The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

With the Rattle Snakes. Ants and other pests, I try to stay on my feet as much as possible. I have had to fish as close as 5' from coiled Rattlers and needed to watch for Bears and Mountain Lions. Yes I could fish a 10' rod but short is easier and more fun. Also hiking along the stream is easier with a short rod. Like most things in life, you either love them or hate them. When I was in Collage I had no rod for awhile and was given a 6' fiberglass rod, after learning to cast properly with a short rod I never looked back at long rods

That is a fantastic rod, I‘d love to fish one like that! I too favor shorter rods, I think bamboo is at its best at 6.5 to 7.5 foot. I own a 10 ft rod but I cannot enjoy it. For my boat fishing for trout (loch style) I went back to carbon.

Liphook wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2019 5:16 pm Callum Gladstone (and formerly Tom Moran) makes superb cane rods under the Hardy banner these days, far superior to any of the older models in my opinion, but at a price!

I heard a lot about Gladstone rods. Have you ever fished one?

Yes I have fished with 3 different models if only for short periods. One of our syndicate members has a collection of cane that includes 4 Gladstone rods! I don't own any but come that Lotto win.....

No offence meant here but has the little Hardy rod been restored? I only ask as the writing on it is awful and surely cannot be original. Also, what are we looking at in picture 6.

Wal.

Wallys-Cast wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 7:45 pm No offence meant here but has the little Hardy rod been restored? I only ask as the writing on it is awful and surely cannot be original. Also, what are we looking at in picture 6.

Wal.

I vetted the rod before purchasing. It has not been refinished. The awful writing you refer to was the norm on these rods. I am posting a picture of another Hardy Banty currently for sale by a Tackle Dealer next to my rods signature.

Nigel Rainton wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2019 8:46 pm I've fished small streams for over 50 years, usually on my knees or belly amongst a veritable jungle. I use a 10' rod, it is not a handicap. Bow-and-arrow casts are easier, dabbling a dry fly is easier.

My own experiences on small overgrown steams some with high banks are in tune with Nigel, never used a 10’ but my 7’ 6’’ does all I need, within reason I think the length of the rod is not so important as getting in the right place, and given that some of us are tall and others not so and more agile / flexible that plays a part, the Hardy rod looks a bit like an ‘apprentice piece’ but it’s obviously not, I can’t see how such a short rod flex’s properly when playing a fish, however I know some of you chaps will tell me I’m wrong. We know the master casters like Lee Wulf can do great things particularly demonstrating off the water but for us average or in my case worse...casters a rod length like 5’ isn’t any good.

Ghstrydr164 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 19, 2019 5:42 am

Wallys-Cast wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 7:45 pm No offence meant here but has the little Hardy rod been restored? I only ask as the writing on it is awful and surely cannot be original. Also, what are we looking at in picture 6.

Wal.

I vetted the rod before purchasing. It has not been refinished. The awful writing you refer to was the norm on these rods. I am posting a picture of another Hardy Banty currently for sale by a Tackle Dealer next to my rods signature.

Sorry if any offence was caused, non was meant, it is just hard to believe a company like Hardy would let a rod leave their factory looking like that.

Wal.

Surely playing a fish especially an energetic Trout would be
Ridiculous on such a small rod - I have tried 6’ spinning rods - bloody awful. Surely a gimmick? If I had to resort to casting a line with my arm I’d prefer to learn the gentle art of tickling a Trout - which I have witnessed - the chap was very successful - but nowhere as near as much fun as catching with a decent rod and line. An interesting oddity none the less.

As I said before short or long rods are either loved or hated. They are nitch rods as are rods of any length , I do not care for long rods but I understand that they serve a purpose for certain types of fishing and waters and a persons casting style. If that was not true then we would only have one rod length and taper with only one type of line.

Not all rods of any length are created equal. The taper is the main factor, depending on the taper two 5' rods may cast as different as night and day and require a different line weight and design (DT, WF...) to preform as designed. When I was younger I could only afford one rod and reel and I had to make that work for all of my fishing and it did, but when I was able to afford more I was able to fish rods and reels that worked better for certain types of fishing. I like to play a fish not mussel it in so a light rod will be great for playing a 6” trout but that same fish on a stiff long rod would not give me any pleasure

I could go on forever but I will finish by saying, I was a member of a casting club with a great casting pond and many members. I had the opportunity to cast many types of rods and in my hands they did not all preform well and I did not like them, but their owners loved them and cast very well with them or they would not have loved them and I am sure that had I spent the time to learn how to make that rod work for my casting style I might have loved them also.