cville,
Take into consideration the streams you are going to fish, I fish a lot of small mountain streams, I used a 6ft. 1 piece rod I built for over 30yrs. I have two 6 1/2 rods one is a 3wt. the other one a 4wt. A few weeks back I built a 4/5wt. 8ft. rod, thats the biggest trout rod I own. I have a 9ft. 7wt. I use for smallmouth fishing and a 9ft 8/9wt. Steelhead rod I never used.
If you are fishing in a large stream like Pine Creek or Broadhead Creek where you would wade out in deep water you need a longer rod to keep your line off the water on a long backcast.
I was fishing South River special regs. area over a month ago, where there is a lot of long flat stretches of fairly deep water, and I couldn't get the distance I wanted with a 6 1/2ft. rod in over waist deep water. I wished I had a 12ft. rod at the time.
cville, The picture below is of a stream close to you, if you fished it before you'll know what it is.