So I have been ultralight bass fishing for a long time now, and one question that comes to mind pretty often is how does rod length really effect our fishing? I could come up with a million answers, so could anybody, but I did think of a list of things that I know you should pay attention to when you are about to buy a new pole.
Most anglers feel that you should go to a shorter rod around 4.5 feet, or 5 feet long or so. A common occurring thing that I see is people thinking that these rods have more flex and whip to them, allowing you to cast farther.
Stout rods have a great backbone on them, and are nice for fishing in areas where you might need to pitch or flip because of the debris. These rods will give you the best accuracy of any of the rods, but the casting distance is limited greatly.
When you go with a ultralight fishing pole around 5′6″ to 6′0″, you are going to get a good bargain for your money. These rods, specifically the 5′6″ rods, will have nice accuracy, with only a limited cut in casting distance. The 6′0″ will give you a little less accuracy, with a lot more distance.
You don’t sacrifice much accuracy with this length, you can still use it as a light action flipping stick, or pitching stick for 1/4oz jigs in tight places. This is a technique for smaller fish on ultralight gear however, use bigger gear for the bigger fish locked into the muck!
This length of rod is considered general use, and most people can get by using a 6 footer. They still give you good accuracy, and lure placement, but you must practice a little longer to achieve the same accuracy that you would with a 4 1/2 footer. The difference is minor, but it does take some adjusting.
Rods that are 6′5″ or longer are great for long casting distance in open areas. If it is windy outside, you best grab the long rod, with a topwater on it, and sling that joker as far as you can. You can get the small baits flying so good, that they almost go out of sight!
Talking about distance on the long rods can’t go without talking about the accuracy. It is very poor on rods of this length, or longer. When you can empty the whole spool, you can’t really be accurate.
Zyna Shamine is a bass fishing enthusiast for almost 5 years total, and greatly enjoys writing on the internet. He has had 2 articles published at ultralight bass fishing featured posts. He also helps maintain the Ultralight-Fishing.com – Online Bass Fishing Store.
Comments on this entry are closed.