Jim Tutt still relies on 6-foot and 6-6 rods when accuracy is a must.
“ Andy is a tall guy with really long arms, so he’ s naturally higher above the water than me – I’ m 5-11 – when he’ s fishing,” Bolton says.“ He can throw a 7 1 / 2-footer like I throw a 6 1 / 2- footer. The height factor is really important, in my opinion.”
Roll-Cast Accuracy
The Kentucky pro adds that he finds a shorter rod to be particularly advantageous when performing low-trajectory roll-casts with everything from spinnerbaits to Texas rigs.
“ I like a shorter rod, like a 6-6, around boat docks where you are having to cast under cables, support arms or the dock itself, or when making tight casts around bushes, stumps, low-hanging limbs and other bank cover,” he says.“ I think it gives you a little better angle to keep the bait at a low trajectory. It helps you lay the bait into tight spots much softer and more accurately.”
Bolton believes making subtle, precise presentations can be especially beneficial when bass are relating to isolated pockets of shade or holding tight to cover during the spawn.
“ There are times when the difference between a good cast and bad cast is about an inch,” he explains.“ An inch too far and you’ re hung up or the fish doesn’ t bite it. It’ s a big deal during the spawn, when the fish are holding tight to cover. The key is to get the bait in there soft to get the drop on the fish and then hope its protective instincts kick in.”
Tutt says a 6-6, medium-heavy rod played a big role in his fourth-place finish in the 2016 Costa FLW Series event on Fort Gibson Lake. He was fishing shallow laydowns up the Grand River, and making accurate, subtle entry presentations with a ChatterBait was an important key to getting bit.
Less Fatigue, Easier Manipulation
Two more reasons Tutt prefers short rods over long ones are related to physics. For starters, he thinks a shorter rod is more sensitive for feeling subtle bites. The Ranger pro also says it isn’ t necessary to move a 6-foot rod as far to impart action to a Zara Spook or a Senko, and it’ s lightweight, which results in less fatigue at the end of the day.
Similarly, walking-style topwaters, poppers and jerkbaits are typically brought to life by the angler using staggered twitches of the rod tip, and Bolton believes it is much easier to accomplish and maintain the proper cadence using a short rod with a softer action.
“ I’ ll even use a shorter rod like a 6-10 when I’ m lifting and dropping spinnerbaits on ledges in open water,” he says.“ I think it makes me a little faster on the hookset if a fish bites the bait on the fall, too.”
Other design elements of the rod factor in, too. For instance, Tutt prefers a rod with a short 8- to 10-inch handle for baits that require a lot of rod tip manipulation.
Naturally, there are anglers who will always prefer longer rods because they match up better with their physical build. There are also techniques and presentations – long-distance casting, pitching, lobbing big swimbaits, flipping, extra-deep cranking, etc. – where a longer rod constitutes a definite advantage. Still, short rods have their place as well. They can deliver impressive casting accuracy in close quarters and render easy bait manipulation with low user fatigue. That alone makes them valuable tools for tournament anglers.
SHORT-ROD CHOICES
Terry Bolton:
Jerkbaits / Small crankbaits / Small topwaters – 6-8, medium-light, fast-action Lew’ s custom speed stick series
Spinnerbaits / ChatterBaits – 6-10, medium-heavy, fast-action Lew’ s custom Lite speed stick series
Poppers / Walking topwaters – 6-8, medium-light, fast-action Team Lew’ s custom Lite speed stick
Small spinnerbaits / Bladed jigs / Topwaters – 6- 10, medium-heavy, fast-action Team Lew’ s custom Pro speed stick series
Jim Tutt:
Topwaters / Senkos / Jerkbaits – 6-foot, mediumaction rod with a medium-fast tip and a short 8- to 10-inch handle
Spinnerbaits / ChatterBaits / Texas rigs / Squarebills – 6-6, medium-heavy rod with a fairly stiff tip ■
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FLWFISHING. COM I FEBRUARY-MARCH 2018