Bass rods continue their comeback

Two years ago, I wrote about an exciting new fly rod from Echo called the 84B, with the 'B' standing for "Bass".  While just about any 9-foot fly rod from a 5-weight to a 9-weight can be used for bass, I've made the case several times over many years - here and in my column on Louisiana Sportsman magazine - why I prefer "Short Sticks" for bucketmouths.

"There are reasons why most fly rods are 9 feet long — and sometimes longer. Longer rods cast farther and allow for better line management on the water. For example, mending line on a moving stream."

"But short rods have their advantages. In addition to lower swing weight, they give more casting control, can be used under tree canopies or docks, in tighter casting spaces, are easier to manage while fishing from a canoe or kayak, and have the ability to place a fly in tight spots."

"And then there’s lifting power. When it comes to getting a big fish out of grass or timber, a shorter rod gives more leverage than a longer rod."

At the Denver Fly Fishing Show in February, I had the chance to check out three other "Short Sticks", two of which are new for 2026.  

Winston Air 2 Max 868

This premium rod is 8'6" long with a hefty price tag of $1,295.  If price is no object, this is as good as it gets!  According to their literature, the A2Max features Winston's Boron/Air2 material for fast action with use of aggressive tapers, ideal for throwing large streamers or fighting big fish.

I'm not a fan of very fast action, nor believe it's necessary for throwing large flies, but the A2Max I tested certainly made it real.  Super accurate, and about as light an 8-weight as I've ever cast.  Certainly a rod I could be very happy with.  But, oh that price tag!

T & T Exocett 88

What if I said there was a rod just as good as the A2Max but $300 less.  That's the Thomas & Thomas Exocett 8'8" 8-weight.  Yes, it's only 4 inches shorter than 9-feet, so calling it a Short Stick is a slight stretch. It was also obvious with the swing weight being a tad more than the other Short Sticks I tested.

T&T says this rod is built with multi-modulus carbon and S-glass layups, giving it superior strength and ultra-fast recovery.  And yet, it also had a more progressive taper and loaded easier than the A2Max. I was able to make beautiful on-target casts from 30 to 80 feet.  Beyond that, it struggled just a tad with accuracy.  Then again, if you're a bass or pike angler, how many 90 foot casts are you making? 

St. Croix Tannic Bass

For years, I've been telling St. Croix Fly Manager Dan Johnson that they needed an upgrade to their Mojo Bass Series.  The Mojo Bass is a 7'11" rod with a nice starter price tag of $180.  It's a decent rod built on their proprietary SCII carbon, but for serious bass anglers, it's  just not enough.

For 2026, they've introduced the Tannic Bass series ($695) based on higher modulus graphite and graphene. And in testing, it was light years better than the Mojo Bass.  In fact, it may have been one of the best 8-weights I played with. The bad news is, that only the 8-weight qualifies as a "Short Stick" and only by 2 inches. It's not the best option for casting under docks and cypress trees. 

Redington Big Game 83

At one time, the Redington Predator series was all 7'11" rods. One of my favorite bass rods is in fact a 7'11" 6-weight Predator.  Then Redington switched them all to 9-footers and remarketed them as saltwater rods. 

I was at the Redington booth lamenting this to their Sales Manager and he laughed.  "You're not alone... and I've got something to show you".  What he handed me was an 8'3" 8-weight Redington Big Game rod. This is an 8'3" 8-weight in a series that includes both 9'0" and 8'3" rods.  

Took it to the casting pond and man, was I impressed! While labeled as a fast-action rod, it's a smidgeon more progressive than it feels. Very low swing weight and very accurate, perhaps the most impressive quality it the price tag of $399.

Summary

If I had to buy a new Short Stick - and maybe I do - then any of the above new offerings would get my serious consideration.  It's super that these type rods are back and better than ever!

Post-spawn crappie still in shallows

It's been a whacky weather Spring with unusually warm days followed by chilly cold fronts.  The only thing that's been consistent has been the wind. But when it's laid down, there's been some excellent crappie catches being made along docks and weed lines, and along structure in shallow water.

Sacalait are the earliest spawners in Spring, usually taking to beds from early February to early March. Once they spawn, they continue to hang out near shallow water, closer to drop-offs, before heading to deep structure in May.  For flyrodders, April is a prime opportunity. 

Nothing is certain with crappie. You can fish a spot one day and get nothing, the next day the same spot and  it's action on nearly every cast.  Complicating things even more is color selection.  The papermouths are notorious for being very picky about color, and that the color can vary from morning to noon to sunset, and from sunny days to cloudy days.

For this reason, I keep two fly rods setup when I'm out in a boat or kayak.  One is suspended 2-3 feet under a strike indicator, the other has a more heavily weighted fly on a somewhat longer leader. 

With the strike indicator, I cast a slightly open loop. Let the fly sink under the indicator, then do the "twitch an inch" with the strike indicator - same as if I were fishing a popping bug.  Move the strike indicator a couple inches slowly, then pause 2-3 seconds. Many times the strike comes on the pause.

Without the strike indicator, I use a heavier fly. Cast out and countdown several seconds to get the fly deep. Then begin tiny strips retrieve and I MEAN TINY!  You'll feel a pressure on the line. Lift slowly as the fish often hook themselves.

The use of flies depends on whether suspended or deep.  Fluff Butts, Balanced Leechs, and Crappie Candies are good under a strike indicator. Heavier flies would be the Silli Minnow, Jigged Micro Bugger or Mini Clouser. 

As for colors, I often start with olive, olive and chartreuse, black and chartreuse.  But flies with some pink, or sometimes the "Gray Ghost" - all gray colors can be a hot menu item.

As for when, I always like the very early morning or very late evening.  But I also use the solunar table and on occasion, it's made me a believer.  In fact, many times I've fished the middle of a sunny day when the fish should be down and inactive and got hits left and right!