should i be able to make a 7'6" rod cast farther than a 7' rod with the same guides, reel, lure and line test. i keep adjusting and it still seems to cast the same. what am i doing wrong?

A longer rod will cast further provided you can move it at the same speed as the shorter rod.

Either you're not moving them at the same speed, or there is some difference between the 2 set ups that is making one of the rods better at casting than the other. Is everything the same between them? Same seat location, same guide system and location (perhaps 1 more running guide on the 7 footer)?

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it has the same seat location, the same guide system but the 7'6" has one additional guide on it. which guides effect distance the most, the ones before the choke guide ot after?

Before, but those should be the same size and in the same locations on both rods if you're using the same reel.

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right and i just noticed they are different. i also have a different size guide on the 7 footer. i don't know how i did it but i kind rushed the 7" rod together. it was a rewrap and it seems to have come out better than anything i'm doing on purpose one the 7'6" . i'm just trying to understand what i did?

Leigh,
Are you making both casts with both hands?
If not, I suggest that you do so.
By casting with two hands, you can get much more tip speed into your rods tip due to the extra power of using both hands for the cast.
Are you using the same weight, reel, line and casting plug for both rods?
Does the 7'6" rod have a softer tip than the 7' rod?

If the 7'6" rod has a softer tip than the 7'rod, it is likely that much of the casting power is used up in tip flex, rather than imparting energy to the plug and line.

Take care
Roger

On the surface, the longer rod, should cast further if you can get the tip of each rod moving at the same speed. If the longer rod flexes more than the shorter rod for the same input power, you will have a lesser increase if any in tip speed with the longer rod.

There was no mention of either rod's action-I'm guessing they were probably the same make/model/action/power......... but just different lengths?

first off thanks for all the help.
yes i was using both hands which i normaly don't do while fishing but i noticed a difference while doing these test casts today. i could get more consistant results. yes same line reel lure
the 7' seems to have a softer tip. it's an old shikari blem i got cheap and just rewraped it with #5's use to have #7's, and i must say wow what a difference.
the 7'6" is a 5s st croix. i thought it would cast farther than the other but like Tom pointed out to me the first guides are located a little different, not much but closer to the reel. i'm gonna move them and try again.

Okay, so you have different guide set ups on the rods, and they're not the same action or power.

You've more differences there than just length.

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yes guilty on both acounts. 20 10 7 5 5 5 5 with a 5.5 on the tip for the 7", 20 10 6 5 5 5 5 5 with five tip on the st croix. i couldn't say what action or power the shikari has as it was a long time ago but i know it's a ml with i think a 4 to something pound test range so they are similar. i'm changing the 6 to a 7 and matching the guide placement up to the choke guide, i can't match all the way to the tip cause the 6 inch difference is throwing me off. trying to stay around 4" to 5" spacing up there. never realized how important the small details are. thanks again

the st croix is a 5s76mlf

Leigh
In addition to the other variables mentioned ...............there is also an issue of the butt length in two handed casting. Changing that makes a difference in power delivery & rotation speed.

the st croix has an extra 1/2 inch on the butt. it measures in at 8 inches from the stem for the reel. i like em short so i can work my lures without it hitting my wrist.
changed them up to match and i get the same results.at one point i had the st croix casting 8 ish feet more. i think thats why they didn't match anymore, wrapped em on with the thread and tried one more time and i lost the 8'.i must have botched the measurements from what i had to what i did. kind of frustrating. i guess there is no magic bullet. just patients. i know it will be worth it in the end. thanks again for all the great input.

To answer your original question - you're not doing anything wrong other than comparing apples to oranges. If the blanks were identical, and so too the handle, seat and guide set ups, then the longer rod would most likely give you greater distance. But there are so many other variables here which aren't even close to be identical that you really can't compare the 2 rods and their casting abilities on the basis of length.


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This hasn't been mentioned and probably isn't relevant to Leigh's situation, but the longer rods don't add much distance for me when I am throwing certain baits like 1/4 oz crankbaits or 3/8 oz stick baits. On of my favorite baits is a Strike King 4s and it weighs 5/8 oz. It will cast about 20 feet further on an 8' rod compared to a 7'6". The Bomber Square A is 1/4 oz and I can't really tell a difference between a 7' and 8' rod.

Leigh,

This has nothing to do with it but just out of curiosity, what distance are you getting on a cast?

Bill

Ohio Rod Builders

Canton, Ohio

sorry about the delay, had to deal with the pregnant wife " all day casting at a bush". i measured the distance at 96 feet but it's down hill about a 12' drop. the jig weighs 8.5 grams or just over a 1/4 oz. maybe physics are taking over and as Robert suggested i won't be able to get any additional distance out of it. i ran out of sunlight last night but can now resume testing. again thanks for all the help.