Had a problem setting the hook on a few river bass last week, couldn't catch up with them, and was wondering if a longer rod would help. I'm using an IMMWS62MXF-TC cut to 5 1/2' now and have been for several years. It's caught hundreds of bass with 6 lb mono but everyone, but me, is using longer rods now. I use the IMMWS62MXF-TC, full length, for lake bass with no problem with hook sets. I think the fast vs extra fast would be an asset. Anyone use this blank for what I'm planning?

Yes a longer rod will help you set the hook. I would have no issue going to a 6-1/2 or even a 7 footer that type fishing.

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Here is what I would say. Yes longer rods offer advantages. You move more line when setting the hook, so better hook sets. Assuming the blank loads well enough, you get increased casting distance. And longer rods make smaller fish, feel bigger during the fight, which is a plus in a different way. But ........ do you really need a longer rod? Missing fish on a hook set, if it isn't happening consistently, isn't a reason I personally would go to a longer rod. One of my favorite rods of all time was a little Shimano 2552 Speedmaster Fighting rod. It was 5'6" long with a short 5" rear grip. The places I could get a bait with that little rod was amazing. Being shorter it was much easier for me to be accurate with. And it came in real handy when walking the banks of some of the lakes and streams I used to fish with it.

Sadly I broke that rod many years ago, and have never built a replacement for it. I just don't do that kind of fishing any more. But if I did, I'd definitely build a rod just like it.

Even with a longer rod, you're just going to miss fish on the hook set. Especially if you're talking about smallmouth bass. I'd be curious as to the jaw strength of a smallmouth bass versus a largemouth bass. I'd bet smallmouth have a higher jaw pressure. Those babies can really clamp down on a bait, and you just don't hook them. Even if the bait has an open hook, you still have them shake the hook seconds after setting the hook.

I guess what I'm saying is, don't go to a longer rod based on missing a couple of fish. From what you said about past use with the rod, it's doing a great job. And finally what I will say is this ..... I have a rod built on a Revelation REVS68ML blank, and the Immortal blanks are even more sensitive. If the Immortal 68ML is the same action and power of the Revelation version of that blank. It would be a bad little mammy jammy of a rod.

I like shorter rods too despite the trend of longer. But going from 5'6" up to 6'2" is a huge jump and will help a ton. That alone may do it - if not I find rods up to 6'8" still handle pretty easy and may be worth a shot.

Thanks for the insight guys. I have other rods I use for different applications but not for worm fishing in small rivers like I do. I made the short rod to shoot under trees along the banks floating down the rivers but I'll have to learn to cast again. I'll give a report on the rod when it's built and when I'm using it.

Worm fishing as in Texas rigged worms? Then definitely a longer rod is going to be better.

used it? no....but have the IMMS68ML blank waiting for me to get set back up and build it. havent measured it but from handling that blank its gonna make a really nice river smallmouth rod. light but stiff tip section with some backbone.

i also have the IMMS68M blank and that blank.is stiff. more rod than i expected.... planned on using it as spinning but after handling it, Im gonna build it as a casting rod for light T-rigs and maybe throw some 1/4-3/8oz shakeyheads

6'8" is my favorite length rod, great balance of accuracy and distance for my style of fishing(mainly river smallmouth)

x2 on smallies having tough mouths sometimes i swear they clamped down so hard that the bait didn't move in their mouth on a hookset.

I think a 6'8" ML rod is on point for smallies. Try it with braid instead of mono.

BTW I'm not fishing for smallmouth. Mostly Alabama and shoal bass in GA and LM in FL. I'm almost sure I'll like it.

ah shoal bass. flint river is on my list of places i want/need to go. i think all us northern guys assumed smallies when ya mentioned river bass. either way i think that blank will do nicely for plastics and lighter weights.

ya mentioned not being able to catch up with them. are ya using a higher gear ratio reel to pick up slack quickly?

I am not a Bass guy, but can definitely understand the issue. I used to fish for Trout with 2-lb mono, and coiuld never set the hook, too much stretch! I began using 4-lb Fireline and my problem was solved! You may want to switch to a superline like Fireline or Spiderwire in a 6 or 8 pound test and add a header of about 10' of your mono or flouro. This eliminates the issue of not getting an effective hook set and the header still provides enough stretch so the line stays tight to the fish.

I mentioned above that I have a rod built on the Revelation version of the IMMS68ML. I built it as a casting rod. It's my jerkbait rod, and a dandy little rod at that. I trimmed 7" off the butt of the blank for several reasons. I wanted a finished rod length around 6' 2", and I wanted a slower action withmore bend into the midsection of the blank. I did CCS tests on it after I built it. I've lost the paper that has all the CCS data I collected for the rods I've built, but I do remember the IP was 433 grams. And if I remember correctly the AA was 68 - 69.

The full length blank would be more powerful, and have a faster action. By how much for each I don't know, but I wouldn't think either changed by all that much. Anyhow ....... as long as you're using softer more slender baits and lighter wire hooks, I think it's going to do what you want it to do. quite nicely. Those Immortal blanks are awesome blanks.

When I cut the IMMS62MXF, which is 6'2", down to 5'6" I noticed it is faster. I've been using it for several years with decent results. It's used with 6 lb mono, 1/16th or 1/8th oz slip sinker and a finesse worm 99% of the time. I've tried it with braid and, in the river, I don't feel the bite as well as the mono. BTW I've never fished in the Flint for shoal bass, only in the rivers above Lake Lanier.

Trimming a blank will always make the action slower. Something I learned on here, and something that has proven itself in CCS tests I have done on other blanks I have trimmed. You don't really have to actually trim the blank to find out how trimming it will affect its' power and action. You simply need to move the forward point you of where the rod would be supported, and then use 1/3 of the total length the rod would be after trimming as the basis for your measurements.

And I am with you on braid. I am not a fan of it because of how it performs in wind. I used to fish the Ohio River fairly often several years ago, and while I never fished braid there, I have no doubt that water current would have the same or even more of an affect on braid.

yup as david said, basically trimming a blank only makes it slower.... cant make it faster
and extending a blank only makes it faster.

IDK I like braid and have had a hard time going back to anything else. i fish mostly river current and honestly most river fisherman i know fish braid. i do see a place for other lines in certain conditions but day in day out ill opt braid. i even use it for cranks/jerks/topwater but on softer rods. to each their own. ill have to fill a spare spool and try some quaility fluoro again, it does have the advantage in strong winds and a bottom contact bite.