7 minutes ago, WRB said:

Bass fishing started off using conventional bait casting reels and rods designed for those reels. The early fresh casting rods hand a short pistol grip handle about 6” long for 1 handed casting using the thumb to control the reel speed.

In the 50’ bass casting rods ranged from 5’ to 5 1/2’. In the 60’s the rod length increased to 6’ still with pistol grip handles. The 70’s To 90’s the 12” straight handle trigger grip 6 1/2’ rods became popular. Today bass rods lengths are 7’ to 7 1/2’on average. Longer rods keep evolving with rod materials and use of wider variations in lure presentations.

Trout rod were primarily spinning tackle length hasn’t change much since the 50’s with 6’ to 6 1/2’ rods. 

River Steelhead and salmon rods are longer to present bait or small lures to keep line off the water and haven’t change a lot since the 50’s average 8’ to 9’ long rods.

Salt water have gone through several changes in length as fish specific and technique rods evolved. 8’ to 9’ live bait rods with more parabolic action to launch the bait effectively.

9’ to 10’ casting rods developed for long distance “iron” casts.

Short 5’ to 6’ tuna rods and trolling rods evolved as presentation and techniques change.

Drift boaters usually 1 rod and maybe a spare, vert technique specific. Bass boaters often carry 10 to 20 rods for specific applications ranging from 6’ to 8 1/2’ long.

I wouldn’t say bass rods are short, they are optimized for the application.

Tom

Tom

 

 

I remember those short pistol grip handles and some steel baitcasting rods as well. A lot of fishing equipment in the old days was so ugly and poorly designed compared to today's offerings. Most Lures were crude and clunky in the 50's compared to the slick presentations today  But one lure always stood out for me and that was the Fred Arbogast Jitter Bug released in 1938. What a great lure and still is today. I can't imagine how many have been sold.

When I started bass fishing, bass plug casting rods were about 5 feet in length.  Solid metal rods were made from surplus WWII tank aerials. I have one in my collection.  When spinning reels like the Mitchell 300 became popular, rods grew to 6 1/2 feet.  When flipping started to win bass tournaments, longer rods became popular. 

 

In the sixties, metal and bamboo rods became fiberglass.  I bought my first Fenwick graphite rod in the seventies and it cost me $300, a fortune at the time.  I bought a few boron rods after that. If they were actually made of boron, I can't say? 

 

Bass fishing involves a lot of short distance casting.  Maximum distance is normally not an issue.  The weight of the rod is actually more significant than the length.  A tournament bass fisherman chunking a rattle trap or swim bait all day puts significant strain on his/her arms and wrists.  When I was young, I could do it all day.  When you get old and have been do it all your life, it comes back to haunt you.   

 

Each rod length and action has a purpose.  I still prefer a short rod with a pistol grip for accurate casting.  Longer rods are for distance.  Bigger fish require longer rods for leverage.  If you use a 6' rod for tarpon fishing, a big tarpon will make a fool out of you.  Select the right rod for the job.  

A shorter rod is useful when bank fishing in an area with lots of trees all around you. Longer rods are better for when you need to cast far.

Bass fisherman just don’t need to over compensate for a little stick worm.

How long was the rule in place for rod length restriction 8' and under in bass tour?  That had to have an effect on rod lengths offered in mass. 

 

It does not seem people have trouble fighting bass with short rods compared to sw or other species and in fast moving rivers etc.  Given the general behavior of LM as long as a person can cast far enough more length would be wasted perf at the cost of accurate placement.  For tournament I can see weight as a critical component.    Fishing from shore is sort of two way handicap in my experience.  The fish are either just further than a short rod can cast or under heavy overhang where long rods dare not tread.  Bring both and have the long rod be a 2 piece.

 

Most inshore salt rods I see recommended and people stating they purchased are  7' and over and  8' and under.  One of if not the most popular config I see on salt forums is 7'6" MH F  I certainly see the benefits of a 8' for casting distance especially with lighter lures in a UL   I have a Star Inshore VPR in 7'6" MHF config that has been very good to me inshore. Under $300 lifetime warranty, good blank and components.   Did a fine job paired to a  Stradic FL C3k (15lb braid - 30lb leader) on my trip to FL around Cape Canaveral surrounding areas, sheepshead, reds, tripletail, even a few pompano as it was a bit early for them.  Lots and lots of catfish.  Oh my the catfish.  Got me to stop fishing river mouths all together down there.   Everyone takes out the target fish and throws the cats back in.  Result.....lots of long spinned cats.

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Tail Slap said:

How long was the rule in place for rod length restriction 8' and under in bass tour? 

 

This rule was implemented in the mid seventies when Dee Thomas, the father of flipping,  started winning tournaments using the flipping method. Some anglers were concerned his rod length gave him an unfair advantage, so he was asked how long a rod he needed.  He told them 7' 6", so they set the limit at 8'. You can read more about Dee  at https://advancedangler.com/features/tbt-dee-thomas-the-father-of-flippin-a-true-legend/

@Captain Phil  thanks

I knew it had been a long time.  Always seemed like a silly rule.  Certainly in more recent times.  Seems the vast majority of bass rods are 6' - 7'6"  Not that there are not a fair number using rods 5'-6'.

Short casting rods are better for accuracy in tight quarters.  I think accuracy is something that younger anglers don't know enough about.  Today's popular lures are generally "throw as far as possible and reel".  I prefer to cast into deep cover where the big fish live.  This may mean hitting small holes in the grass or pads.  Casting accurately is a big part of the fun of bass fishing.   I learned to cast into a bucket in my front yard where there were no fish. I still do this on occasion which gives my neighbors a chuckle.    I don't know anyone who can consistently cast a crankbait under a dock with a 7 1/2 foot rod. 

On 6/5/2021 at 9:25 PM, Michigander said:

Rods aren't 9', 10', 11', 12'+ because they wouldn't fit in our rod lockers, duh. LoL ?

^^^^My very first thought on this thread

@Captain Phil  I know without a shadow of a doubt I can not do that with anything approaching consistenc!?! Well unless by bucket you actually meant kiddy pool lol

 

I actually did not learn much accuracy bass fishing.  It was not until snakeheads got released and spread throughout the Potomac River system here in a Va/Md, early 2kish.  Drifting in and flipping it perfectly so as not to spook but walk just inside his strike zone he's patrolling.  Learned I had me some practic'n to do.  Repetition with proper technique otherwise I was just engraining bad habits and making things worse.  Honestly it's one of my favorite types of local fishing and eaten.  They really are great table fair. Firm light mild flavor.  Up there with crappie and trout.

 

At least now when I try to drop a cast into a hole between some brush it does not end up in the branches more often than in the hole.

Are we forgetting that not too long ago there was a rule on the bass tours that no rod could be over 8' long?  

the last few years ive slowly been upgrading my bass/pike rods to longer rods. back in the 90s i used a 6'6 baitcasting rod. Now I use a 7'6.

 

My last spinning rod purchase was a 7'5 E6X.

 

as a shoreline angler, i love and need the extra distance in my casting. and you can really notice the difference with the 7'5 and 7'6 rods versus the old 'standard' 6'6

 

my muskie rod is 8 foot

12 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

Short casting rods are better for accuracy in tight quarters.  I think accuracy is something that younger anglers don't know enough about.  Today's popular lures are generally "throw as far as possible and reel".  I prefer to cast into deep cover where the big fish live.  This may mean hitting small holes in the grass or pads.

There is a medium sized river I fish in midsummer by floating with the current and casting to targets along the bank. Undercut banks, over hanging trees, and other physical targets is where fish are. Accuracy is a must. The strike zone is about the size of a dinner plate - cast too far and you get hung up, cast too short and the fish won’t strike. I can say with 100% positivity that an 8 or 9 foot rod would never work.

There are times a further cast is useful and these are the times a longer rod will do better. For example a long cast is valuable when fishing from land in a highly pressured clear body of water for big bass. If you are fishing from the shore in a area with lots of trees and other plants then it would be best to use shorter rods since it will be easier to maneuver a shorter rod in these locations. With that said you can do very well on a hand line if you know what you are doing so fish which ever way you like best.

On 6/7/2021 at 6:37 AM, Captain Phil said:

 https://advancedangler.com/features/tbt-dee-thomas-the-father-of-flippin-a-true-legend/

That was a good read Phil, I am 65 YO and did not know this. Always thought it was Brower who perfected it. I remember back in the 80's Rodman Res. had people Tule dippin and I thought that were nuts and laughed @ em.  

I've started using a 10' pole (a good one--good guides and IM8 graphite) with spinning reel for single-pole jigging for crappie. Every once in a while I try heaving a cast with it. I'd be lucky to hit the broad side of a barn from 30' away with it. Sometimes lucky just to hit the water period. That always quickly reminds me why my bass fishing poles are 8' or under. ?

8 hours ago, Ski said:

That was a good read Phil, I am 65 YO and did not know this. Always thought it was Brower who perfected it. I remember back in the 80's Rodman Res. had people Tule dippin and I thought that were nuts and laughed @ em.  

 

"Tule Dippin" or " Doodle Socking" had been around a long time down south before Dee Thomas adapted it to tournament bass fishing.  I first remember reading about this method in a Jason Lucas book as a kid in the late fifties.  I still have that book with all my underlined notes.   Jason Lucas was the bass fishing editor for Sports Afield magazine and the Bill Dance of his time.  Jason thought it was unsportsmanlike, but that was before tournaments.  After Dee won a Florida tournament, we all tried it.   We couldn't believe you could catch bass right under the boat.  We believed the boat scared bass away.  We were wrong.  I've caught dozens of eight pound plus bass with 4 feet of line off the end of my rod.  It's always a thrill.