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  1. #1
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    Pistol Grip Rod Length

    Posted on the general board but thought I'd put this here too.

    What's the "right" length for a pistol grip rod? Will be used mostly for spinnerbaits. Building one as a gift. Right now I've got it at 6' but that seems a little long. 5'6", 5'8"? I haven't used one in a long time and I think that one was under 6' but can't remember.

  2. Member
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    #2
    and the overwhelming verdict from the General Board was 5'6"

  3. Member
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    #3
    Back in the day (yup, I’m old enough), most were 5’6”, but you could occasionally find a 6’ one. I don’t remember seeing many (if any), 5’8” or 5’10” ones, those seemed to have come on the scene when straight handles started gaining momentum. I think balance starts challenging pistol gripped rods when they exceed 5’6”.

  4. BBC SPONSOR cidgrad's Avatar
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    Sep 2007
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    #4
    Most of the ones we build are 6'.

  5. Member
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    Jun 2021
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    Barrington, NJ
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    #5
    Most of the Japanese pistol grip rods that I have are designed for topwater and are 5'6"...I have a really nice Slowtaper brand rod that is 6' and I don't feel it's too long or unbalanced...for spinnerbaits I might lean toward having the little extra length at 6'. It's still really controllable and easy to cast with a pistol grip.

  6. Member
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by cidgrad View Post
    Most of the ones we build are 6'.
    Ended up cutting the blank an inch at a time and then dry fitting the grip and seat until it felt "right". Ended up at 5'8"

  7. Member
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    Feb 2013
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    Baton Rouge, LA
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    #7
    What blank are you building on? I have trouble finding good bass blanks under 6'6".

  8. Member
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    #8
    I just cut down an NFC IM MB705, maybe an inch and a half off of the tip and the rest off the butt. It's a MH moderate now, it should work well for spinnerbaits. I think that a NFC Delta Hybrid Zentron CB705 or CB706 would have been a better choice but I didn't have any on hand.