What is the major difference between a 9’ and 10’ 5-weight medium action rod. What are the upsides and downsides and the major situational strenghts of each??? Thanks
RL
TO ME THE UP SIDE AND DOWN SIDE IS THAT THE 10 FOOT ROD WILL WEAR YOU OUT A LOT FASTER. I NEVER DID LIKE THAT LONG OF A ROD. 9’ IS JUST ABOUT RIGHT FOR MOST FISHING. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE STRENGH THING COMES INTO IT AT ALL AS THEY ARE BOTH FOR A 5 WGT LINE. IT IS THE CASTING OF THE RODS THAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. AND HOW TIRED YOU WILL BE AT THE END OF THE DAY. MY 2 CENT’S. RON
Sorry about the Caps I didn’t know they were on until I had finished and I wasn’t going to do it all over again. 
I’m with RonMT on this. Several years ago I bought a Sage RPL 10 ft. 5 wt. I really liked the action of the rod, but the first time I used it I was pretty pooped by the end of the day. I couldn’t believe how much difference one foot of length could make. I eventually got used to it, but as I purchased more rods, I eventually quit using it. It’s been hanging in my shed now for several years without being used.
Larry Compton
Longer rods take more time and force to “stop”.
You’ll feel it in your wrist and arm midday with a long rod.
That said, … most of my work horse rods are 10 ft. My rods over 6wt are mostly 10 ft or at least 9’6"
You see, … I only fish on one river. I roll cast ALOT and I mend constantly. A long rod helps me to pick up the line too using a variety of techniques to get line up and off the water without a big slurp.
Further, I don’t need to scoot and out of the bush to get to my pools, … the Wardens take care of cutting back the brush and even mowing the grass down.
Conversely, out of a float tube, I use a 8’6" rod as I don’t have the leverage to stop a longer rod.
A longer rod, Will allow you more reach and aid in being able to keep more line off the water…and you in better contact with your fly in adversely differing current flows…dern, that sounds to techie to have come from me…let me try this again…hummm…
Can I just recommend that you try and find a copy of Joe Humphreys Video/DVD A Casting Approach to nymphing Tactics. or something like that…It’ll pretty much also apply in many ways to getting desired dead drifts to a dry in certain situations as well…Great section covering 10’ rods and the advantages of them and deferring lines…
For almost all situations a ten foot rod is too long; by about a foot.
When I first started fishing I bought a 7’ rod. I later switched to 8’ and when I did it felt really long. Then I switched to a 9’ and it felt really long. Then back to an 8. Now I’m monstly 9 with a 7’er thrown into the mix. Each rod had advantages and disadvantages and when I adjusted to the rod I found I liked it. In the final analysis I don’t think that rod length, action or weight are as important as what is on the end of the line and the time you put into learning how to deliver a fly, so don’t agonize too much over your choice. That being said, I agree with most of what the other posters have said.
jed
J.C. I have just added your response to my list of brillant quotes relating to fly fishing. I can’t wait to use it some day. Jonezee
I’ve fished quite a bit from my canoes (always sitting down) and got the notion that a 10’ rod would work better my 9 footers. Just had to try it, in spite of some old gray beard’s advice not too; and, of course, it ended up I could not handle the 10 as well as I could the nines. Later, on eBay, there appeared some bids for that 10 and it now belongs to someone else!
I started with an 8 footer and so that length just naturally fits me. Today my rods run from 7 1/2 to 9, with all slots in-between filled. The nines work fine sitting in the canoe and where I’m wading and distance is a factor.
Dale
I had a 10’ rod. The key word here is “HAD”!
Take a look at www.midcurrent.com Tim Rajeff has a “convertible” length rod at the retailer’s show and there’s a brief discussion of the places a loger rod is preferred.
Personally, I love the 10 footers. They’re great for high stick nymphing on bigger streams and rivers and they’re awesome for steelhead fishng. I’ve never found them to be that all that tiring. I have an old RPL 10’ 7wt. that weighs less than most 9 footers.
I am with pspaint, I don’t know what ten footers you guys have used, but I LOVE mine. Very light weight and requires less effort to get the line out.
In fact I can cast into backing at any given moment with mine (although I realize on the water that doesn’t come into play)
I am a thin woman with weenie arms and I can fish mine 24/7.
I do float tube but I love this rod on rivers as well. The new stuff is so light weight and balanced, all that is left is putting a suitable reel on.
To me those old Bamboo (montague, etc) and Elkhorn are more taxing than a newer 10’.
I can’t for the like of me see what is so hard to handle in a 10’ rod.
Just my $0.02 worth
What? You don’t like Elkhorn because they are “too taxing”?
10ft or even 11 ft rods have a distiinct advantage over 9 footers in some situations:
When fishing from a float tube or pontoon boat that has you sitting in or near the water the longer rod really helps on the line pick up.
longer rods provide better line control and under water fly drift through runs on bigger rivers. This is especially true when going after bottom hugging winter steelhead in deep slots and runs.
Ok, Max, but for me it would be a 9 footer for the float-tube. I can pitch a tighter loop with a nine than a ten. Getting old I guess. High-sticking for SH is not something I do. Gave up SH back in Michigan. 
I think the best rod is the rod you have for the moment. I honestly cannot say I every explained out loud…GEE I WISH I HAD A DIFFERENT ROD TODAY! I remember when my first bamboo was an old Monty, I dont remember the model but I thought it needed a size 8 line so thats what I bought. I did have a Hardy Zenith and the package balanced out and I was able to toss a fly quite a distance. I didn’t know any diffenece and I was having a good time and catching fish. Maybe I did work my body and arms? I didn’t know any better and for all those years thought this was how it was done. I have smaller and lighter bamboo rods now, an Elkhorn graphite rod, numerous other rods, reels and lines. I fish them all as often as I can…again I never complain… I just fish them. It kinda of reminds me of a day many years ago as a very young child, I was having a steak dinner my grandmother made, I remarked “this steak is tough”…my grandfather said back to me…“it would be allot tougher if you didn’t have it”. I consider all my rods tough…I am glad I have them. Jonezee
First…canoeman1947, wanna sell it?
We have a 10’ 5wt Sage that gets a LOT of use around here for anything from BG’s & LM’s to double digit stripers and steelhead (danged few steelhead though 
). LOVE that rod!!!
We also have a very cheep 10’ 6wt Something that DOES tax one by day’s end.
However, after tossing a 10wt most of the day, BOTH 10ft’ers seem light. 
Maybe quality helps here?
…lee s.
Sorry, I ment the Bamboo. I had a chance at the last Expo to check out the Elkhorn Boo and believe me I did. I found them very heavy and thick and I put an Elkhorn reel on to balance that out and it made it very tiresome. The same with my ol’ Montague 6/7
The only reason I brought this up, is I see on other post where several of you like these rods.
I have the TFO Pro 10’ 5wt with a Battenkill LA II on it. I say, go to your local fly shop, and try this set-up out. It is ADDING 12" to your reach. The ol’ saying to make the rod part of your arm.
You’re right, many on here love the Elkhorn ‘boo’ rods and feel they are the most cane rod for the dollar on the market. Some new to fly casting, over work cane, usually when they have had some more casting experience they see the value in them.