Okay,

Gotta love my job, I went out for a property inspection today, and wouldn't you know it, I was by one of my zippers at lunch time. How'd that happen?

Anyway, I took my new Allstar 1263C out for a few casts. My issue with this rod is that soooooo long. Damn, it like sticks way out there. So I am fishing a few little holes on about 300 yards of river and I literally can't fish some of them because the high bank/deep slot doesn't allow me to get to the water where I can wade and have enough room to cast. For the first time ever, my damned rod is too long. Go figure?

Has anybody ever tried taking one of those shorter Bass rods, like a 6' or 7' rod for fishing these little streams? Something with the backbone to catch a fish of 10-20 pounds, but the ability to cast in confined spaces. I thought about breaking out the Scooby Doo rod, which would have been perfect, really, but I left it at home.

What is your solution to bank fishing a hole like this?

Andy

I have caught some fairly decent sized trout ( steelehad sized on my 6'6" trout pole. So give that a shot. I only went with status quo when I started steelhead fishing. I figure if the action is decent enough and you have the right line it should work. Just my 02
Buck

Years ago I built a 6' glass steelhead rod for just that situation - one piece, kind of a short handle and no foregrip. Could bust right through the brush with that puppy. I actually landed a 35 pound king with it! Finally broke it on a snag after whacking against things a bit too often and breaking a few too many glass fibers

My summer steelhead rod for small streams is a 7" 2 piece spinning rod. it handled a few wild fish this year handily.

years ago i used a 5'6" pistol grip rod and landed a small winter hatchery fish. i used it because of a cliff behind me and deep water in front. i couldnt cast good enuf to work the hole with a longer rod.

when i first started fishing for salmon all i had was a 6'6" mitchell bass rod and it handled well over 100 fish...i only fished one little tiny river where there is hardly any room to cast, went back out to the old stomping grounds last year and twice earlier this year with an 8'6" lami, had a few gnarly backlashes from trying to cast while my hook and leader was caught in the brush behind me..a 6'6''-7" rod is perfect for those situations, i prefer some pretty heavy line(20#) and tighten that drag down...maybe i'll look into having a 7' med/heavy built for these situations

The door is wide open...... cast your snoppy to the left........yank to the right. fish on for u hugers........ that will lighten u up!! JMT

Boy when I was just a young tad, (A longtime ago) I'd sneak into the gulch with the creek that ran into the Puyallup and just take out the pocket knife , grab the nearest branch and make my own rod. Worked every time, and didn't even have to pack it out with me when I was finished fishing.

Ng