# 1st flyfishing Post w/ a Question



## True Blue (Nov 27, 2008)

I'm always checking in this forum, but this is my 1st post here. Let me give ya'll a little back ground before my question. I learned to flyfish when I was about 10yrs old in the streams of upstate NY & when my family moved back to the Texas coast I fished like crazy. I picked up a cheap 9' 9wt with floating line & have caught just about all the inshore fish with it. (So you guys are like "So what"). So now to the question, I've started to see some guys fly fishing with shorter rods, like 7' or so & was wondering why? In the streams I could understand, but I'm talking about in the flats, on poled skiffs, fishing for reds. Oh & if you see a 173 Ranger Ghost in the flats around Aransas Pass or Nueces that's my new toy, stop & say hey.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

Only short rods I've seen are "light weight" rods. Can't imagine catching a red on a 3wt? Other then that I have know idea?


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## Joe. T. (Jun 7, 2008)

i have an 8.6 7wt but i hate it.


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## Longshot270 (Aug 5, 2011)

I built my first rod out of a 7 foot casting rod. Total length ended up being around 5 foot. It works great for me because I can easily catch anything on it, it was more durable than any other rod, it fit in the kayak as if it weren't there and it didn't get hung on trees as much. Now that I've had more use with my 9 foot (now 8' 8") I'll be taking the little one with me in the kayak more. But I'm not sure why people would be using them on wide open water. Do they appear to be stiffer? That would be the only reason I can think of.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Looks like your first question may stump the group...myself included. 

Sometimes when we see others doing something, its not necessarily something that is "better" ...sorry but only thing I can think of. 

That Ranger is a fine rig.


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## jsinac (Jan 18, 2010)

I have had a couple of clients recently show up with really short rods. The one I have seen most often is made by Sage and is designed for smallmouth fishing (Scott makes one too I think). I fished with one one day with a friend from Argentina who was in town. He poled, I fished. He swore I would be sold. What it does is load really fast - one false cast and shoot. Obviously, you sacrifice distance. So you have to pick your spots. We poled some west side (LLM) shore lines where we knew the shots would be quick and short. And it works perfectly. I would not want to fish one on the sand or in areas where I knew shots would be long. In the end, it's an expensive toy (aren't they all).


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## Longshot270 (Aug 5, 2011)

jsinac said:


> * What it does is load really fast - one false cast and shoot.* Obviously, you sacrifice distance. So you have to pick your spots. We poled some west side (LLM) shore lines where we knew the shots would be quick and short. And it works perfectly. I would not want to fish one on the sand or in areas where I knew shots would be long. In the end, it's an expensive toy (aren't they all).


That is exactly why I like my little one. I think I'll take it along on my trip to Goose Island this weekend. Sounds like it might come in handy.


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## Redalert (Oct 17, 2006)

TFO mini mag! Check em out


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## Bruce J (Jun 27, 2004)

I haven't tried a shorter rod, but heard they can be useful when pitching in tighter quarters like around mangroves - not that we do that much around here.


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## Coconut Groves (Nov 2, 2011)

If you were to cast an 8' and a 9' rod side by side, you probably wouldn't tell a difference. That extra length is handy when you are in a kayak, and the shorter length when near cover.

I fish the Ross FlyStik rod on lakes (7' 11" rod), but I am primarily throwing sinking lines, which the shorter rod is great for. It isn't as accurate as a 9', but it can throw line and loads well.

A shorter rod also gives you more leverage, so you can fight fish with more power, but for salt water, I am always throwing a 9' from 6 to 12 weight rods.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

I remember now! Sage makes a short one so guys in bass tourney's can use them. Apparently there is a rod length rule.


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## True Blue (Nov 27, 2008)

jsinac said:


> What it does is load really fast - one false cast and shoot.QUOTE]
> 
> This makes sense, & to spooky fish the least amount of movement the better.
> 
> Learn something new everyday.


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## Coconut Groves (Nov 2, 2011)

True Blue said:


> jsinac said:
> 
> 
> > What it does is load really fast - one false cast and shoot.QUOTE]
> ...


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Interesting reading the guides comments above...not sure I agree with him on the shear being a critical factor on Permit......but certainly do agree that a delicate presentation is required, most of the time. A fellow I have Permit fished with says that the angler's motion can be critical...such as in a double haul vs laying out the cast....also swears that bright colored shirts on the flats are a big no, no for Permit as they are super sensitive to detecting any motion at all that is out of the ordinary. 

The only situations I've seen where a short rod would be advantageous would be back in the mangroves and creeks fishing for baby Tarpon...but even then a 7 ft rod wouldn't help that much in some of those places.


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## Coconut Groves (Nov 2, 2011)

Meadowlark said:


> not sure I agree with him on the shear being a critical factor on Permit......but certainly do agree that a delicate presentation is required, most of the time.


After spending a lot of time fishing for permit, I believe anything that is out of the ordinary spooks them. In the case I mentioned, I was positioned perfectly, they were tailing to the side, I was low on the horizon, and I definitely wasn't wearing a loud colored shirt. 

Seriously, I questioned the shear as well, but after spending 4 days with this guide, who is on the water 250 days a year for nothing but permit, I learned a lot. I stopped questioning and started doing, and my game increased dramatically. Even if the shear isn't true, it taught me to not shoot line and haul fast to spooky fish, or in calm conditions.

I put these same techniques to use for carp, which are super spooky and have a mouth similar to a permit. I go out with my buddies and they can't believe how many more carp I catch on the fly than them. They have actually given up after numerous shots went uneaten, to only watch me catch one within the next few minutes.


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