Man I would not want to be casting with a 9ft rod all day. I bet it wears you out.
The best casting rod that I have is a 7' St Croix trout rod. TSS70LXF2. It'll sling a 1/32 with a BGBS on 4# line.
I have a GLoomis E6X that I dock shoot with. It casts good but I get more distance shooting the jig than I do casting it. I think it's a medium weight rod.
Both are as light as a feather.
longer rods typically have more whip and will cast a bit further , that coupled with the ability to hold the jig higher in the water column easily makes them a bit more suitable for shore adventures .
i prefer an 8 if i think there are substantial size fish in the mix and if its just about distance i like a 7 . i rarely hit the bank 3 hours so the weight of a rod isnt a worry most of the time .
i do know some rods are so light they feel like a straw and can be tough to manage in a breeze .
The old Berkley 7 foot cherry rods are not bad off the bank . but if you want to spend money there are several great rods out there .
I personally feel that much over a 75 bucks or so is about i own a this or that and not about it being that much better than a less expensive rod .
my humble opinion if you will .
sum kawl me tha outlaw ketchn whalesz520tom LIKED above post
I love my St. Croix Panfish 7' LXF. The smaller grip did not take getting used to like I thought it would. I have a 25 President with mine. The 20 seemed to small for me.
Never had to go to a rod over 6.5' as long as it had a light action/good flex when it loads up on the back cast. Lure weight adds to jig head weight so 1/32 oz is not what is being cast with lures adding to it.
example:
You can also use a 1/24 oz ball head jig and get a bit longer casts, slightly heavier weight not affect presentation (lure speed or action). Light line (I always use 6# test braid) is strike sensitive even at 30' and sets the hook far better than mono or line types that have a spool-memory coil and twist.
JMHO
z520tom LIKED above post
Take a look at the line up of rods offered by B n' M (available at Grizzly Jig Co.). They have an extensive line of rods available. And from decades of casting from shore and by boat, I'll tell you what works for me.
It's a B n' M (SHSS7) Sam Heaton Super Sensitive rod in the 7' length. I balance this with a Pflueger series 20 President reel. Filled with 2# test Fireline Crystal braid with a 3' or 4' length of fluorocarbon for a leader. Trust me when I tell you that you can cast this combination all day long with no fatigue. And it will cast 1/16 & 1/32 oz. jig/plastic combinations extremely well.
I've yet to find another rod/reel combination that performs as well as this one, and I've tried many. I have several of these and am very satisfied. JMO!
"A voyage in search of knowledge need never abandon the spirit of adventure."
Jenko makes some nice rods. Their sevens are nice. But I’ve found that a nice reel spooled properly with #3 test will zing that jig on any length rod.
Spoonminnow LIKED above post
BnM Leeland TCB 6 and a half ft.
I have spent most my life fishing........the rest I wasted.
PROUD MEMBER OF TEAM GEEZER
PICO Lures Field Rep