9 foot rods

Is anyone using a rod longer than 8'6"?? If so, do you recommend them?? I am bouncing around the notion of going "longer" for next year and just wanted some feedback.


Thanks in advance!

I use a 9' rod and love it. The figure 8's are great. I've used the Maina ones and the new Hulbert rod.
The Maina rod is a little limber for my liking on the figure 8. The Hulbert rod has been great for me. I literally use it to through everything from a baby SS Shad to a pounder.
I would say go for it myself. I have a custom 8'6" Thorne Bros. rod that I used for everything before, but it feels small at times now. Doesn't seem like 6" would make much difference, but it does. (Insert joke here......)

I just got one of the new tackle industries 9 fters 2 weeks ago. Feels good and makes casting big rubber and big blades easier.

I throw the 9'3"XH okuma. It is great for throwing heavy rubber, large cranks and big blades. At first, it felt awkward, but now it is natural to have a rod that long. It is very easy to stand straight up and figure 8. My shortest rod right now is 8'.

I use a 9' medium light and the biggest thing i like about it is that i feel like i have more control especially doing the 8's. It's great for drifting live bait too.

When I am fishing out of my boat, the bow is higher of course so that is what got me thinking about going 9 or 9.5 on the next rod I get. The 8.5's are working fine but like John said, an extra 6 inches will make things much easier.

Are the longer rods you guys are using 1 piece or 2??


Thanks for the input.

I was inquiring about this too on another website. I got a lot of feedback but it left me uncertain which way to go. Here's what I got out of it...

Okuma 9'3'... telescoping rod for around $130... users seemed to like but some said too heavy... I think it had a 5 year warranty.

Musky armor (Mike Hulbert) 9' one piece rod... users found it great for all applications and is very lightweight comppared to others same length... $130 plus $65 shipping to Pa... kinda, maybe, sorta guarantee but no warranty.

Tackle Industries... 9' rod... this one is pretty new but users seemed pleased with it... it comes in 8'6" then you put a 6" extension on the butt end (I wouldn't think this would help much for figure 8's)... $130 5 yr warranty and I think he had them for $100 for a limited time.

I'm using an 8'6" st croix and like it but would like to go longer as well. Any other feedback would be great.

2 piece here. Hey another story for you guys. I don't spend all that money on rods like you guys, which i don't have anyhow, but 2 years ago i go to Wally World and am checking out the 9' South Bend. Tag says $40 and i look it over very carefully as i always do for anything i buy there. It had a very small crack where the 2 pieces go together. I show the guy and tell him it's broke. He agrees it is cracked. I'm thinking the whole time it's an easy fix with some crazy glue. I tell the guy i'll give him $10 for it. He calls his manager and he agrees so i take the rod, walk over and grab some crazy glue too. I spend $4 on the glue and $10 on the 9 footer and i have used this rod for 2 years now without a problem. It's a cheap rod but it works, feels great and handles big fish very well. I like the control i have over the bigger fish when trying to turn them into going in a different direction, of course they don't always oblige, lol.

Do you want to sell it?? I will give you 28.00 for it.....a 100% profit is a great deal. :)

lol...just released a fat 32 using it with a 4" creek shiner. Put up a good fight for a couple minutes until i pressured it a bit. The way it shook it's head several times i thought it was an eye. Very nice healthy fish for the size. If it wasn't raining i would have had a pic.

I like that you can change the handles around on the tackle industries rod. I tried to get one of the musky armor rods a few months back but when i found out it was $65 shipping i was less than thrilled to spend that money to ship so i opted out. Got the the tackle ind for a $100 shipped to my door. My one downfall is my boat is lower to the water than most boats from my front casting deck so my figure 8s are a little deeper than i'm used to at the moment, once i get used to it i'll be back in action. I did notice when i picked my 8ft st croixs back up that they almost felt short, but i wouldnt trade them for the world!

some of us can admit..."if i had all the money that i spent before i found"... my magic combination is the daiwa luna 300 on a custom 9' xh croix legend big dawg rod. when standing and leaning against the high pedestal seat up front in my deep v i barely have to lean forward to do a good figure 8. great rod / reel combo that i have in my hands 95% of the time. love it for everything from light weight shad raps / db 8's to mag dogs and most everything in between. when throwing db 10's the rod is perfect for me since it only loads up just a slight bit in the 8. the identical rod with an avet sx 2 speed (2 reels in one...6:1 and 4:1 ratios at the push of a button) is my combination for good throwing and effortless reeling of 10's at ANY speed and it handles big heavy plastics great as well. it's a non levelwind manual lever engagement reel but doesn't take much to get used to. light weight (15 ozs) and about the same side plate diameter as the luna for easy palming...