Gone are the days...
When I first started bass fishing in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, it seemed like about every bassin’ rod you could buy was a 5’6″ or 6’0″ pistol grip rod. Jimmy Houston and Hank Parker were roll casting spinnerbaits with them; Larry Nixon was worming ledges with them, and all the trick casters at the shows were using them.
My first was a 6′ Zebco that had a 202 mounted to it. When I finally graduated to a baitcasting outfit in my early teens, it was a Lew’s Fuji caster (or something close to that) like in the picture that I paired with a D.A.M. round bait casting reel. After that there were pistol grip Lightning rods, Berkley Series One’s (the first production split grip rod – sorta’?), and even Team Daiwa’s. I still have one TD topwater/twitching pistol grip rod left in the arsenal.
There’s some debate as to what happened to them, whether it was material science or developing technique that did them in. On the one hand, the shift to graphite and boron in rod making material allowed for longer rods to be made in lighter weights. On the other hand, guys like Rick Clunn with his 2-hand casting, straight handled cranking success, and Gliebe, Klein and Brauer with their dominance in flipping, and shortly thereafter pitching, made longer rods a popular tool to own. Rods have only gotten longer over the years. I often wonder what would happen if B.A.S.S. and other organizations lifted the 8′ rod length rule?
Perhaps it’s a chicken and egg kind of argument. Regardless, it’s hard to argue that they were/are some of the most accurate little sticks for dropping a bait into tight quarters at close range, or under overhanging limbs and such. There are still some days on the local rivers where they would certainly come in handy.
Anybody still chunkin’ plugs or plastics with them?
15 Comments
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Drummaster
March 5, 2012 at 7:26 am
I still use them when Im fishing small waters out of a 12 ft. jon boat.When you can’t stand and cast(or flip and pitch)the long rods are too awkward to sidearm cast.Then again I still use a sculling paddle.
admin (mostly Jay)
March 6, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Stealthy!
Cletus Yayhew
March 5, 2012 at 10:53 am
They pretty much disappeared when the BASStards started aping each other with the jaw-destroying, drama-queen hooksets, performed like a hammer thrower at the Special Olympics.
admin (mostly Jay)
March 6, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Cletus is crackin’ me up!
paul zuest
March 5, 2012 at 11:31 am
never used pistol grip as left hand reels were hard to find in late 70~s. still use couple bass pro 5ft 6in spinning rods in tight spots.
Kevin R
March 5, 2012 at 7:23 pm
I still occasionally use 6′ trigger grips, which, from the reel forward are about the same length as a 5’6″ pistol grip…great for working in tight quarters when the big 7’+ rods get tangled up.
Chad Keogh
March 5, 2012 at 8:01 pm
I use to have a 5’6″ Ugly Stik pistol grip rod and a 6′ Shimano Speed Stick (or something like that). The only reason I got rid of them was due to getting sponsored by Quantum. They were really good spinnerbait rods, but I am not sure I would want another pistol grip rod at this point.
Cliff Peterson
March 5, 2012 at 8:02 pm
I still use them for topwaters, fishing small cranks in tight quarters, and for rolling casting spinnerbaits under overhanging limbs.
Flip 'N' Pitch
March 5, 2012 at 9:41 pm
Not only “yes” but “Hay-elle Yes!”. I’ve still got an old but good Shimano Bantam Magnumlite 1500 SXG sitting on a Shimano Magnum 5’6″ Pistol Grip rod with an extra helping of good old Boron in it. I use it when I’m feeling nostalgic for the mid to late 80s. Otherwise I use a modern day version G. Loomis Mossyback with a Curado on it. If you think you’re accurate with a two handed 6’6″ rod just wait until you remove 6″ (yeah, normally that’s a bad thing 😉 I use it for lighter jigs, senkos, etc. You do sacrifice some leverage and casting distance but for close quarters battle with Mr. Micropterus there’s nothing better! If the Ad Wizards called it “Tactical” they would prolly sell/make them again.
Flip 'N' Pitch
March 5, 2012 at 9:58 pm
Oops, I meant 12″! See, I can hardly force myself to say it 😉
MattBass
March 9, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Just this week I pulled out 3 (!?!) of ’em I had layin’ around. One – tip busted –> trash. Next – Berkley Graphite (GREAT rod) –> gave to a friend. Last – very, very old Lew’s Speed Stick Fiberglass (on which I caught a 12 pounder) –> kept for nostalgia. I have an old Shimano Bantam 100 (again, !?!) which still works perfectly. I’m going to put the Bantam on the Speed Stick and fish with it Sunday. Yippee!
Kenny
January 7, 2013 at 3:05 am
I still have a pistol grip ugly stik paired with my old abu 6500-c3. I absolutely love this combo. I also have non-pistol grip ‘bait-casting’ rods (with the typical trigger for the finger) but give me a pistol grip baitcaster rod any day. Although, of course, if we’re going to go up to heavier baitcaster outfit, then we can’t stay with pistol-grip, but then one could argue (with heavier baitcasting non-pistol grip outfit) whether it’s really bait-casting anymore.
Big Mike
February 12, 2016 at 3:29 pm
I’m still using a 5’6″ Shimano BKM 1553 rod with a Shimano Magnum Lite GT 100 reel. I’ve never found any rod and reel combo that I like better.
Doug.W
August 4, 2016 at 2:15 pm
I fish from a kayak, so I find it difficult to use long rods except in open water. I usually take 3 pistol grip casting rods (Berkley Lightning Rod 5’6″ Medium Graphite for softbodies, Medium Heavy Shimano Bantam Magnumlite BTX1553 Graphite for Worms, Medium Heavy Cooks of Oregon 6′ custom built (see eBay rowriverfshr) with Texas made All Star T-80X blank & cork grip specifically for spinner baits. I also have three Lew’s Speedsticks. One Heavy action model has an extremely large Lew’s handle and I have recently begun replacing its original chrome-plated brass line guides with saltwater friendly guides. I intend to use this rod for dipping large jigs in freshwater for bass and in narrow saltwater creeks under mangroves for snook & redfish. In open water, I use modern St Croix, G.Loomis and high end Quantum spinning & casting rods. I am right handed & all of my casting reels are saltwater friendly & left handed. I like lefties because I want to be able to begin my retreives & handle any strikes that may occur as baits hit the water. My favorite reels with the pistol grip rods are the Quantum Smoke SL101HPTS & Quantum Smoke SL101SPTS. Tight Lines!
Todd Knox
November 12, 2022 at 2:22 pm
Oh, I have two and use them most of the time. Maybe I’m old fashioned or just don’t like change. Anyway, I’m more accurate with the pistol grip, or so I believe. Here is the other thing I think. They are easier to store in the boat, quicker to pick up and take lots less to think about when casting and changing hands for a variety of reasons. I seem to be able to cast with either arm. I like to cast with my left arm because I can get to the crank faster and therefore make more cast in a shorter period of time. Side casting is a breeze, at least I think so, and so is the pitching and flipping. Well, maybe all that is just my having used the pistol grip for so long. They are still available many places, eBay naturally, and Bass Pro shops usually have them. I bought on at Walmart no so many years ago. I have the new long handled ones and for extremely long casts with heavy lures they work great. I fish a river swamp and most of that is close up to structure, floating Lilly pads and close to trees and shoreline. Hey, I’m out and among natures great gifts and whatever I use is going to be a great day.