Your gonna hear everything from 8 foot to 3 foot rods are best. I personally like my little 4 footer to shoot docks. Use what you got. Take em out and practice and find what you like.
Going to give dock shooting a shot (pun intended) this year. I know I must have over 40 rods, and don't want to buy another if I don't need to. I read somewhere that a 6 foot rod with fast action is the ideal rod for dock shooting. I have a 6ft. Gander Mountain fast action rod I could use, but; I kinda like the 5 foot Charlie Brewer rod which I never use. I am going to start practicing and don't want to start out with the wrong rod. Any opinions about 5 or 6 foot? Thanks, Pop
Your gonna hear everything from 8 foot to 3 foot rods are best. I personally like my little 4 footer to shoot docks. Use what you got. Take em out and practice and find what you like.
Personal Best 17 1/2"
" Let us endeavor so to live, that when we come to die, even the undertaker will be sorry." Mark Twain
Man you just got to try different rods and see what works for you. That being said I like a 5'6 lighting rod with a zebco delta reel but everyone is different. I will say the shorter the rod the easier it is for beginners. There's also all different techniques some skip the jig some shoot it under the dock.
fishervet LIKED above post
I would say go with the longest rod you can comfortably handle. I used to use a 5ft rod, then went to a 5'6" rod (primary dock shooting) ... but , went to occasionally using a 6'6" rod. All of them would shoot/skip a jig under the dock about equally as far. I broke the 5'6" rod, so now I will likely stick with the 6'6" rod for dock shooting, since I will always have it in the boat ... because it's my primary jig casting rod.
The only real difference I can tell between the 5' & 6'6" rods, is mostly in how much arm movement is needed to set the hook. The 5' rod has moderate action, and the 6'6" rod has very fast action (along with the extra 1.5' of length) ... so the longer rod takes up slack faster and the action difference makes for a stronger hookset with less arm power/movement.
Once you get the fundamentals down, get your line release timing down, and learn to aim with the line between the jig & the rod tip ... it won't feel awkward or be of much concern about what length rod you use.
... cp
chadchester1, NoMore32 LIKED above post
Dock shooting is my thing. You should find a rod in what you have. I have used short,long and in between rods. A fast tip with some backbone to get them out in a hurry is the ticket. I would say do not use a power handle, it gets in the way. I bought a ozark dock shooter it has a power handle, gets stuck in my belly.
BNM has a new 6ft dock rod, I have 2 of them and they will get to the back of most docks. Hope this helps but be careful you will get hooked.
I'm not officially a dock shooter ...but I do use the "dock shooting" method to cast in windy weather ... (Helps keep bow in line close to the water where the wind doesn't catch the line as bad) ...
My Sam Heaton 9' does wonderful ...
Rickie
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My wife lets me buy all the rods and reels I can hide.VaCrappieMan LIKED above post
I use a Berkley Cherrywood 5.5' fast tip, light weight , and cheap.
I used to use a Cherrywood, but they break the tips to easy. I now use a BnM Sharpshooter. I really like the Sharpshooter, I also use a Ugly stick in the 6' light size. it will put a 1/32 oz jig back as far as you want.
dave
in currituckNoMore32 LIKED above post
Try the new BnM Sharp Shooter 6. The pole is one piece, 6ft long, micro tip, touch system, cork handle, and fixed reel seat. The pole produces long accurate shots with super sensitive tip and plenty of back bone to wrench slabs out from under any dock. Monk's, Grizzly Jig, and Bass Pro stock the pole.