I have become a fan of a 9'6" rod over a 9 footer for river fishing. Wondering how those rods would would work from a boat out in the bay -- easier shooting, more distance?
Thanks
Dave
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I have become a fan of a 9'6" rod over a 9 footer for river fishing. Wondering how those rods would would work from a boat out in the bay -- easier shooting, more distance?
Thanks
Dave
You would expect that the longer rod would help with distance as you are using a longer lever to move the tip over a longer distance. I find the difference between an 9' and 9'6" rod to be insignificant most of the time when fishing from a boat. I have a 9'6" 9wt rod that I use in the ocean sometimes. I won this rod in a raffle and wouldn't have purchased it, but since I won it I use it. I find no functional difference between the 9'6' and 9' rods when fishing from a boat. I find the effects of casting from a rocking boat to be more significant and variable from cast to cast than the benefit of an extra 6" of fly rod. Even in calm water I do not notice a difference.
I do find using a longer 11' switch rod to provide noticeable distance improvement if the boat isn't rocking as much, expecially with two handed overhead casts.
TL
Thanks
Dave
9'6'' no doubts
Personally, I prefer the 9 foot rod over the 9'6" rod. Unless you are going for maximum distance, the extra swing weight on a 9'6" is not worth it.
If you already have the 9 6" then use it. It really depends on what type of fishing you are going to be doing. My ideal rod for fresh and salt is a 10 6" single handed rod. I don't really notice that big of a difference in a 9 6" over a 9. Just like in the river the length is a bigger advantage in reach once the line lands on the water than the extra distance you would get by casting. That extra foot and a half gives me an extra 3 feet of reach to lift my line over waves in the surf and over back eddies in the tidal rivers and estuaries to keep my fly in the water where I want it.
I would say that it would depend on the type of fishing you are doing. My only boat fishing is on the flats for tarpon or bones. There I prefer an 8'6" RPLXi or a Scott 8'8" HP rod as they load with a shorter casting arc and are far more precise in fly placement. Additionally, boating and quickly releasing a fish with an 8'6" rod is easier done than with a longer rod.
So I spent on a day on Narragansett Bay (RI) with my favorite Captain and after an hour with a Sage RPL+ 9'6" 8wt and a RIO OUtbound line, the arm/shoulder said enough! I moved to the Sage Xi2 9wt with the same line. Of course that rod is lighter but te difference was significant. The 9 foor is the way to go for me. Thanks all for your comments.
DAve
Being vertically challenged... i.e. 5'6", I never cared for the longer rods and don't own one over 9'.
Like Dave, I find that casting these longer rods, shortens both my enjoyment and number of casts/day.
Actually, in recent years, I fish my 8' and 8' 6" rods a lot more than any of my 9 footers...
Strength is a factor. A longer rod takes more energy to get into motion and keep in motion. I find longer rods don't always work better. On the other hand, a switch rod or spey rodd, will give you some distance.
jed
Bowfin, I am 6'1" and I also like the shorter rod, expecially when fishing from a boat or doing a lot of blind casting. I have 11 rods (8wt - 12wt) and 4 of them are under 9'. None of them are over 9'. Hasta pronto, Tom
My personal preference for boat or kayak fishing the flats is a 9' rod or even shorter. My favorite rod is an 8'8" Scott Heliply. You can get plenty of distance with the 9' rod and get your casts out quicker. Sometimes quick accurate casts are needed to target moving fish. I also find the shorter rods easier to handle when boating the fish.
I use a 10 foot rod in the surf
The extra length is important for holding the line up over the breakers and mending away from the white water
I might be tempted to use a longer rod in anything below about a 7 weight but once I get into the heavier weights my arm/shouder says, "no mas!" I actually prefer saltwater rods in that 8 ft to 9 ft range and even when casting with a high beach behind me, a longer rod does little for a back cast while a shorter one allows me to keep line speed up and away from the sea grass!:cool:
I sold rods for years and watched as many folks found out exactly what you found! Longer does not equal longer casts unless you have superior strength to muscle that rod around late in the day. Shorter and faster works better by far and makes it far easier to keep your back cast up off the water oir out of the dunes.Quote:
Originally Posted by spike-2
I like 9'6" or 10' rods for fishing the salt .
All my fishing is from the shore , the longer rod is a plus picking up line.
I fish 9wt and 10 wt. rods.