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What is the advantage of buying a shorter or longer fishing rod?

I am looking into buying a new fishing rod and the two options are either a 5'10" rod or a longer 6'6" rod, i usually just fish the detroit river and i do many different styles from casting to trolling to jigging and pretty much anything that's working. but i would like to know what the advantages of getting the shorter rod would be and what the advantages of getting the longer rod would be, also please let me know any disadvantages either might have, they are the same brand same price same everything except for the length, both are even medium action. Thank you for helping me with this.

Public Comments

1. i think the only difference is room for storage and amount of string
2. bigger rod for bigger fish...
3. the length of the rod, either can help with you for distance casting, or with the feel of the rod when you're getting hit or what not, or it can help you direct your lures and create "liveliness" in your lure, lengths of the rod is usually on the owners preference
4. Depends on what species you are fishing for. I fish for walleyes and muskies mainly and i never use anything smaller than my 7' and i have a 9' for muskies. The 9' makes it very effortless to do my figure 8's and casts those big plugs a lot better and easier. You would be surprised how much a difference it is from 6'6" to a 7'. Once you use a longer rod you'll never go back. You will have a lot more control over your fish with a longer rod especially if you are catching big fish.
5. longer rods can give you better casting range and also allow you to change the direction of lures as they swim more easily. Shorter rods can make it easier to get into tuck away places if you are likely to be casting from among trees etc. they allow short, underarm casting more easily to avoid branch snags.
6. 6'6 rods work good for long casts, the 5'10 would be a good rod to store in a car.
7. In the days of old I would always use the rods that were under six foot long.Several years back I bought a 6'6" rod and was amazed at the better hook sets, more control over the fish after hook up, more control over the lure while fishing, and a general better feel of the finesse lures while fishing them. If storage space is not a factor go with the longer rod. It does make a difference.