# Who buys all then short rods?



## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

Serious question. When ever I go into any sporting goods store, I see tons of short rods. Never any longer rods. I personally know just one guy that uses them. Everyone else I know and everywhere I fish around here in the sw corner of the state all use custom longer rods. I’m talking 4 to 5 ft long. About half the guys have small spinning reels, but the other half use schooly reels. But still you’ll see some with just line pegs to wrap line around.
Is this something the my little section still does? Where everywhere else they use little short jobber length rods.


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## Jim_MI (Jul 9, 2012)

My shelter is a 1-man flip. No way I could jig anything longer than about 34". So even though I'm not always in the shelter, all my rods can be comfortably used when I am in the shelter.

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## june bugger (Oct 28, 2015)

I prefer 28''-30'' works good inside and outside


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Yup and reels only if the water is deep .I have a couple 16" too .Simple is better most of the time .


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## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

jimbo said:


> Serious question. When ever I go into any sporting goods store, I see tons of short rods. Never any longer rods. I personally know just one guy that uses them. Everyone else I know and everywhere I fish around here in the sw corner of the state all use custom longer rods. I’m talking 4 to 5 ft long. About half the guys have small spinning reels, but the other half use schooly reels. But still you’ll see some with just line pegs to wrap line around.
> Is this something the my little section still does? Where everywhere else they use little short jobber length rods.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


I've got a dozen ice blues rods from 18 thru 36". In wind, I like shorter rods. I also have a couple of the custom long rods around 52". I use them all.


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## bobberbill (Apr 5, 2011)

A couple of mine started out as long rods.....


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

Sounds like it might be a local thing


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## Smallie12 (Oct 21, 2010)

24"-36" for me so they all fit in my hard case and can be used in any scenario in and out of shanty. I also like the challenge of bigger fish on smaller rods.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

Short rod keeps all your business in front of you. No need to flag the crowds!


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

I don't think I have ever seen anyone use a 4'+ rod on the ice.


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## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

sureshot006 said:


> I don't think I have ever seen anyone use a 4'+ rod on the ice.



If you've never used a long whip like a Higley or a Patriot for shallow bulls and jumbos, you haven't lived. But if you are among strangers that you really don't want making holes right next to you, then Frank is on the money:


Big Frank 25 said:


> Short rod keeps all your business in front of you. No need to flag the crowds!


I can pull gill after gill, put them in the pail I'm sitting on...and nobody even knows I've caught a fish. Just depends where your fishing, and how charitable you feel with your honey hole.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

I also liked them short to bury a spare in a bucket while I sat on it. Learn to rollup the line and 10-12 feet of water can be fished with not too much flash.


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

sureshot006 said:


> I don't think I have ever seen anyone use a 4'+ rod on the ice.


My favorite is a 6’ inner flow. All my others are 5 ft long.
And I’ve never been in a shanty


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

jimbo said:


> My favorite is a 6’ inner flow. All my others are 5 ft long.
> And I’ve never been in a shanty
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Right cause it wouldn't ever fit lol

They must not fish much below 32F? Seems like iced guides or rod and iced line 6' away would be a real PITA.


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## knotforcharter (Feb 4, 2014)

I have a couple rods a little longer than my rod case which is 32". When I take 3 Walleye rods and 3 light rods for perch it gets a little crowded in there even when I fold the handles in. I keep staring at my baseball bat bag as an alternative.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

Thats why there are so many in the clearance bins at the end of the season.


sureshot006 said:


> I don't think I have ever seen anyone use a 4'+ rod on the ice.


Mine is a hollow glass 
55 inches and that is all I have used for the last 50 years. I will use a shorter one if I take my shanty


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## jiggerjarvi (Jan 17, 2010)

I’ve got a 48”, homemade rod I picked up at a swap meet years ago, impulse buy, I should dust it off and post up to see if it’s any count....


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

Guess I can see the shorter rods in 32 ft of water, but God, that’s deep. I got my 3rd limit this morning off the same submerged island in about 9 ft of water. 


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## jiggerjarvi (Jan 17, 2010)

The specs as I see them 
48.25” long overall 
38.5” from cork to tip
9.75”X1.125” cork handle that is slightly tapered towards the back, is either glued or set in epoxy. 
6 eyelets that are covered with material that gives it a nice smooth finish. 

NO markings on it anywhere....so can anyone tell me more?


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

jimbo said:


> Guess I can see the shorter rods in 32 ft of water, but God, that’s deep. I got my 3rd limit this morning off the same submerged island in about 9 ft of water.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Lots of people fish over 9 ft deep.

I dont understand why anyone would need a 4-6' rod for panfish. For stuff that actually fights, sure.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

ajkulish said:


> I use a 25 UL most of the time but have a pair of 26 L and a 28 ML. I fish while kneeling or sitting and often use a shanty. I also fish with a flasher 90% of the time, the other 10% is sight fishing. I have had some really incredible days this year, and all of them have been a result of uber-sensitive rods and electronics. Really dont know how I would catch any fish without both lol.
> 
> How do you guys see light bites on a long rod? I have a hard enough time seeing them on the ML..... But the 25UL tells no lies. After using that flat tip (tickle stick) I couldn't imagine going back to line watching. Cant remember the last time I hooked a fish anywhere except right on the upper lip since using it.r me, this game is allllll about the tiniest jig movements underwater. These short, light action rods allow me to almost make the bait vibrate. Have had almost no luck (this year) just letting the jig sit still, and have been scaring off bigger fish with taller jig motions, But just making it flicker has been making them commit. Not sure how you'd do that on a long rod.


You have to be good to use a long rod LOL. I have an adjustable spring bobber on mine after the tip got broken off and I have it set real light if they breathe on it it will show. I like the smallest bait I can get. I got one of those new reels that was suppose to be all that great. I used it once and went back to my old rod and spinning reel. I had a guy make a UL pole for it and the pole is great but I felt naked without the pole I used for so many years You know what they say anyone who uses a long rod is use to handling long things


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

jimbo said:


> Sight fishing.
> I kind of hate to ask this too, but do most people in other areas sit inside their shanty’s?
> I think there was just 1 shanty set up Saturday morning on the lake I was on. Just one with about 40 guys.
> Sunday, there may have been 2 and about 20 guys.
> ...


I have a shanty and the only thing I ever used it for was sight fishing smelt. I used it a couple of times for gills but took the snowmobile or quad. It was to much stuff to hall out all the time. I just stand out in the weather. A few years ago I bought a used walker and mod that for r seat. It is high enough I can get up easy and therail along theback makes a good back rest


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

jimbo said:


> Sight fishing.
> I kind of hate to ask this too, but do most people in other areas sit inside their shanty’s?
> I think there was just 1 shanty set up Saturday morning on the lake I was on. Just one with about 40 guys.
> Sunday, there may have been 2 and about 20 guys.
> ...


 a lot do.


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## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

The long road is mostly a thing in sw michigan. Anywhere else I go I get lots of questions and looks. Out of state I've never seen one. That said I do use ti core 20in. And sul tickle sticks for tourneys most of the time and in deeper water now.


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

ajkulish said:


> After using that flat tip (tickle stick) I couldn't imagine going back to line watching. Cant remember the last time I hooked a fish anywhere except right on the upper lip since using it.


Love them rods. Have another on it's way. It's all I use now.


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

TK81 said:


> I use something extremely similar to this:
> View attachment 498223
> 
> 
> ...


That's a sweet spring bobber, I've only seen the ones that ice up after 1 second below 32 degrees. That'll work!


Ranger Ray said:


> Love them rods. Have another on it's way. It's all I use now.


It's almost impossible to use anything else. What most people don't realize is that the flat tip will ONLY bend the way you want it to - there is no side-to-side motion. So wind affects it very little, and it's clear as day when a fish hits. The tiniest motions can start and stop instantly and give that jig some awesome action. Even my other light action rods will shake back and forth after I shake the jig for a second, leaving me clueless as to whether or not a fish bites right after I give them the sauce. Might get another one of these days. 

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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

How do you see light bites? Total concentration I guess. This lake I fished last weekend is known for light biters. I know I set the hook on false bites sometimes. These fish sometimes just hold the bite and don’t really move. I got a lot of fish by jigging 2 ft off bottom, then slowly, real slowly going down to the bottom. If my spring bobber showed bottom before I actually got there, set the hook. 
I know a lot of those guys struggle with real light bites. Especially with wind. That’s why I went to the inner flow rods. The extra exposed line blowing between the line guides is worse then from your rod tip down the the hole


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

ajkulish said:


> That's a sweet spring bobber, I've only seen the ones that ice up after 1 second below 32 degrees. That'll work! It's almost impossible to use anything else. What most people don't realize is that the flat tip will ONLY bend the way you want it to - there is no side-to-side motion. So wind affects it very little, and it's clear as day when a fish hits. The tiniest motions can start and stop instantly and give that jig some awesome action. Even my other light action rods will shake back and forth after I shake the jig for a second, leaving me clueless as to whether or not a fish bites right after I give them the sauce. Might get another one of these days.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Be careful how you transport. The yellow is like an epoxy paint. I had one rod lose most the yellow portion, while transporting in a bucket on a snowmobile. The wind created by the speed, had it whipping like a noodle against something.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

jimbo said:


> How do you see light bites? Total concentration I guess. This lake I fished last weekend is known for light biters. I know I set the hook on false bites sometimes. These fish sometimes just hold the bite and don’t really move. I got a lot of fish by jigging 2 ft off bottom, then slowly, real slowly going down to the bottom. If my spring bobber showed bottom before I actually got there, set the hook.
> I know a lot of those guys struggle with real light bites. Especially with wind. That’s why I went to the inner flow rods. The extra exposed line blowing between the line guides is worse then from your rod tip down the the hole
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


I would tightly tie off the line just before the rod tip. No spring bobber. Only the line to watch.


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## jimbo (Dec 29, 2007)

Big Frank 25 said:


> I would tightly tie off the line just before the rod tip. No spring bobber. Only the line to watch.


I don’t really bye into the line twitch. I’ve put kinks in my line, then watched to see if the kink or spring bobber moved first. My test showed my bobber.
But I do know some people really like to use your method and it works good for them..

A few posts back, a guy mentioned his spring bobber icing up. I guess another advantage to long rods is you dont need to reel in. So everything stays dry.
Now using a short rod and spinning reel, doesn’t the line on your reel ice up and cause a lot of trouble when it’s 12 degrees out ?
How do you handle that?


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

Does not the line send direction to the spring? To each their own, I guess.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

jimbo said:


> I don’t really bye into the line twitch. I’ve put kinks in my line, then watched to see if the kink or spring bobber moved first. My test showed my bobber
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


What I do is if they are biting real light I just slowly raise my rod tip and watch the bobber but most time they strike real hard while doing this. One lake I use to fish a lot the specks would hit it on the way down and the line would slack off. Easy to hook and makes you think you are fishing to deep. Shallow up and they move up above where you have been getting them


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

jimbo said:


> I don’t really bye into the line twitch. I’ve put kinks in my line, then watched to see if the kink or spring bobber moved first. My test showed my bobber.
> But I do know some people really like to use your method and it works good for them..
> 
> A few posts back, a guy mentioned his spring bobber icing up. I guess another advantage to long rods is you dont need to reel in. So everything stays dry.
> ...


Shanty.

Icing up while sitting on a bucket is a pain for sure. Can always go old school in deeper water and pull the line up rod tip over hand if need be.


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## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

Big Frank 25 said:


> I would tightly tie off the line just before the rod tip. No spring bobber. Only the line to watch.


I know some old timers that fished exactly that way. Just watch the line. It's an art. I tried it, but found I still like a spring the best. I catch perch, specks, and gills on the drop. Like Scout said, I know how much my spring bends as I drop. If a fish takes as I am dropping, the spring straightens slightly. Rip time.


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## TK81 (Mar 28, 2009)

Was windy last night when I got to the lake last night at 5:15, so I chose my 30" ice blue. Took 75 minutes to put a limit in the bucket. Nothing big, but 7 to 8 inches are awesome to clean. Had 4 or 5 that were maybe 8.5. 10 FOW. Size 14 Marmooska green and yellow with a single red spike. They were snapping.


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## newaygogeorge (Aug 16, 2006)

Love my "18in HT enterprise Ice blue supper flex", always carry 2 in my bag ready to pan-fish rock. Nine inch gill or an eleven inch crappie caught on 2lb test 18in ultra-light is a blast. These rods are surprisingly tough I have put them through hell over the years.


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## june bugger (Oct 28, 2015)

nothing worse than a noodle rod in the wind, line watchers will spank ya every time, lol


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## Bumble (Jan 18, 2002)

The last 2 years I have used those palm rods. I don’t mind hand lining the fish, even in shanty. I have around 20 pre rigged. They fit in a Plano tackle box that stores in my bucket. The bobbers are also super sensitive


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