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Versatile rods
Short rods (under 8 feet) are often reserved for crowded streams, where no other rod will do. But they're capable of much more than that. Especially for casting enthusiasts who put pleasure before efficiency.
Practising in rivers from 15 to 30 m wide, I happily use 7.6-foot rods. If I'm reluctant to fish the water in the absence of gobbles when I have my 9-footer in hand, I do it with pleasure with my little 7.6-footer. It then becomes a game of pulling out line, making pretty loops and meticulously combing the spots. An excellent exercise for those who want to improve their casting technique.
As far as versatility is concerned, these short rods are of course not the best, as it will be difficult to obtain long drifts in nymphing or to cast streamers. But what a pleasure to cast or fight a fish with such a foil. Their size also gives them the advantage of being more discreet when fishing. When you see the shadow cast by your rod on a sunny day, this is a considerable advantage over even the most wary fish.
Short rods with a variety of actions
Small rod doesn't necessarily mean short-range fishing, small fish or dry fishing only. It's true that 10 years ago, these rods between 6 and 8 feet were very parabolic in action. This is no longer the case, as the market has evolved and so has the choice, and we can now find short rods with a variety of actions. Some of them have a fast action, capable of generating a lot of line speed and allowing long distance casts if necessary. This makes them ideal for sight-fishing nymphs. These short, fast rods have all the qualities required for this technique. They are easy to handle and get into action very quickly. No problem fighting pretty fish with authority either.
These short rods for medium-sized rivers are therefore 100% fun to use. What's more, if you have a short rod in your tackle, you can introduce a youngster to fly fishing. But please don't start him off with an 11-footer and a tungsten ball nymph!
