i've got the 30 size and its nowhere near too big. especially if you use braid you'll be able to fit a ton of line on there and it holds up really well for smallmouth fishing (shaky heads, drop shots, light jig and grubs). if you're gonna be fishing in tight areas like under bridges and stuff like that I would definitely go with a shorter rod, but if you aren't, I would honestly go with something longer just for the added sensitivity and casting distance