I used the 1 1/2 to 1 formula to calculate my ideal rod height . I would need a 8’9" rod to be perfect . That means that a 8’6" is 3" too short for me and an 9’ is 3" too long . Given this info , which way should I go , shorter or longer ?
Or as I suspect does 3" even matter ?
If You think you are a person of infulence , try ordering someone else’s dog around .
I have a 5’6" small creek rod that I use sometimes, but I’m not 3.73’ tall 
-Yaf
Perhaps you are supposed to sneak/crawl up to the creek and cast from your knees then it would be the perfect rod .
Which way should you go?
I would suggest going with a different formula; one that makes more sense. There is no ideal rod length. It’s all about personal preferences.
My formula is to visit some local tackle shops and test cast different rods of different lengths. I know of no better way to find the rod that fits you best.
Kind regards,
Emerger
GBF,
Rods that ‘fit’?
Great concept.
Don’t work, but a nice thought.
Another ‘nice thought’ is the whole ‘test cast’ theory.
Even if someone did it, and VERY few folks do, what can a ‘non expert’ caster tell about how ‘suitable’ a rod will be for them after only five or ten minutes with it? Heck, most folks can’t tell you much, in an objective way, about a rod they have actually USED for YEARS.
Here’s how the vast majority of fly fishermen ‘buy’ a rod. They ‘hear/read’ about something that makes them think they ‘need’ or ‘want’ a particular Brand/length/weight/material/guide style/reel seat insert color/guide configuration/whatever the ‘buzz’ is for that particular moment in their fly fishing circle. They go to a fly shop or catalog and BUY ONE.
THEN they ‘use’ it, become used to how it casts, and tell everyone they love it. After all, they plunked down their hard earned money for it, there can’t be anything ‘bad’ or ‘unsuitable’ about it.
Luckily, there are VERY few ‘bad’ fly rods out there.
Most, even the very inexpensive ones, are superior to what was available at ANY price just thirty years ago.
Buy the rod you LIKE. Why you ‘like’ it matters only to you. All them will fish just fine, and, if it doesn’t do EVERYTHING, why, that’s one of the reasons they make OTHER RODS, you can buy another any time you want.
Good Luck!
Buddy
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This is disturbing. I have always preferred the feel of an 8’ Rod. Never understood why? I’m 5’ 4" a perfect 8 footer!
Is it possible?
Let No One Walk Alone
><))))‘>------<’((((><
Bill
Well, … I’m only 5’7" and my favorite rod is a 10ft.
I like the line handling/mending I can do with it. I’ll also high stick dries to skate them around a pool for bruisers at dusk. The extra 1’6" helps a lot.
Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec
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JC and ‘John’,
My sincere apologies.
I was unaware of any ‘article’ written, and was certainly not responding to it in any way. I was giving my opinion on the subject of a rod ‘fit’, which I believe has more to do with the personal preference of the angler and the situation than any kind of formula.
If I have offended, I do apologize.
Buddy
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Oh man! Now I’m REALLY confused!!
Two weeks ago, they measured me at the Doctor’s office as 5’8", but when I looked at the weight chart, it says I’m 6’5"!!! So what length rod should I use???
Mike
[This message has been edited by ohiotuber (edited 04 April 2005).]
There are always going to be exceptions (both in mere personal preference on depending on how the rod is going to be used), but I think this idea at least warrants a little more investigation. I’m 6 foot (well very close to it) and I prefer a 9 foot rod. I think that if we compile some statistics the majority of casters may well prefer rods that are 1.5 times their height (or at least close to 1.5 times their height). Of course, there will always be casters whose preferences are at variance with the average person, but perhaps there is more to this than some of the skeptics warrant. Perhaps FOAL can conduct a study on the matter. Of course, we’d have to prevent the participants from knowing the length (and while you are at it the model, etc) of the test rods just so anyone with preconceived notions about the rods don’t pick the rods based on their preconceived biases. I think that if the rule generally applies then it is useful. Of course, it always helps to test a rod when you buy it but at least it will give rod buyers a place to start looking.
[This message has been edited by Bill Blake (edited 04 April 2005).]
while I’m not qualified to debate the ideal rod length for a persons height I do think that the longest rod you feel able to cast reasonably well will be easier to mend than a shorter rod. Casting is only part of your presentation and often the least critical part. A stealthy approach (rod irrelaevant) and drag free drift from good mending will catch more fish than extra casting distance in most cases.
all leaders tangle; mine are just better at it than most. Jim
Hey Folks,
Allow me to go out on a limb here and show
just how little real knowledge I have about
fly casting.G First off, if I were a
golfer, I believe I would best be described
as a “Duffer”. I’m not quite sure what word
would describe that capability in fly
flinging lingo, but I epitimize it. Whats
more, I am not a minority of 1. I suspect
I belong to a very large group of “Duffer”
type fly flingers. Those people who have
found a range of fly rods with which they
can perform at a level that satisfies
whatever it is they are trying to achieve
with thier casting. For many of us, it is
simply to be able to place the fly on or
near the desired spot in a manner that will
not put down the fish. In all probability,
it will not overly tax the caster or the
equipment but will be within a comfortable
margin far less than the maximum capabilities possible. These maximum
capabilities I refer to are not unlike those
sought by atheletes in competition. Yes,
there is competition among fly flingers as
well. It requires work and much
practice to be the best. There are many
nuances in the fly flingers performance that
must be fine tuned to a high degree and yes,
the equipment should be matched to some
extent to the caster. There are those
among us that take considerable pride in
thier casting ability and justifiably so.
But I believe that a lot more of us are
content, and even proud of our ability to
routinely put the fly on or near where we
think it might entice our fish de jur and
not so far away from us that we have to
strain our eyes trying to see it. But for
us to have a meaningful discourse on the
intracacies of competitive casting might be
an apples and oranges kind of thing. Much
like a Nascar driver discussing technique
with a taxi driver. They do a lot of the
same things but on a very different skill
level. My $.02. Warm regards, Jim
I think Mike (and JC) are on to something–it’s probably more correlated to weight than height. Probably really it’s about strength.
Physics might suggest that a shorter person (assuming shorter arms) would actually have an easier time casting a longer rod, as the end of the rod is closer to the elbow, causing less overall leverage.
Just for fun:
1.5’ forearm + 8’ rod = 9.5’ lever
1’ forearm + 8.5’ rod = 9.5’ lever
Man, I am bored tonight!!!
JC and John , I really am sorry if I offended John . It was certainly not my intention . I read with great interest and truly enjoyed John’s column about rod height . I ran his formula and came up exactly between the 2 rod sizes at 8ft 9 inches . I just wanted to know if I should go to the 8.6’ or the 9’ . I enoyed Yaffle’s humourous reply , and responded to the humor of it.
Jc when you say ;
“they do not mean well nor are they trying to further the point by injecting real facts or information. Nope, they just want to make themselves look big by making you look little.”
I certainly did not want to make John look little . He wrote a fine article about something had not of heard before so I asked my Question . I sincerly hope John did not take any or the answers to my post as a cheap shot at him . If You did John I am truly sorry for my part in this .
Roger E Murray
Jim Hatch,well said,thanks
Roger, As you are aware my reply was only in the best of humor. I am sorry if others took it the wrong way.
J.C. I used the winky icon, hope that makes up for it .
I am by no means an expert, well on anything. My little joke was just my way of saying I really don’t think the best rod (for me) is as John describes in his article.
Why?
Because I have had a number of different rods, ranging from a 5’6" rod in my original post, up to a 10’ steelhead rod with a fighting Butt.
I fish mostly very small creeks and this is where I need the shorter rods at times because of thick bush cover (that is another story and some would disagree that shorter rods are needed for this).
I also fish some of Lake Superiors north shore rivers, where there is plenty of room for backcast and I like a little distance weather I actually need it or not, Thus my 9’ and 10’ rods.
My in between sizes are 7’, 7’ 6", 8’and 8’ 6".
I prefer the 7’ and 7’6" rods for smaller rivers and creeks with not so much bush cover, and some room for casting.
I have learnt to enjoy them all for what they offer, because for me they are all geared for differant fishing situations and have nothing to do with my height or weight.
If I could only have two rods, I would settle for a 7’ and a 9’ rod. That’s just me.
Now, the reason I don’t agree with John is based only on my own experiance and approach to fly fishing. My reasoning has nothing to do with the ease of casting, especially as it applies to younger folks still in there growing stages wanting to learn this fine art of fly casting.
As far as ease of casting, I will not despute what John has discovered what so ever.
John, A fine article, I enjoyed reading it very much. -Yaf
Mr. Castwell, sometimes you confused the heck out of me. Perhaps my age? Don’t know.
Al