i can cast farther with a 8 or 9 footer than with an eleven footer!!!
this I know! not to mention fish for hours and not have that stabbing pain in my shoulders......:af: :rolleyes: !!!!!!!!!!!!!



LMAO!!!!
I never realized until this past summer that there was a difference!!! went freshwater fishing with a great guy and fisherman and he laughed like hell when i reared back-two handed and launched that rubber worm like it was a 5oz hunk of lead!!!!! DUH! goes to show how much I know!!!:p :p :p (he still doesnt let me live it down either.....:rolleyes: ):D

Notaro

I got a 1265 Allstar by Saltheart last year that I can recommend as suiting me extremely well. It's a 2pc 10'6" and casts really well. I'm no long bomber, but this stick loads up 1.5 oz to 3.5 oz nicely. Gets 3/4 - 1oz out too. Check with SH or read about it on HatterasOutfitters.com

Nightfighter, I will try to hook up with SH. And since he is the "doctor" of custom surf rods and stuffs. So I'm sure that he can evaluate my build and my needs.

Don't let peoples preferences sway you from the right rod. 9 feet may be perfect for some and the way and where they fish. For others , a longer rod is better. I agree that 13 feet for someone to throw 2 OZ plugs may be overkill. You want to match the rod to your application and ability.

Fact is that if you can handle it , the longer rods , properly matched to the application , will cast further. You also need length if you often fish around large boulders or areas with high waves. It doesn't have to be one or the other. You can get lengths between 9 feet and 13 feet. Lots of people like 10 feet.

Landing fish is usually easier with a shorter rod. The shorter rod is a problem though if you have to reach over rocks , etc. A 13 foot rod has little utility on a fishing boat but by the same token , a 6 foot trolling rod has little use casting in the surf.

Certainly don't get any rod longer than you can handle. Also , be careful of rods that are too stiff for the weights you throw. They won't load so you might as well be using a broom handle.

Notaro - what's the longest rod you use now comfortably? What brand model is it? And what kind of distance & comfort do you have with it...

Thanks,

John

John, I use a 8 ft calyspo beachcomber combo or 8 feet zebro combo. but the tip of the zebro is ruined and the reel of the the beachcomber is dull. So I threw the reel away. I need a matching reel for my rod. i never use eels because i dont do a night fishing. because i got no car and it will upset my parents. Now, I currently owned a 9 ft star-something company produced combo. it doesn't really help me that much. b/c of the reel. im gonna buy me a light one for me to cast smoothly and far. i tried using arra's method, but it's hard, y'know? im not good with the pendelum.

SH, I never tried a 10 ft.

if you can wait till spring fishing.....and you hook up with one of us...I am SURE you could "test" a few rods and maybe get a better feel for what works for you!!!!;) ;)

I hope so. I can't wait to go fishing with all of you. It sure beats staying home.

NO KIDDING!!!:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I hate to be isolated in one place, y'know? But fishing all the time can be unhealthy for us because we don't exercise.

I hope I don't ruffle any feathers here, particularly since I am new to this board, but I think there are times where a longer rod is fine for repeated casting of lures.

I cast mostly down in Hatteras which is big rod country due to the distances have be achieved fishing relatively flat beaches. Unless one has a very slight build or reoccuring shoulder/back problems, I don't think a 12 foot rod is too big for lure casting.

I am only 5'8" and 43 years old, and I have casted 12 foot Tica, 11'9" breakaway, and 12.5 seeker for hours using tins like crippled herrings without any problems. See a fair number of others who are not particulary large who cast very large rods without any problems. A lot of it has to do with casting techicque

I agree with most here that all things being equal, a nine foot rod is more pleasant to cast (and work a lure) than a longer rod. On the other hand, a nine foot rod is not going to get the distance of a comparable 11 foot rod.

It comes down to what type of fishing to you want to do. Is it necessary to cast long distances where you fish?, are you simply reeling the lure in or do you have to play it a lot? or do you simply like rocketing lures a far, far, ways.?

That being said, most of the time when I fish in New England (Plum Island), I find that a 9 - 10.5 foot rod serves most of my needs. Good luck.

Tom

Hey Duck - welcome to S-B! Beuaracrat, eh? Won't hold it against you.

You're right about the long rod but there are a couple things to consider. Even though you all have the fish over the winter (and we want 'em back very soon! ), when we get them from April thru Dec, they are often in close, like REALLY close and a 8, 9, 10 foot rod is fine, easy on the body, and easier - often - on the wallet. One thing that is nice about up here is that the majority of fishing situations doesn't warrant the big rod @ 12 feet. IMO - one is better off with a smaller & more versatile rod before getting the 12 ...

Notaro - don't know what a zebro is but I'm guessing Zebco... Anyway, any B&T shop can change the tip for you and if the rod is broken near the tip and not the tip itself, it can be cut flush and a different tip installed - really not a big deal and would probably cost you $5 - 10...

Uhhh - the fishing a lot of us do makes walking 18 holes look weak too. I suppose if you plane to fish hull gut and spike a rod in the car's drink holder, yeh there is not much exercise, but some of fish places where we walk miles in beach sand, hop a lot of rocks, & move from place to place to fish where we want. Believe me - if you are a moble surfcaster - there is exercise involved...

BTW - the "something star" is probably a Silstar... so so for off the shelf, I've had some before going custom...