I love fishing creeks and rivers, often floating or wading. This, often, necessitates a short stick. What is your favorite, say, sub-6'6" rod?

Very interesting take on rivers.  In my neck of the woods, the salmonids reign in the rivers and the general rule is if your rod isn't at least 8'6", you'd be shooting yourself in the foot if only for line control.

 

I find it fascinating what anglers around the country deem what rods and other gear is necessary to fish their local rivers and lakes.  I hope others respond so that we can all get an idea of what works around the country.

 

Regrettably, I don't have have any rod in my arsenal shorter that 6'6".  Even my UL rod is a 7 footer, lol.  I have a feeling that a 5'6" rod might feel to me like I'm wielding a light saber, lol.

 

 

 

 

My buddy has a 6'3 loomis bronzeback and that little sucker is amazing like you a few creeks we wade are pretty skinny all things considered so a short rod makes ti easier to make the cast and also pin point accuracy that being said my. Longest rod is a 7ft but I don't throw that too much I mainly use my 6'8 but if you can find some of the old loomis bronzebacks you won't be disappointed 

Right now, I have a couple cheap rods, Berkley Amp and Shimano Sojourn. Both are 6 foot. I want to upgrade.

I use to have the old carbonlite series in 6'6 amazing rod maybe check out the st croix premier series not bad of a price it's a little longer then you might like but the mojo bass I have I love it's 6'8 mxf says for wacky rig but it drags tubes weightless senkos you name it really well and really sensitive but I'm eye balling a 7ft kistler mag2 since it Seema most major rod companies I've noticed have gone to longer rods in spinning style 

St. Croix MLXF or MXF. Anything from The Avid series on up, according to your budget. Great creek/kayak rods. Super for deep semi-vertical finesse or skipping docks too! Wish it came in the Avid X. 

G. Loomis SJR700 GL3. its a 5'10" gem of a rod. Mag Light power, extra fast tip, 4-8 pound line. 1/32 to 1/4oz lures.

 

its amazing.

7 hours ago, Drew03cmc said:

Right now, I have a couple cheap rods, Berkley Amp and Shimano Sojourn. Both are 6 foot. I want to upgrade.

Mine is also a cheap rod (price) from over 40 years ago.....a 6' Berkley Lightning.  Only rod I kept from that time period.  It landed many more fish back then than I have caught on all my rods since getting back into fishing 8 years ago.

Faves, not in particular order:

 

Spinning:

5'9" MXF Shimano Compre (old cork handle model)

5'9" MLF St. Croix Premier (shortened it from 6')

5'6" L (more like ML) BPS MicroLite travel rod

6'3" MF Carbonlite (shortened it from 6'6")

6' ML BPS MicroLite

6'3" MLXF St. Croix Legend Tournament Walleye (broken tip,

now somewhere in the 5'8"-6' range)

 

Casting:

6'6" MF Carbonlite

6'6" ML Carbonlite

 

Edited September 19, 20178 yr by Darren.
Forgot a rod...

I have two I really like.  In fact, I have two of each, lol.

 

Avid AVS63MLXF and AVS63MFL.  All are paired with OG Stradic CI4 2500/3000.

I have a *** rod from a company that can not be named that is short for jerkbaits. I had a real struggle finding a rod shorter the 6'6 that was not a high price. I do not endorse the company in any way. It was just the only rod I could find at a reasonable price point. The rod is functional enough and I could not afford any other option.

8 hours ago, Hulkster said:

G. Loomis SJR700 GL3. its a 5'10" gem of a rod. Mag Light power, extra fast tip, 4-8 pound line. 1/32 to 1/4oz lures.

 

its amazing.

That is good to hear, I have a SJR 6400 IMX headed my way.  I threw a low bid at an auction and forgot about it until I got the "you won" email.  

I may stick with my Amp. It works for what I want, but feels odd with a 2500FJ on it.