Once you use a 10'6'' rod it is hard to fish anything shorter!I have fished one for a good 7 years now and can hardly cast other rods!
I don't believe that summer fish ,that have not been harrased by the crowds are line shy.
The biggest benifit you get from the long rod is the amount of line you can keep out of the water,giving you a more natural drift.This at times is very important to a summer fish.
Small presentations are also important at times!You going to toss a dick nite sized spoon into a tail out with a curado strung with 12lb?
long rods also alow you to have a little more fun with summer fish including the bycatches.I pulled a twenty lb king out of the Sol Duk for the fun of it with mine this year.I used to pull 10 12 lb black mouth on 4lb also.You're line gets twisted all to hell but it shure is a hell of a lot of fun!
They also aid in you in the stealth department.You can stand that much farther away and make you're presentation!