by dahlberg » Sat Oct 07, 2017 6:52 am
hi dan
you're using what we used 50 years ago! As our materials improved I've found so many advantages with longer rods it would be hard for me to go back to the stubby sticks. Their only virtue, in my opinion over longer one piece rods was portability. The TFO big fish 71/2 and 8 footers break down to around five feet.
The way I see it, it boils down to the way angular and linear distance are related in terms of rod length.
The longer rod if tapered correctly and of adequate stiffness allows longer casts, more line take up on a hook set or when fighting a fish, etc. As far a working and controlling the line and the lure, it actually takes less angular movement of the rod to get the same linear distance on the tip with the longer rod. It takes a little getting used to for some people, but I find far more advantages to a rod longer than 6' rod for making a lure get super animated.
That's not to say that longer is always better. How long? That's determined by the weight of the lure and by a persons own physical strength. Personally, I find rods in the 7'6' TO 8' range preferable for all my pcock fishing. If I were in flooded trees all the time with a canopy over my head I might want a 6 footer, just as i might use a 4 1/2 foot spinning rod in a tiny brushy trout stream.
Currently I would say 98% of the Brazilian anglers I know would agree with you. The 2% that would not are the ones who've fished with me!
Thanks for the post!
L
Larry Dahlberg
The Hunt For Big Fish