Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Heres Why Fishing Rod Length Plays A Role When Ultralight Bass Fishing

By Zyna Sahmine

I get asked this quite a bit actually. How does rod length really effect casting distance, and specifically ultralight bass fishing? I don't always have an answer, it depends on the time of the day really. But there are a few key items you should think about when you are on the market for 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.

These rods fall into the general use category, because of the accuracy and casting distance, along with the strength in the backbone of the rod. Only experienced fishermen will be able to notice the difference between the different lengths of rods, however, so choose the one that suits your fishing areas best.

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!

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.

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