I have a spare medium reel and My cousin keeps tellin me to get an 8 or 9 foot rod for fishing out at the lake.He says that it will cast further.Is distance the only thing to gain from a longer rod?.I would appreciate any input,Pros and Cons and also if I do decide to get one.I was wondering what a good choice would be I'd like to stay under $50.Thanks in advance for any info.
Sam, NAFC Life Member ,North Central PAwww.reinstatehank.org

               BA I have 3 med`s a 9` , 9.5` and a 10`, all cast amazing.Check out Basspro there having a big sale right now.Ugly stik probably has one in your price range.
Old-fart Catfisher

You have more leverage with a longer rod, so you have much better hooking power, but if you enjoy fishing under docks or trees or fishing with topwaters,  like I do, you sure can't do that with such a long rod.

I have a 4'8" Ugly Stik and a 6'6" Shakespeare That I take on every trip.I change up poles like I change lures.I switch back and forth all the time.Thanks Yanosick,O.F I've been looking in to a 9' ugly stik.Thanks Guys.Once I get it I'll let ya know how it works out!!
Sam, NAFC Life Member ,North Central PAwww.reinstatehank.org

A long rod will let you cast further but with a large fish you loose leverage. This should not be a problem with fish under 10# or so. I can tell you that an 18# salmon is much harder to deal with on an 11' rod than a 7' ! Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois

Long rods can also pick up line faster as well as keep line out of the water.

This also needs to be noted. With such a long rod, even though you gain distance, your accuracy will greatly decrease.

I got my reel from the club about 2 weeks ago and I found an Ugly Stik Lite 8ft rod for $40.Since I heard so much bad stuff about the clubs rod I'm gonna get one for this reel and put my midium reel up.
Sam, NAFC Life Member ,Anglers Legacy Ambassador, North Central PAwww.reinstatehank.org

BA: Are you referring to the life member rod? If you are, give it a try, the rod is much better than the reel. I fish my LM rod almost every weekend while the reel is relegated to loaner status on a bargain bin Shimano rod. Don't getme wrong, the reel is ok, just not as good as the rod. I am using a Shimano Solstace FI series reel( one of the older metal frame reels that came with 2 spools) with the club rod, and it is a great combo. The reel the club sent me is fine, but it is a graphite frame reel, and I just don't like them. Tom
Fishin' fool in N.E. Illinois

Now I'm lost!!! The website that I found the 8ft Ugly Stik is gone??vanished,My wifes Grandmother is big on giving  people Lottery tickets for Christmas and I won $50 on a $10 ticket.So I found a 9ft Light Action Whoopin Stick at Cabelas,A site that I know ain't goin no where.It's a Crappie rod.

 But my ? is will it be an OK Bass rod?

 

For about $30 buck including shipping it's a good deal.

 

Another ? is Are Whoopin Sticks as tough as I've heard about?

 

Thanks for any input.

Sam, Lycoming County North Central PA NAFC Life Member ,Angler Legacy Ambassador

Sam: I think you can find a more suitable rod. You didn't specify casting or spinning, but the Whuppin' Stick is a spinning rod. look into the Whuppin' Stick WSSM 80-2 or 90-2 rods (p 95 of '09 cat). Better choice for bass. Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois

I guess I should have worded that different I wasn't intending on using it for bass just wanted to know if it would hold up if a bass would happen to strike,I was panfishing last summer and I caught a 2# bass on a small Beetle Spin jig.I got the 9' crappie rod and I think it would take it.I hear about guys catching big fish on light and ultra light tackle on here so we'll see how I do.
Sam, Lycoming County North Central PA NAFC Life Member ,Angler Legacy Ambassador

Sam: You shouldn't have a problem with any fish under 5#, and if your'e good and patient probably twice that. I have a 7'6" Micro Lite glass rod I use for crappie and I know the day is coming that I end up fighting one of the local northern. Last one I tangled with was about 4# or so, and they have been growing for 18 months in a pond FULL of 'gills. Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois