Flywatersmallie

That's exactly what I did (that's my rig for sale, thanks for the advertising by the way ) I ended up with a Sage Smallmouth rod. Not the stealthiest rod out there but you could double haul a Buick with that thing! The combo I have listed for sale is a nice one, not the best for creek trout but, bass, pike, steelhead, salmon and the like, its a great setup! I just don't use it. If you are going to use it strictly for trout, maybe look for a 4 or softer action 5 weight.

I have the 6'8 mxf in the legend tournament series, both casting and spinning. You will love it! More than enough backbone to drive the hook in a t-rig yet a soft enough tip you won't pull the hook through a fish with a wacky or dropshot rig. Very versitile stick! They fabulous jerkbait rods too

I own both a Saros F and Stradic FI. I much prefer the Stradic, I couldn't tell you exactly why, I do though. Then again I've only fished the Saros a couple times, I just got it because I found it for $80 locally. Then again, I paid only $100 for the Stradic, new. There are deals to be had if you look. I don't think you can go wrong with either but the Stradic is indeed worth the extra coin

Shhhhhhhh! They will raise the prices on you. In all seriousness, I have one too and like it. Is it as nice as my high end St Croix stuff? No but they are better than any $100 rod I've fished to date. They are nice sticks, backups or otherwise.

I have this rod in the Legend Tournament series too. I use it for Flukes will good success. I like it for tubes and wacky rigging too.

Depends on HOW you want to fish them. Big fat hair bugs and bunny leeches are tougher to throw than say, a small unweighted streamer. I have 2 rods I use for bass, smallies and largemouth alike. First is a fast action 9' 6 weight. I can throw most any fly with this rod. Definitely tricky to turn over a big weighted Clouser minnow but it can be done. The big nasty stuff gets thrown on one of the Sage BASS "smallmouth" rods. Equals out to about a 9 weight. A good all around stick would be an 8 I suppose. The Ross FlyStik rods are pretty decent for not a whole ton of money, if you can get past the color. Check them out.

They are nice rods. I bought one of the casting models last week on a whim. It nice. Fairly light, balances well and pretty sensitive. Seems to be a whole lot of rod for $100, much less the $60 it actually costs. I like it, I think I will end up getting another.

Legend Tournament.

Well..... I think a Medium Heavy, Fast action rod would be far more versitile than 2 cranking rods. I do 99% of my fishing with only 2 rods. A 7' Medium Fast casting rod can handle plastics, light jigs, spinnerbaits all just fine and can throw a crank in a pinch (I have a cranking rod too but don't use it very often). And a 6'6" medium light spinning rod for the little stuff. I can throw all but the heaviest baits with no difficulty and fish them all with reasonable effectiveness. I picked the cranking rod up in trade a year or so ago (6'6" MM St Croix Avid). I would have never bought one otherwise. Kind of a one trick pony and since I don't have a boat, I don't like to carry 273 rods with me everywhere I go.

Lots of people really liked the older F&S rods Dock.... The coupons that Dick's has around, you could probably try one for under $40. Some of the Dick's stuff is indeed pretty nice for the money..... Hmmmm

That's what I thought too... Not a Loomis or anything but pretty nice rods for the amount spent, thats for sure!

I had a chance to wiggle (and eventually bought one) the new incarnations of the Fenwick HMG, HMX and Eagle GT. They are much improved over the older models, especially the Eagle! The Eagle, quite honestly felt the lightest in hand of the bunch, was relatively fast and responsive. Can't go wrong for the $60 price tag! Check them out

Best rods I have seen in that price range is the NEW Fenwick Eagle GT... The old ones were clunky and heavy. The new ones are nice and responsive and pretty light. Especially for the price tag ($60-70) . They aren't in the same class as the other rods I use(I have 9 LTB's and 3 Avids) but they arent bad. I picked one up yesterday at Cabelas as I was looking for a rod for a specific application and couldn't justify the $230 for another LTB to get used a few times a year. The Fenwick will fit the bill perfectly. They are decent rods. You won't get GLX sensitivity in that price range but you won't feel like you are fishing junk either. I like the new Eagles better than the Triumph, Team All Stars and other rods I have seen "cheap".

99% of my fishing is for river smallies. One of my favorite tactics is, during the summer cover LOTS of water with a white Booyah Pond Magic buzz bait. Even if you don't hook up, they will tell you where they are. Also those Rebel craws in the tiny size, grubs, 2.5" tubes, inline spinners all work at certain times.When the crayfish are out and about, I will often spend time fishing riprap with a TX rigged craw, either Netbait, Rage Tail or Berkley Chigger Craw. I don't own a boat, well, not with a motor anyway. I either wade, bank fish or from my canoe.

I'll throw my stream smallmouth rod's hat in the ring here.... If you are going to spend IMX money anyway, take a long look at the St Croix Legend Tournament "Split Shot". Its a 6'6" ML fast rod. Feels like it was designed for these smallies. It's listed as 1/8th to 3/8 but I throw 1/16th oz stuff on there (2" grubs, small inlines and tiny topwaters and cranks) all day long and have no problem with distance or feel. That rod is perfect for stream smallies.... Take a look!

A longer rod (I use generally a 6'6" medium light) and braid. Smallies, generally, are not very line shy and 2lb dia braid will cast a mile. If you feel the need, run a floro leader. The braid will help you avoid lots of breakoffs and feel the fish you are probably missing as well. Get some kalins grubs (any color as long as its smoke) and run them on a 1/16 oz head. You will get bit

I use the same rod in the legend tournament line. I think you'll be happy with that length and action

To say the least! You would swear a 12" river smallie weighs 5 lbs before you see it. Downsize your largemouth baits a little, you will get bit. Smallies are different too. They relate to structure rather than cover like a largemouth does. There is a difference

Since I have taken finesse to a new level over the last couple of years, here's mine.... 2"smoke senko on a 1/16 oz football head Pearl super fluke jr in watermelon 3" smoke s&p kalins grub 3 3/4" yum craw papi in junebug on a split shot rig 4" lunker city shaker in rainbow trout on a 1/8 oz darter head

St Croix rods Kalins grubs GYCB Shimano reels (didn't used to be the case, the new models really impress me though) Powerpro Panther Martin inline spinners

TX rig a 4" chigger craw or rage craw and head to that riprap. Throw a smaller crank like a 1/4 oz big O and cover lots of rock. When you pick up a fish or 2 slow down and fish the craw and scour the area. Smallies school. If you find one, chances are it wasn't alone

St Croix Triumph 6'6" ML ($70, go to Dick's with a coupon, get it for $60), same blank as the Premier, a lot of river smallie guys swear by them. Abu Garcia Cardinal 300 series ($40) A nice workable combo for right around that $100 mark.

Mine.... I mainly fish from shore, wade or from a canoe, always in the river and it isnt very deep and boat access is limited so.... Spinning 6'6" MLF St Croix Legend Tournament "Split Shot" with a 1000 size Shimano Saros spooled with 2/10 Powerpro for the light plastics 6'6" MLF St Croix Avid with a 1000 Sized Symetre FJ spooled with 2/10 Powerpro. Old "feel" rod, usually gets used for spinners and small cranks now 6'3" MXF St Croix Legend Tournament "Shakin" with a 1500 size Daiwa Tierra spooled with 4/15 Powerpro for small worms, 3" Senkos and the like 6'8" MXF St Croix Avid with a 2500 size Shimano Stradic spooled with 4/15 Powerpro for tubes Casting 7' MF St Croix Legend Tournament "Teaser" with a Revo STX spooled with 6/20 Powerpro for TX rigged plastics, craws, 4"+ senkos and so on also jerkbaits and small spinnerbaits. Doubled as a heavier crank rod till I just aquired a 6'6" Avid cranker which does not yet have a reel. 6'6" St Croix Avid MH with a Quantum Energy PT spooled with 8/30 Powerpro for the heavier stuff, jigs, bigger spinnerbaits and flipping into heavy cover Notice a theme here? When I wade I only carry one rod, usually the LTB "split shot". Canoe gets 2. Generally the teaser and one of the 6'6" ML spinning rods. Can cover MOST everything with just the 2.

I just bought a 702 at my local Gander Mountain for $40. They had all the models up to the 704. Might want to take a look there.

I've got a President XT. The stem is indeed a seperate piece from the body. That said, I also have a Symetre.... I will say this, if you go the Shimano route, get the Sahara. VERY close in performance and feel to the Symetre and you can save yourself 20 clams.