Snagging Rods Long or Short???

There are guys that catch a lot of paddlefish with both long and short rods. They just use different tactics for finding the fish and are good at it.

Personally, I prefer a 10-12' surf rod when snagging. I do a lot of casting instead of trolling though and I feel like I cover a lot more ground with the longer rod. It also helps me hit fish that are higher up in the water column too.

If you have a good graph and can locate the holes that hold the fish, you will do well snagging either way you go I am sure. :wink:

 

Here in Arkansas, you can only snag within 100 yards below a dam, and you aren't allowed to take your boat any closer than 100 yards, so snagging while trolling is out. All the snaggers seem to use rods at least 12' long, and most of them are 14'.

 

It just depends on the situation and balance is important for a long day of snagging. From the shore to the center of the osage or so, a 12' rod can really launch a weight without too much effort and gives a loooong stroke. Longer rods like 14/15 ' can be exhausting for many people (like me), but work for a young 6'3" guy. Do you need the distance, is the question. In a boat, a 8-10 ' rod does give you a great stroke like Seth said, but boats don't give a lot of room if there are 3 or 4 snaggers. A 7' ugly stick can catch fish and keep people from getting slapped whether on a crowded shore or in the boat! More and more, I am thinking that feel is important to work the bottom or feel the fish. Big weights and line are where a lot of people start and I have molds up to 20 oz, but that is an exhausting day! At the Mississippi near where I live, I have seen a lot of people take long rods and cast cast way out into the river and snag all the way back to the edge of the tailrace (where the fish are located)! !! Have fun
Hannibal Mike

 

I had a solid glass rod by Eagle Claw wich was only 5 ft long. It or I was useless. I suspect the latter. All I snagged was brush. But with that Penn reel I brought it in!oooh:

 

Welcome to the BOC Jeff. Glad to have you on board. Alot of great people and good information on this website. Welcome Aboard.

 

Welcome to the BOC! I use a 6' rod, but I also fish in a boat. The shorter rod seems to not get in the way as much.

 

Along these same lines, I would like to find a great 8 foot rod for snagging. Where do you find one? Not a thin walled fiberglass. More of a surf type rod?

 

I have a 6 foot rod that i like alot more than the longer ones. It doesnt have as much action so when your hook hits a fish it penetrates alot better than the longer rods that bend alot. Just my opinion though. Everyone has their own preferences

 

Your right on the stiffness factor. I have a couple rods that are sorta flimsy and sometimes have trouble burying the hooks into where as I have a 12' XH surf rod that's about as stiff as a broomstick and it really drives the hooks home.

 

I've always used a surf rod, 9' or longer. We started fishing rivers near STL, hence the need to cast out a ways. Now we've moved to LOZ for most of our snagging and still use the long rods from boats. I use a 10' rod, and my dad who is tall uses a 12' rod.

I like the longer swing, and only use a 4 oz. weight to preserve strength throughout the day. They do take a lot of room, but we fish 3 from a 16' jon boat all the time. On a pontoon we get 4 going easy. We use heavy action to sink the hooks, but I do like to have some give in it when you do hit something hard . . . like those stumps with spiderwire when the boat doesn't stop going forward for another 10 yards. That'll jar ya! oooh:

 

We take both kinds with us. We use the traditional broom sticks when trolling and pumping. We use 9' surf casting rods when we are casting. Takes up a lot of room but its worth it to be versatile.


Josh

 

Well I have used lots of different size rods and the longer the rod the more water you cover when you jurk. THATS WHAT YOU WANT 38 years exp.

 

My snagging rig consist of a

Penn 309
150lbs test power pro (never tried it til this year)
8/0 Mustad Treble hooks (4 first one on the bottom then the other 3 the length of the pole apart)
20oz. Sinker
Ozark Snagger Rod 6'6" with a plunger on the but of it (crotch saver)

 

The man that built my snaggin rod let me try several of his before I decided on a length. I chose a 13' 7" , it matched my reel perfect, and with the size weights I use it casts like a dream. I also snag from the bank most of the time.

 

Everyone has their own idea of what is best, myself included. I have used 6' stiff ones to 13' rods with alot of action. I perfer the longer rods, you use less weight, lighter line and covers more water with each sweep of the rod and it seems easier to keep your hooks down deeper. I troll out of a large deck boat so room isn't a problem but have also use 18' lake jons. My only problem with the shorter stiff rods is that they work you so hard and if you hangup it tries to yank you out of the boat. In fact a friend was snagging with me below Bagnell once and hit a 65# just under the boat as he was bringing his line in and if I hadn't grabbed him he would of went over the side! But it all boils down to whatever you perfer. Try different setup and just enjoy the sport.

 

I've hit a number of fish right at the boat that darn near drug me in too. Always double check that drag and make sure it's tight, but not so tight that if a big fish makes a run it doesn't drag you in with it.

There's a little fella who snag with us that is like 5'7" and weighs 150 lbs. He hit a 70 pounder right at the boat one night on Tablerock and if it wasn't for me grabbing his belt buckle, he would went into the lake with his paddlefish LOL. It's funny now but I bet it could get scary pretty fast.oooh: