan]

Originally Posted by petee

What controversy? You're going to use whatever rod works for a given situation. .

Oh now you've done it. I find that controversial and take a fence. Maybe chainlink. Not sure yet.