RODS 14'ers or 16'ers

loooking to get a set of 16' or 14' trolling rods for spider rigging mostly around 1/2-5/8 ounce rigs and maybe a touch of trolling cranks/roadrunners i normally just fish ky lake and Grenada in the spring so fishing 4-12 foot of water would i ever be unhappy with the 16' poles??? kinda nervous 16'ers would be awkwardly long and more hassle than they benefit been fishing 12'ers for years and handle them very easily i plan on fishing pretty shallow this spring im going to get the southern poles just cant decide between 14'ers or 16'ers thanks for any input

After you get used to fishing them..either size should be fine....I have both sizes in Southern Crappie, and love them..I like to have a net man when fishing the 16s

I agree with KnightShadow .... if you're used to 12' rods, 14' rods are not a great deal of difference. I went from 10' to 14' rods with no great learning curve. I don't "spider rig" per se, but usually use my 14' rods to push jigs (& occasionally cranks). I use BnM PST & Capps/Coleman 14' rods & usually 1/2oz - 3/4oz weights for pushing jigs/cranks ... while many of my spider rigging & crank pushing buddies are using 14-20' rods and 3/4oz - 2oz weights.

I have 12 and 14 southern crappie. Had the 16 and did not like them because I fish by myself most of the time and found them to much to handle in a 17 ft boat by myself. Like Knightshadow said you pretty much need a net man fishing them. I have found the 14 to be much more user friendly.

INTERESTING thanks for the response any other opinions??

I have 4 BnM PST16 ftr's and really like them. When fishing shallow water I would think longer the better. I have fished 14s and they are easier to handle. I used my 16's in my friends boat and it was only 17 ft long and it was tuff putting them some where going to the dock and back. Not a problem on the water after you got them in the rod holders. I have a boat on order and it is a 19 fter and it should make it better for the long rods. I really feel a person should get what feels best for them. If I ever get any new rods I will probably get 14's since I already have 4 16's. Hope this helps.

Southern makes 14 ft rods that are rated for 2 oz weights for pushing and pulling cranks. I used the regular 14 and love them. Tried the 16 and they are just to long for me.

I have the Southern Crappie rods 14 ft that are rated for 2oz weights. I got them for cranking, but my partner has been using them spider rigging 1/2 Oz weights, and they seem to work just fine. He catches as many or more than I do on my 14 ft BGJP's. Don't misunderstand, I really like the BGJP's.

I have caught fish both on KY Lake and in Mississippi, and they have been with primarily 14 ft rods.
I started with 12 ft, but I really like the 14 ft due to increasing the distance from the boat, my wife can only handle the 14 ft rods, and I fish alone alot.

14 ft PST's are the way to go.

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I fish out of a 17 ft Tracker boat and we use 14 ft rods,6 of them rigged out the front most of the time when slow trolling.With the size of my boat I don't think I would want a much longer rod then 14 ft.