I have found the best rod for me is a 5'4" GLoomis GL2 in a medium action. They don't even make the model anymore. I bought it for bass fishing in the back of a canoe so I wouldn't keep smacking the front angler in my canoe on hook set. Some might say overkill but I can feel bottom hardness, and the lightest of bites. I rarely, almost never get cleaned off without feeling something. Fish only crappie rigs with direct tied hooks. I tried switch over to an older st croix premier in 6' medium and couldn't feel nearly as good. My preference is 5' to 5'6" in medium to medium light. We hit em pretty good by Marblehead Light and Lakeside in the beginning of the week. We had 3 fisherman, 2 adults and my 9 year old son. 3 days of fishing we had 210 perch at a total of 61#.