"Reach Out and Touch Someone"

Remember that AT&T slogan from the 1980s? Well, you might start seeing some of the same kind of slogans hitting the fishing industry, now that B.A.S.S. has authorized rods as long as 10 feet, starting with the 2017 competitive season.

The new rule applies to all B.A.S.S. trails, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens, and all B.A.S.S. Nation and youth events. It replaces the 8-foot maximum rule that had been around since 1976.

A driving force behind this rule change is Bassmaster Elite Series angler Skeet Reese of California. He suggested the change would help grow the sport, and some rod makers agreed. A formal proposal was drafted and discussed at the annual B.A.S.S. rules committee meeting, and the rest is history.

With longer rods, anglers will have an advantage when it comes to flippin'; they'll have a better angle to reach teacup-sized potholes. The added potential power of the bigger rods also should make it easier to winch big fish out of heavy weeds.

Another advantage of the longer rods is a potential for more distance on casts--something that crankbait fishermen everywhere should appreciate. They all know the farther you throw 'em, the deeper they go on the retrieve. Since success with a crankbait often depends on grinding it along the bottom, being able to get a lure down there and keep it there throughout a long retrieve should have a big impact on catches.

Along with these advantages, though, come some disadvantages. The increased tip speed of the rod and spool speed of the reel, for example, probably will require a period of adjustment for most anglers. Some feel that backlashes likely will be monumental early on.

There also will be some issues with storing the longer rods on nearly all bass boats unless, of course, the rods are collapsible, as some flippin' sticks already are. Storage tubes on most boats max out at 8 feet, even on the largest rigs, and many boats under 20 feet long can't handle anything over 7 feet 6 inches.

One other issue here is keeping hooks out of the angler on the other end of the boat in team tournaments. A 10-foot rod has the potential to reach all the way across the back deck of most boats if the bow angler doesn't watch his/her backcast. And when a brawny angler on the front deck powers up to cast a deep diver a country mile, those big treble hooks are going to be coming at speeds that about break the sound barrier.

My advice to anyone on a boat is to pay attention as soon as the lures start flying--regardless of how big they or the rods propelling them are. I once was sitting on the front deck when my backseater accidentally whacked me with only a quarter-ounce topwater bait, which had enough oomph behind it to make me see stars momentarily. Did I also say it left a barb from one of the treble hooks in the back of my head?

One other item an angler with a collection of new 10-foot rods will have to think about is how he handles them in his vehicle or at home. After all, car doors and windows always have had a magnetic "attraction" to fishing rods, regardless of length. The same can be said for ceiling fans and doorways.

That being said, introducing a new rod length should prove to be a boost for the tackle business this year. Not only will all the pros need to have several of the new sticks, the wannabes also undoubtedly will want a few of their own.

The savvy angler, however, should be prepared to pay more for these bigger rods. Look for reel makers to jump on the bandwagon, too, with introduction of some special reels to go with the rods.

In short, there's not much new under the sun when it comes to bass angling these days, but the addition of these new, longer rods probably will spark plenty of interest among those who live and breathe tournament angling.

It also will be interesting to see whether the rod-length rule change for B.A.S.S. events might lead to some flyrodders entering the competitive bass-fishing scene in the near future. Stranger things have happened.