# 8'4 vs 9'



## jtt (Dec 29, 2016)

Had a buddy who was sold an 8'4 Meridian. Plans to use it in the Keys, permit and some poon are what he's after. I have only used 9' rods, should he swap for a 9' or is the rod he has alright? 

Feel like its preference. Thanks guys


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## Reelscreamer (Dec 28, 2016)

He will be able to get longer casts in the wind with the extra length of the 9 footer. And probably a little more accuracy as well.


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## jtt (Dec 29, 2016)

The biggest detriment to an 8'4 would be picking up line for a recast I think


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

The short Meridian 10 and 8 wts are designed for relatively short accurate casts. I use the short Meridian 8 wt occasionally and like it on windy days in Texas.


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## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

review from telluride anglers:

*A surprising and impressive ultralight 8-weight







*
Posted by John Duncan (Telluride Angler) on 17th Jul 2015

An 8’4” 8-wt is a niche rod for skiff anglers, so Scott will probably never sell very many of these. That is a shame. The Meridian 848-4 is the lightest, sweetest swinging 8-weight I have ever handled. The 9’ rod in the series will make more sense for wading anglers, but I strongly urge boat anglers to consider the 8’4” model. Thousands of anglers will cast this rod in the coming year and I bet every single one will come to the same conclusion. Some rods are so good that we just can’t describe them with words. As with many rods that come in a choice of lengths for a given line weight, the difference in “swing weight” is much greater than the net weight difference between rods. This is true for two reasons: 1) the lost weight from 8” less graphite and one or two less snake guides comes off the end of the rod, so the lever in your hands seems significantly lighter, and 2) the rod tip bears the weight of the fly line loop. With the shorter rod, the line weight feels closer to your body, lighter under the lever and more easily controlled. In addition to saltwater anglers, bass and pike fishermen should take note of this rod.

Line suggestions: SA Bonefish, SA Redfish (the new one, lightened to true line weight), RIO Bonefish, RIO Bonefish Quickshooter (underline by 1 to compensate for the extra heavy head) and RIO Redfish (underline by 1, same as Quickshooter).


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## paulrad (May 10, 2016)

I used to use a top teir 9' #4 on streams in Colorado. I then bought a fairly cheap 7'6" #4 for my son. Guess which one was more fun to fish and more fun to cast at practical fishing distances? We both wound up fighting over the 7'6" and nobody wanted to use the high dollar rod! (But I would still say the 9' is definitely more effective in slightly bigger water, or for nymphing though. I guess it's just more versatile.)

That said, I did some research on this 8'4" #8 Meridian, and multiple people told me it wasn't any good and didn't produce the same effect as I had with the #4 situation I described above. I would still like to cast one though just to see for myself.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

jtt said:


> Had a buddy who was sold an 8'4 Meridian. Plans to use it in the Keys, permit and some poon are what he's after. I have only used 9' rods, should he swap for a 9' or is the rod he has alright?
> 
> Feel like its preference. Thanks guys


What weight rod is it?


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## jtt (Dec 29, 2016)

Its a 10wt


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

That salesman / fly shop clerk.... was a smart guy! He'll love the rod. He'll be fishing from a skiff anyway. That rod will be a cannon up to 80ft! Does he know how to throw fast rods or uses them? If not, then he might have some trouble getting the feel for it. What area is he in?

If he doesn't like it, tell him to give it to me. No one got me a flyrod for Christmas and that'll be a good one!  Lol


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## jtt (Dec 29, 2016)

Backwater said:


> That salesman / fly shop clerk.... was a smart guy! He'll love the rod. He'll be fishing from a skiff anyway. That rod will be a cannon up to 80ft! Does he know how to throw fast rods or uses them? If not, then he might have some trouble getting the feel for it. What area is he in?


He mainly fishes Xi3's so he is used to faster rods. He isn't the best caster in the world but I think it suits him well. We casted today, nice rod for sure.. But I liked my 10wt Sage One more when casted side by side, but I have been fishing that for a couple years now.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

jtt said:


> He mainly fishes Xi3's so he is used to faster rods. He isn't the best caster in the world but I think it suits him well. We casted today, nice rod for sure.. But I liked my 10wt Sage One more when casted side by side, but I have been fishing that for a couple years now.


Might need a different line to respond properly. What line are you throwing. If he's use to the Xi3's, this rod will feel stiffer and he might need to use a slightly heavier line without over lining it by one line size. Also, does he know what drifting means? He might need to drift back some on his back cast to fully load the rod. Also, this rod will react quicker than the Xi3's he's use to. So he can increase his casting stroke speed, while still reducing the number of false cast since it will load quick, once the head is out of the tip top guide.


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## jtt (Dec 29, 2016)

Backwater said:


> Might need a different line to respond properly. What line are you throwing. If he's use to the Xi3's, this rod will feel stiffer and he might need to use a slightly heavier line without over lining it by one line size. Also, does he know what drifting means? He might need to drift back some on his back cast to fully load the rod. Also, this rod will react quicker than the Xi3's he's use to. So he can increase his casting stroke speed, while still reducing the number of false cast since it will load quick, once the head is out of the tip top guide.


Believe he had the SA Grand Slam from a couple years back. Not 100% sure, I am making him buy the Cortland LQ. He has a very quick casting stroke and tends to creep of his forward stroke. Thank you! Im going to send him your comments. I knew that the shorter rods were cannons, it just didn't seem to come alive as much as I expected it too. Maybe the line and casting adjustments will help


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

What area is he in?

Creeping forward can be be overcome by drifting back a bit on your backcast and pausing a bit longer (while holding that hand back there and not allowing it to creep forward) to allow the loop to fully unfurl (or unroll out) before he starts his forward stroke. At that point, that's where the start of the forward stroke begins.  This way you eliminate the creeping and increase the stroke distance, allowing longer, more efficient movement of the fly line. He'll gain line speed and distance with that little trick without increasing the speed of his casting stroke.

I hope that's not too confusing. You are welcome to PM me and put him in contact with me, so I can help him out with that.

Ted Haas


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## jtt (Dec 29, 2016)

He is in school in Tennessee at the moment unfortunately


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