Hi All, Iv'e been pondering this for a little while now. Even though we are all individuals, with different tastes and strengths. Is there a guide to an ideal rod length for each individual?

As an example, if someone is 5ft 10in, they would use a 9ft rod or 5ft 5in an 8ft 5in rod.

Any help would be appreciated.

Best Regards

smudger564

I have never heard anything about relating height to rod length. I think its all about the environment your fishing and maybe physical strength, but not sure on the later. I am 6'2", I use a light 7'6" rod for small forest streams, because of the trees above. I use a fast 9' #5 rod on open lakes and big rivers. I use my 10' 4# for tail waters (drys, larva/pupa and emergers). A girl I fish with is like 5' 6" and she can cast 70 feet all day , she always has a 9' fast action rod in her hands. (behave pervs)
I think it all comes down to personal casting ability/style. Try out several rods until you find something you like, then try to understand why you like it. As with anything the more you practice the better you get. then your rod preferences may change. Not everything comes down to rules or science, sometimes thing just feel right.
I sure one of the pro's will come along shortly and give you a better answer.
hope that helps a bit...

Thanks Darwin, I can understand personal preference and all. My misses doesn't fish, so I can't get a woman's perspective. Also, as you say, your surroundings and what you are fishing for, may dictate what length too.

Would it be feasible to size people to rod length? (I think I may be opening up a can of worms here). The common conception used to be, that 9ft 3 was an ideal rod length, but for what height of person?

Let's face it, most people aren't the same height are they?

I've never heard that. As a boy, I started off with maybe a 7 or 8 foot fibreglass rod but I think that was more to do with relative strength than height. Won't matter as much now with carbon rods.

Apparently that's why the Michael Evans all rounder is that length...........birdsnest

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Without having given the topic much thought I can't imagine many women collecting tackle like most of us here - one woman, one rod.

This is a bit of a pointless question that can have no answer smudger.

Fly rod selection is like selecting the correct horse for course. The rod (and appropriate size line/leader setup) should suit the venue/terrain. It should also be matched to the quarry species/size, and be appropriate to deliver the copy of the food source,(if any.)

All of those parameters, and a good dose of personal preference, none of them involving height or body mass, (unless the angler is very young. infirm or handicapped in some way) are the only rationale' an adult should use in selecting the correct fly rod and line combination.

David.

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Well he's not that far off - in many sports the length of say, an oar or paddle, skis or snowboard, is estimated as a function of user heigth. A decent shotgun is fitted to the user. Alone the accepted wisdom that a 9' rod is the optimal starting point comes from generations of balancing the weight of a cane rod versus average user height/strength.

Whilst you are right in your discussion of quarry/terrain a fast 8'8" will get you as far as a medium 9' rod which will get you as far a slow 10' on a water normally considered 9' territory. Then there is the weight of the rod and the balancing of the reel. Whilst your general weapons may be chosen to suit quarry/terrain the (expensive) fine tuning is done to suit your physique.

100% spot on.

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Spot on generally.

Powerful and long single handed rods have some constraints based on strength rather than height. 10'6" size 8/9 rods used to be very popular but for many they were highly unsuitable for continuous long casting and they could give tendon problems.