Any regrets going from 14' to 16' trolling rods??

Been thinking if 16' rods can help catch few more fish if it worth extra trouble dealing with extra length. My boat is 18' and my transport rod holders are Driftmasters and really like them. The way I have them mounted about 2' of the rod tip hang past the boat transom whith 14' rods which has not been a problem because motor is couple feet past transom. If I leave my Driftmasters where they are currently mounted I would have 4' of rod hanging over transom and 2' past motor. That could be a problem?? Welcome any advice. Thanks

I am just going to stick with my 14s.

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I tried it with two 16 footers to. My set up is with drift master tips savers like yours. After running into them several times I gave them to a fellow member. If I had a longer boat then might stick with some longer poles. However, to be honest I’m just used to and happy with my set up now. Hope this helps buddy.

Went from 16s to 18s several years ago and I use a rod carrier on a 17' boat and 3' or more hang over the transom.
I like the longer poles.

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I run (6) 16s in a 15ft Xpress with no issues. They transport just fine and I only have two sections on my rod rack. Attachment 327348

Stick with the 14' and lay off your trolling motor as much as possible. The extra 2' is not going to help much, but they are a pain to handle. My 2cts

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Originally Posted by trypman1

Stick with the 14' and lay off your trolling motor as much as possible. The extra 2' is not going to help much, but they are a pain to handle. My 2cts

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I live on my trolling motor bc more times than not there is wind to fight lol. I had this same dilemma before I bought mine. I remember someone told me “there is a reason most all the pros use 16s” and that made a lot of sense to me so that’s what I went with. I’ve fished 14s in buddies boats and they are perfectly fine but I can’t tell a big difference in ease of handling.

I have a 19 ft boat. I use 16ft rods. I have 3 monster rod holders down the side of the boat that i made pole storage out of. 1 1/2 pvc wedged into the bottom with slits cut into it. It holds 6 16ft rods great. Very secure and separated so no bangging around. If I could figure out how to post pictures , I would show them to you guys

i have an 18 foot boat and use 16ft rods. my racks are tipsavers as well but i use three instead of just two. my rods hang off about 3ft. what i do is take one of the small gear gripper bungies and sinch the tips togather. they don't flop this way. i put my rear tipsaver as far to the back of the boat as i could get it.

Scott
The 14 footers will be better for your Dad They handle fish better they are lighter and more compact.
I fish both most of the time 6 -14’s and 2 16’s this enables me to cover about 4 more feet of water . When fishing customers I fish 14 ‘s. When I tournament fish I fish all 16’s.


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I love my 16 footers. The thing about the 16's if your boat don't have the length they are hard to make changes lures or tangles.
LittleJohn

No regrets

I can easily keep 8, 14ft rods on the deck of my 17.5ft bass tracker, id have to add a transport rack if i went to 16's, and I doubt 2ft would spook a speck,lol

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I keep 4 sixteens and 4 fourteens loaded in the transport rack. Fish my 14's when I'm alone 95% of the time, I can fan them out more to the sides of the bow and away from the TM. With two people I like to put the 14 footers on the outside holders and the 16's in front of the boat. I like it more when fish bite the 14's personally, specially the furthest outside poles.. if transporting them is keeping you from buying some. You need to go with a higher transport rack. My poles hang a foot or so past the big motor, but they are 5' high off the ground, a car would hit my motor before he got to my poles!

Little John hit it right in the money, only downfall is rerigging

If you are fishing for fun go with the 14's. If you are fishing tournaments use the 16's. They do make a difference but usually not enough for the fun fisherman to give a hoot about.


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Thanks for all the input guys! Because of my crappie fishing addiction I have aquired 16 14' trolling rods. Think I'm going to keep 8 14' rods and sell 8 of them. I gotta just try at least picking up 4 16' rods and Grizzly has such a good deal next week that if they didn't work for me could resell and probably not loose a dime.

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Originally Posted by Swampseed

Thanks for all the input guys! Because of my crappie fishing addiction I have aquired 16 14' trolling rods. Think I'm going to keep 8 14' rods and sell 8 of them. I gotta just try at least picking up 4 16' rods and Grizzly has such a good deal next week that if they didn't work for me could resell and probably not loose a dime.

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Scott
You stopped short. What brand poles are you getting ?


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From my experience the big benefit to 16' rods is more noticed in clearer water, I use 10' and 11' Allstar panfish rods from Academy Sports and fish stained to muddy water with no problem, I did have to up grade my trolling motor from a bottom line Minn Kota Power Drive to a Minn Kota Terrova, Great Motor, well worth the money. I fish Weiss Lake Alabama and very happy with 11' rods. weather its pulling or pushing.

When you open the window to put a message in there is the window just above where your typing, there are 7 white windows, in the last window there is 5 images, click on the center one that looks like a picture frame, then you can go into your pictures or desk top wherever your pictures are. left click on image then push open, the picture numbers will show up in the window, just under that left click insert. I think that's what it says. it will take a minute.

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Originally Posted by duckhunter3635

I have a 19 ft boat. I use 16ft rods. I have 3 monster rod holders down the side of the boat that i made pole storage out of. 1 1/2 pvc wedged into the bottom with slits cut into it. It holds 6 16ft rods great. Very secure and separated so no bangging around. If I could figure out how to post pictures , I would show them to you guys

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When you open the window to put a message in there is the window just above where your typing, there are 7 white windows, in the last window there is 5 images, click on the center one that looks like a picture frame, then you can go into your pictures or desk top wherever your pictures are. left click on image then push open, the picture numbers will show up in the window, just under that left click insert. I think that's what it says. it will take a minute.

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Originally Posted by duckhunter3635

I have a 19 ft boat. I use 16ft rods. I have 3 monster rod holders down the side of the boat that i made pole storage out of. 1 1/2 pvc wedged into the bottom with slits cut into it. It holds 6 16ft rods great. Very secure and separated so no bangging around. If I could figure out how to post pictures , I would show them to you guys

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I would like to see this

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I used 14 ft B and M for ten years. Last year I bought 2 16 ft Denalis to use on either side of my trolling motor. I liked them enough to order 6 more 16 ft Denalis. A lot of the guides on Grenada lake use them. I know one guide that fishes off a pontoon and he uses at least 2 18 ft rods out front.

Attachment 327976

You can see the rod holders on the side. They work great.

I now have boat envy. Please tell me that's not a pull through garage.

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Yes it is. Also, on the other side of my boat is my buddies 2170 war eagle boat.

Good grief.

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Originally Posted by duckhunter3635

Yes it is. Also, on the other side of my boat is my buddies 2170 war eagle boat.

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I need a buddy like you. Free boat storage. Lol you need another friend? Lol

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LoL

Guide with 14s for the ease of it, tourney fish with 16s or 18s depending on how deep we are fishing, the deeper we fish the longer the pole. Most folks are the opposite, they want a long pole in shallow water.

I usually use 16' BGJP my rod holders are 3 1/2 inches from the front of the boat so they reach out pretty good. I use 12s in rough or muddy water.