Accidently Designing Your Own Short Rod

Dave Souza drops a toolbox on his rod tip and ends up with an “eight-eight” instead of the nine-foot length Temple Fork Outfitters intended for their 8-weight. Surprise! It became his new weapon of choice for throwing big flies. “I couldn’t believe how good my casting was with this big popper. Anywhere I aimed, the fly hit. I was in the zone and casting with a lot of power. After a few bass, I decided to put on a new fly. At that point, I realized I was casting with the rod with the formerly broken tip.” In the Fall River, Massachusetts Herald News.
Meanwhile, California fly fisher Bruce Ajari discovers a possible disadvantage to longer rods when he tries out a 9-foot, 9-inch rod for lake fishing: joint stress.