Whats the difference between a

[Andrew1990]

Ok, my 202 broke today while reeling in a bass. I am going to be buying a spinning reel and new pole.

I was just wondering what the difference was between a 5 foot pole and a 7 foot pole besides the length. Does one give me a better advantage?

Also, I am on a tight budget of $50. It seems I can get a Shakespeare reel and pole for $30 and then get some line and hooks with the rest of my budget. Has anyone used low end shakespeare stuff before?

 

[MoPHo]

IIRC, Longer rods are good for bigger fish and fishing area. Shorter rods work better in water with thicker grass.

Edit: also depends on bait you're using I think...

 

[isekii]

2 ft

 

[DrawninwarD]

nvm

 

[Oceandevi]

Originally posted by: isekii
2 ft

3 ft

 

[Pliablemoose]

That's what she said...

 

[Andrew1990]

Originally posted by: MoPHo
IIRC, Longer rods are good for bigger fish and fishing area. Shorter rods work better in water with thicker grass.

Edit: also depends on bait you're using I think...

Ok, if I mainly fish open lakes and creeks, a longer pole would be better suited?

 

[zoiks]

Fishing rods come in different variations. Shakespeare is a very low end brand though they do make some stuff that lasts. Its usually not of the highest quality however. I suggest a 7ft medium-fast action rod with a slight stiffer tip. These rods tend to cast better. However it all depends on what you're trying to catch in what conditions.
I myself have over 40 rods for each type of fishing conditions though I tend to fish saltwater exclusively.

 

[Jumpem]

Approximately 2 feet.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The difference is that one is longer then the other.

</smartass reply>



On serious note, you can probably shoot further with a longer one as you get more speed out of the movement. Though they're probably a pain in small boats.

 

[MoPHo]

Originally posted by: Andrew1990

Originally posted by: MoPHo
IIRC, Longer rods are good for bigger fish and fishing area. Shorter rods work better in water with thicker grass.

Edit: also depends on bait you're using I think...

Ok, if I mainly fish open lakes and creeks, a longer pole would be better suited?

I really think it's more about the game you're going for...I haven't fished in a while but I seem to remember my grandfather talking about getting longer rods for bigger fish or ones that thrash more.

 

[Andrew1990]

Maybe I'll go the center route and get a 6' or 6'6" pole.

Time to research all night.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: isekii
2 ft

This.

 

[DrPizza]

Get an ugly stick. (Shakespeare) It'll be a huge improvement over your Zebco 202 pole. HUGE. More important than the length is the action - medium would probably be best for you.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: isekii
2 ft

More or less.

 

[Andrew1990]

I just went with a cheap 8ft Shakespeare spinner combo. I figure if I was going after fish, I would aim big.

 

[wiredspider]

I always thought longer better, but I kept getting my rod stuck in trees when I went trout fishing last week, lol.

 

[sao123]

what kind of reel did you buy?

 

[Newbian]

Ask your gf...

 

[alkemyst]

length doesn't mean much without a rating.

 

[Juddog]

I think whether you are a master baiter or not is more important than the length of your rod.

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Get an ugly stick. (Shakespeare) It'll be a huge improvement over your Zebco 202 pole. HUGE. More important than the length is the action - medium would probably be best for you.

forget the ugly stick, get an 18 inch hugenrod.

 

[spidey07]

Longer rods are generally better for bigger fish (think 10+ pounds) and you can also cast them a mile, but you can lose sensitivity/feel. What good is having a big rod if you lose sensitivity and can't catch a thing?

We use Ugly stics for big striped bass in the 15-35 pound range. No feel is needed for that, just a really strong rod. This is trolling live bait so casting doesn't matter either.