i find the 13'6" to be too much rod for the smaller rivers, of course there are some days where you get into a run of big fish and get pulled around a little with the shorter rod wishing the bigger one was in your hand but in general the shorter 12'6" and less is enough rod to handle any steel around here and its easier to deal with in the car and walking through the bush.
side note...are you planning to fish in the deep of winter? if so a longer rod does help to keep the line off the ice at the sides of the creek when fighting a 