Deezel,

I would agree that in most cases the longer rod is better for flowing water, with the exception of small streams.

I use two11 foot Sage rods, the XP and the Z-Axis in a 6 weight for fishing on the rivers of Washington, Montana and Wyoming. The extra length allows for a nice reach cast, and tossing in a mend is just a matter of flipping the wrist compared to using the whole arm as with a 9 foot rod.

Naturally, on small streams a 7?6? to 8? rod is all you usually need what with the brush and trees hanging over your head. Most casts are very short to allow maximum line control. A 9 foot or longer rod just gets in the way on those small mountain streams.

However, out in the flat lands, with a stream meandering through a meadow, I would see an advantage of a longer rod.

Larry