Rods, how short do you go?
I've always though of "short" rods as anything under 8' or so. However when I was up at the Somersett Show I was repeatedly asked if I made any SHORT rods since the smallest rod I had on display was 6'6"! So how short IS short, and where does it go from practicality to novelty?
Bill O.
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www.oysterbamboo.com
I have an early 1960's two piece, 6 ft Phillipson Master glass rod (it comes with four (4) tips). It is labled on the shaft HDH which would be #6 line. For a glass rod it is medium slow. It has the regular French sliding band over cork reel seat and is a nice little sweet rod to use on small streams and little ponds. I have never had to cast it over 25 feet and for me that is its limit. I would not call it a novelty but I would call it fun. It only comes out maybe once or twice a year.
I have a 5 foot 2 weight that I absolutely love for the small streams in South Dakota and Wyoming. It's more than practical as there is heavy willow growth by the edge of the streams, and casting is next to impossible. Streams are narrow and curved. Those two elements combine to make the 5'er the count on rod!
Trouts don't live in ugly places.
A friend is not who knows you the longest, but the one who came and never left your side.
Don't look back, we ain't goin' that way.
Shortest I have is the H&H 6'6" 2wt. I must say I love it for the small Bluegill on the Park Lakes here.
Let No One Walk Alone
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I have two 6'6" rods I use all the time on some really small 'cricks' I fish all the time. I have explored some even smaller spots where a 5'6" rod would be ideal.
I'm looking...
i have a 5'6" cabela's clear creek 4 wt. that is my favorite rod to use when i'm on my float tube.
I had a 4'9" 2 pc 5wt Fisher brush rod that was kind of fun for panfish and tight spaces and short casts. Most definitely a specialty thing.
Short Rods
oyster,
I have an old bamboo 8', 4 weight, 3 piece, 2 tip. Cheap made in Japan rod that I found in my dad's garage after he passed away. I rebuilt what I could, and found that the first ferrule by the stripper guide is loose. It just doesn't fit well and clicks on every back & forth casting stroke. So, I took it out to the bach yard today and cast it with a 3 weight line using only the tip and mid sections. I got 40' easily, and 50+ with a little double haul. I think I'm going to trash the butt section and put a grip and reel seat on the mid section. It will make a very nice 5'6", 3 weight. And, that's not too short for many applications like the North Fork of the St Joe in Idaho. Have fun with those Banty rods.
my shortest is just a tad under 4 ft...Built it out of the tip section of an Orvis 1 wt. But other than that rod...I like them any where from 5 to 10 ft...they all have their place and time...I do find short, (I define short as 7'6" and under)to be more fun for me...mostly because it speeds up the casting stroke as you drop in length...
Wish ya great fishing,Bill
I've now got a 5' 3pc 2/3wt 'boo rod that seems to cast great. Can't WAIT to try it out next weekend!
Regards,
Joe Martin
Salem, OR
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