Ultralight Fishing Rods – Length Does Matter
This question comes up often. What length rod should I use for ultralight fishing? It isn’t an easy answer though. There is a couple things to consider about length when choosing a new rod. Some people believe that you must use a short rod in the 4 1/2 foot to 5 foot length. They believe that this length gives you the most whip, and backbone for fighting the fish. This is a common misconception however.
Rods of this length are usually used solely for creek fishing, or places where there is a lot of overhead hanging cover for baits to get stuck in. These short rods do provide excellent placement, but they also degrade casting distance severely. These provide the shortest casts of all lengths of rods.
Ultralight fishing rods in the lengths of 5 1/2 foot to 6 foot are found in the middle when thinking about balance. The tip still allows good casting distance, while the backbone gives plenty of strength for fighting the fish. 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.
The longest of the ultralight rods, 6 1/2 foot and longer provide the longest distance for casts. This is good for throwing spinnerbaits or topwaters, you can get them going so far that it is hard to see the little baits! These long rods kill your accuracy however, which is why they should be used for open water casting and swimming baits. You can really burn spinnerbaits and buzzbaits with these long rods, not to mention unloading your spool from casting so far!
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