The trend towards longer rods

With the big trend towards longer rods, is it becoming out of hand? Today we are seing bucktail rods going out to 9 feet! To me, I really don’t see a whole lot of advantage over the common 7′ or even 7’6″. But the disadvantages of them being cumbersome is truly steering me away from them.

How many of you guys are hooked on these longer rods?

I’m still a 6′ top-water dog walking guy. I have so much more accuracy in my cast and my lure control cannot be beat. I do use a 6’10” rod for pulling gliders and jerks and with me standing as tall as I do, that is the MAX length I’ll ever go. Yet I see St. Croix now caries a 7’3″a jerk bait rod.

Am I a dying breed, sticking with these shorter rods and not following the trend? Have I fallen off the turnip truck?

What do you guys prefer?

Gary I do prefer the 6′ foot range rods for most fishing conditions but when I am trolling I like my front person to be holding a 8 plus footer and my back rods being the 6’6″ to 7′. But this is just my preferences..

I have personally talked to the production guys and the VP of St. Croix on this issue Gary…the market indicators are pushing them in this direction…You’ll notice the 6′ Musky models are all but off the production charts. I know the 6′ Premier was dropped last year.
I have short arms for a guy 6’2″… I have trouble doing the twitch with a 7’6″ rod! …the damn reel is in my armpit!

I like the long rods for bucktails. I have been using my 8′ cat rods for years. The ease of whipping that lure out an extra 20′, and less hassle doing a good figure 8 without excess effort. A properly balanced 9′ rod would be awesome, but if it werent balanced and tip heavy.. it would be a burden.

I have long arms, I never had a problem with 6′ 6″ rods for jerk baits.

You guys need to quit making me think of musky fishing!

I like a good ol’ 7’6″ myself but don’t really ever see going any longer for muskies. As for carp I might invest in a couple of 8 or 9 footers for this season. Some of the crazy carp dudes are using rods up to 12-14 ft. for some reason of which I don’t quite understand.

I use a 6’6″ a 7’6″ and a 8’6″ the last being my favorite. Each have their time and place.

I have went towards the longer rods the last year or so. 8′ for bucktails is great…I doubt I will ever want to use shorter for them. I don’t think heighth has anything to do with wanting to use the longer rods..I’m only 5’9″ but love the longer rods. Deeper, wider and easier figure 8’s, longer casting distance, less effort…It works for me. I use a 6’6″ for jerks and a 7’6″ for plastics and misc. The longer rod is nice when fighting a fish also; alot more leverage. Now if you had to net a fish by yourself, the extra rod length might be a hinderance?? I guess it is a good reason to always have a good net man along
What a great sight it was to come home from work today and see the species specific area and have the muskie/pike area!! Made my evening!

For me the biggest difference was noticed when I added a 7’6″ rod to my arsenal which previously included a 6’9″ and a 6′ rod. I also bought an 8’6″ rod which didn’t seem to be a huge leap away from the 7’6″. I have since mothballed my 6′ rod and substituted my 6’9″ as my jerkbait rod.

Without a doubt, the biggest benefit that I realized was on the figure 8. You have a much wider radius with which to work the bait around and depth to punch the tip down into to avoid spooking a fish next to the boat. Since getting used to the longer rods, trying to figure 8 with a 6′ rod feels as awkward as trying to write with my left hand. Ability to fight the fish is also a big plus with a longer rod which is much easier to keep a bend in the rod blank. This is a double edged sword because it is more difficult ot bag a fish in the net when you are fishing solo.

I think it takes more speed and power to set the hook decently on a longer rod. as im getting older, i leave the 8ft bucktail rods home most days. and take 7fters.

catmando made a great point about hooksets. I went clear out to 10’6″ on the trolling rod and there’s too much blank for properly delivering that power to the hooks. I’ve backed that off to an 8’er for this year and we’ll report the results. For slinging bucktails, I still like 7’6″ but I’m interested in trying a longer rod for even deeper reaches on my figure 8s. For jerkin’, I still like my rods under 7′. It’s just easier for me to control my presentation with a little less rod.

I have longer rods (7’6″ Gander Guide Series and 8′ St Croix Premiere) that I use for my bucktails, topwater and crankbaits. I have tried to use these longer rods for jerkbaits as well, but feel like I have no control over the bait. This year I am going back to a 6’9″ rod for jerkbaits. Just what I had always used. I will never go longer again for my jerkbait rod!

I don’t own a rod shorter than 7’6″ and that one is my jerk/WTD rod. I have one being built that is 9′ that I’m putting a 7000 on for throwing double #10’s. I’ve found the longer rods have increased my catches in fish that hit at the boat (rod takes the impact and gives you that extra second to free spool) and when you get hit way out at the end of the cast especially with topwater when the fish is thrashing on the surface. The longer rods/w a high speed reel help pick up line and give you a bit of control to maybe turn the fishes head when it’s coming at you and get it back under the surface so it doesn’t throw the bait. Just what works for me.