You're right Steve -- about the length of fly rods that is. I have no idea
about tournament restrictions, but most of us use 9 footers. However -- back
before graphite rods came in, most of used 8-foot rods because our arms and
wrists would get tired, swinging a heavy 9-foot fiberglass rod all day long.

You'd be slightly handicapped using a shorter rod, but you can still throw a
bass bug with an 8-foot rod. The biggest bass I ever caught on a fly rod came
on my old home-made, 3-piece rod built on a Herter blank. It had metal
ferrules and by today's standards was a piece of junk. But I caught thousands
of fish on it -- mostly bluegills and white bass -- and any number of bass.and
big carp (yes -- carp will take flies) Biggest bass was just over 6 pounds.

Family, Friends, Fishing,
Rob Storm
http://stormsrestaurants.com