lsucole

I just got one of the new Anniversary retro Slider rods ( 4'9") originally to use as a wall decoration along with some very old casting and fly rods. On a lark I went ahead and put a reel on it and went fishing in some neighborhood ponds. Like most of us, over the years I had " graduated" to the 7-71/2 ' rods for most of my fishing. This is what I have learned : 1. I had forgotten just how much more accurate a shorter rod is ! I am putting slider worms and small spinnerbaits under and around boat docks and cypress trees that I simply cannot do as well with my longer rods ! 2. I then went to my swimming pool with a 7' rod with braided line and the short rod with 8lb. mono , both with a 1/8 oz. Spider head with a 4" worm. Could not believe how much further and faster the worm moved and traveled on the longer rod . You could definitely see how much better the worm worked with the shorter rod. I also could see the difference between the worm action on braid vs. mono. I too had fallen for the braid sensitivity claims. It might be true on a real tight line , BUT braid is so buoyant that every time there is a little slack it creates a big bow in the line that I did not get with the 8lb. mono. As a result I am thru with long rods and braid for my worms and spinnerbaits. The only positive I can see with longer rods might be crankbaits in more open water !