It looks lighter and longer is the new trend in bass fishing. So much so that professional circuits now allow rods of 10 feet when the standard maximum length was previously 8 feet. There is no doubt that rod length has an advantage, especially when long casts, more power and heavy coverage and a heavy line prevail. New materials, charging power and a wide range of actions dynamically increased the effectiveness of these longer sticks.

That said, however, there are still techniques where shorter stems are useful.

For me, it started a few years ago when I fished in the St. Johns River while living in Jacksonville, Florida. Florida is big stick country where heavy blanket and big fish go hand in hand, but I quickly learned that there were places where a 5ft, 6in pistol grip or a 6ft casting rod feet surpassed a split handle or longer shank. I used them for more precise and precise casts and put more action on offer, especially around large docks and undercut banks with overhanging trees and bushes.

Pistol grips

Pistol grip rods were definitely a mainstay in the early years; a 5ft 6in rod was the rod of choice for most anglers. If you watch old fishing tournaments on YouTube, you’ll notice this identical rod in almost every shot.

I still can’t believe we caught worms with that same rod. Setting the hook on a worm was an art, and hooks were missing more than ever. Go “to the point” before your hook actually starts with this rod. Anglers almost needed longer boats so they could back up when hooking up a fish to gain enough leverage, but I found there were certain techniques where it shone. One in particular was minnow imitators like a Rapala Original Minnow 11S or topwater poppers like the Pop-R.

Throwing the chip-like Rapala Minnow seems like a cinch with the pistol grip and at the time we fished it on eel pockets and around brush, especially during the pre-spawn where I could pluck a cast into the quarter size spot and wiggle it into place without moving the bait too much. Today, I still fish it on undercut banks and around denser cover. This subtle contraction of just sniffing the bait underwater and letting it sit is still enough to attract a bite. With the popper, a light roll cast allows me to place the bait precisely on the edge or even in the center of the bush. I saw one of the best of all time, Craig Powers, use the popper with a pistol grip and his success is legendary. It can throw it through a thimble, and the pistol grip is an integral part of it.

Hook sets with either of the aforementioned techniques are as simple as engaging the wrist and winching with the spool. Both techniques work particularly well on the monofilament line. I usually used 12 pounds or less.

Throwing other baits like spinnerbaits during roll casting also works well with a pistol grip rod, especially when fishing under overhanging trees and in tight spaces. Paralleling the undercut banks with the current is an excellent technique for removing large fish from the junk. This type of rod is versatile and still has its place in our arsenals.

Throwing rods

Short spinning rods have fallen into disuse in recent years, but if you have a lake full of docks, you better find one. Short spinning rods are great for jumping and you can get closer to the docks only with a longer stick. A nearby flick of the wrist allows the bait to fall into areas where other anglers may not be able to get them. Small Worms, Ned Platforms, Small Crabs, Tubes and Senkos mounted on a 1/4 ounce WOO Tungsten Weight is the case and are excellent bait choices. I think a faster spinning reel is a must with a shorter rod. Finding a 6.4: 1 or higher works best for this style.

Another advantage of the short rod is that it requires a quick snap set, and taking the fish out of the junk seems to work better. This is close combat at its best. When you master the leaf jump technique, you can put the bait on a dime every time. Most anglers cannot do this with longer rods.

Just like a toolbox full of tools, not all rod choices are created equal. Each provides a way to do a certain job. Not all screwdrivers are the same shape or length, and the shanks are the same. Hooks, tackle, bait, rods and reels are all designed for a specific technique. Although the rods seem to get longer and longer, there are times when “going short” can pay huge dividends.