Rod length

[J.A. Veil]

I am curious to hear what lengths of rods are used by other Snaggedline members for trolling, casting, jigging, etc. My entire fleet of rods are between 6'0 and 6'6". I have owned a few 7'0" rods (all were eventually sold) and once used a 7'6" rod provided by a guide. Even though I am tall, I don't like having such long rods when on the kayak.

Feel free to offer your thoughts on what lengths of rods you use and why you choose them.

[EMSer]

The majority of my rods are 7', although, I do have 1 or 2 at 6'6".
- Being in a longer boat (15'6"), I appreciate the ability to pass the line around the bow when fighting a fish.
- Being tall myself, I haven't had any issue with being able to reach the tip when needed.
- I appreciate the length when casting
- A longer rod would not fit easily inside my car

I will confess that I started with a 7' rod and have little experience using a 6'er. That being said, 7' feels like the Goldilocks length for my needs.

[supfisher01]

Good topic, I'd like to hear as well.

I only troll two rods efficiently so that's all I ever have with me. My situation is a bit different than most of you guys due to me standing on my vessel rather than sitting. I will always have my 6ft light and a 7ft medium. The reason for that is cast distance and for the fun. The medium rod, being stiffer and longer, I can throw a lot more momentum into, and can cast a lot further with the same weight or lure and I usually troll the same lures just different colors. When I see that I'm approaching a baitball in the distance and don't want to disturb it, I'll only have to paddle that much less and waste less time trying to hook up to a fish. I'd have to say that atleast a quarter of the fish I've caught this year was because of that exact scenario. The reason for the 6ft light obviously is for the enjoyment of the fight. Who doesn't love throwing a 25 inch fish on deck after wrestling with it for 5 minutes with your rod tip bent into the water and your drag screaming the entire time.

[Mark]

For kayaking my idea rod is 6.5 feet. That's for spinning and/or bait casting rods that I use while casting and trolling. They're long enough to maneuver a fish across my bow if necessary and short enough that I can cast them with pinpoint accuracy in tight quarters. Also, they give me enough leverage to cast for acceptable distance when I prefer.

I like fly rods to be 9 feet, although I often use an 8 foot 4 weight. But to toss heavier flies with a 7 to 9 weight, I like a 9 footer. I never stand in a kayak. I'm therefore always low to the water when casting. The longer rod helps me to keep my backcast from slapping the water behind me, especially on windy days.

[daolai]

I have 7' rods in my arsenal but have recently settled down to the 6'6" medium rods with most of them being either the Ugly Stik elite or regular rods. They have handled blues over 30" to all the bay fishing we do locally without any problems. During the late fall I will bring a heavier 7' rod. I primarily troll in waters 5ft to 30ft.

[harlanbud]

My spinning rods range from 5-1/2--7 foot. Used to like the spread on the 7 foot rod, but the tip is easier to reach on the 6 1/2 foot I'm constantly going back-and-forth… And recently I've been having an absolute ball on the 5 1/2 footers.[emoji41] my flyrod range from 6 foot 7 to 9 foot -i've had success and trouble with each length!!.....


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[rugbyfish]

The medium rods I use for rock are 7', and the light rods are 5.5' and 6'. I went with 7' rods because I also do a lot of shore fishing, so I like the increased casting distance. Trying to untangle your line when its wrapped around the tip on a 7' rod can be a little tricky in a kayak, but it hasn't been a big issue so far.

[silasvirus82]

Growing up in the early 90s I mostly fished for largemouth using 6'6 rods, and still use a few of them on occasion. The majority of my newer rods are all 7' or longer and having used both now for some time I can for sure admit I prefer the longer rods. For me they are just better tools for the job. I know I can cast further which really isn't a big deal from a kayak, but I also think they provide more input on what is happening under the water which is a big deal when jigging. Part of that could be that I'm buying higher grade stuff too. Considering working from a kayak I think they both have their advantages/disadvantages, but I would give the shorter equipment an advantage overall. Longer rods are easier to maneuver fish around the boat, but can be a little bit harder to untangle or work around tight areas. For trolling I think you are better off with shorter equipment, and casting shorter distances they provide a little more control. All that being said I still prefer the feel of longer rods and do not plan to buy anything less than 7' unless it's ultralight tackle.

[bignose]

As I transitioned from being a "fly fisherman" I preferred longer rods, to the point of wrapping my own spinning rods from fly blanks.
I had a bunch of 8-9 foot rods.
I have gradually gone to much shorter rods, easier on the arthritic joints to cast, and since I am in a canoe, I don't need the extra range a longer rod might give me.
Even with a long rod, I can't reach around the bow of the canoe, so length for that reason isn't relevant.

I have settled on a 5'6" light / ultra light for my perch jerking, and a 6' rod for most of my other fishing.

[Nikon]

Great topic. Learning lots here....

My go to rod this past summer was a cheap BPS 6'6" medium power baitcaster with a Abu Garcia Silver Max reel. The rod has a softer tip and is more medium action than the advertised fast. It casts long and accurate and I've caught most of my LMB and smallies with it. All of my other rods are spinner/baitcaster rods in the 7' - 7'1" range and I do have one light tackle 6' spinning rod for senkos, drop shots, etc. I'm new to kayak fishing but my shore fishing experience has me using all of them at different locations and different times of the year. On the kayak though I seem to gravitate toward the 6'6" rod for ease of use and accuracy. I haven't yet started trolling but plan to use a 7' spinning setup to start with.

[bunnielab]

I also tend to go for shorter rods, with my longest active spinning rod being 6'3". My shortest is a 5'6" UL/M I bought on a whim. It is a blast to catch perch on but I wish I had gotten a Fast action one so I could cast lighter lures. I perfer shorter rods due to ease of transport in my smallish-car, and ease of carry when hiking.

As I have been getting into casting setups, I have gotten some longer rods, two at 6'9" and one at 6'10'. There is a distinct lack of short casting offerings and while I have learned to work with these longer rods, I still get myself into trouble and backlash a lot when I don't fully check my back cast clearance. I am currently looking at picking up a 6' casting rod as I have found that many are made at that length for the Japanese domestic market. There are a few options on ebay in the $125-150 range and I hope to pick and order one by the end of the week.

[dasher]

Great discussion topic.

I have & use rods from 8' to 6' & like using longer rods to either side when trolling to minimize tangling. I've also found I can cast my 8' a little more accurately than the shorter rods. The only worry is 8' is more susceptible to me breaking the tip off. When I'm jigging, I have 2 rods rigged differently and I usually use 6' rods.

[Jman]

I recently tried a 6' light rod and I've really enjoyed it. I plan on getting another soon. I haven't caught any fish larger than 30", so I can't comment on its performance for those, but it sure is fun!


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[Yak67]

I use the Ugly Stiks GX2's in 5'10" inch length. Tried longer. But in the Yak, shorter is better and easy to manage. I have not had any issues landing fish with the shorter rods.

Yak67
2017 Hobie PA-12 Camo
2016 Hobie Outback LE#217

[FishMoken]

My ultra light rods are 5'6" I'm ok with these because I'm never worried about bigger fish running under the kayak. After having a issue with a ray this year running under the kayak I was glad to have my 7' rods with me! I really like the added length to get the tip around the bow, or over my visi carbon flag if it makes a run to the rear of the yak. Also with the longer rods my BIG thing I look for is butt length. As a paddler I like to be able to tuck the butt under my arm so I am free with the other arm to be able to one arm paddle. But with a small car I think in the future I may shift most of my rods to 2pc just for ease of travel.


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