I use everything from a 7' 1wt rod to a 10' 4 wt for reef exotics. A good standard rod would be a 9 foot 5 wt for reef fish, but anything from a 3 wt to a 7 wt will work just fine. I fish a lot of rocky areas where a stouter rod helps, because most of the fish you will hook WILL dive into small caves and under ledges if given the chance, so you have to muscle them up to the surface quickly.