Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Fishing Rod Length Is A Factor With Ultralight Bass Fishing

By Zyna Sahmine

This question comes up often. What length rod should I use for ultralight bass 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.

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.

Rods used in ultralight bass fishing that are around 5 and a half feet, to 6 feet long are generally considered neutral or balanced when you talk about distance, accuracy, and backbone. These rods do generally well in all 3 categories, provided you go with a good manufacturer.

If you are in the need for an ultralight flipping stick, then these rod lengths are perfect for you. Especially the 6 footer, this length of rod, with a stiff backbone, is great for getting into the thick stuff, and yoking smaller fish out of there. If the area is known to carry smaller 12"-15" fish, take this length with you.

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!

Since we talk about distance, we have to talk about accuracy. These rods major downfall is casting accuracy, but when you can unload a 100 yard spool, how accurate can you really be?

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