I suspect you guys are on to something. I've been fishing some tiny, spring fed creeks in my neighborhood for a few years now with an old 7 1/2 ft. glass rod. Just too long in many cases. So, I ordered a 5 1/2 ft. Cabela's TQR, #4 weight. I played with a little five footer many years ago in a parking lot. Found that with a little effort, I could get 30 ft or so. More than enough much of the time.
I know what you mean about not having much line out to make a cast. I seldom have more than 6 ft. out trying to work streams that often are so narrow that I can straddle them.
What sort of leaders do you use ? I've found even the 6 footers to be a little too long for some of this fishing.
It may sound pretty extreme, but here in crowded Kalifornia, it's pretty tough finding any native fish that are very sporty. Kind of stumbled on these small spring fed creeks a few years back and was really surprised at the scrappy little Brookies found in them. Many aren't even on the USGS maps. They run for a mile or so and then disappear. Or they have almost nothing in them until you get way back in where the water stays cold and the hikers ignore them. E
