I like my 9'6" rod, but have noticed that you need to be really careful when you get your fish in close. It's easy to put a lot of strain on the rod tip when reaching to net fish, and if you're careless, or unaware, you can break it pretty easily. That's especially true for people with a short wingspan(like me). A few inches makes a big difference, both in arm length, and rod length.

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Lew