What's your favorite River smallmouth Rod and WHY?

[timsford]

6'3" medium/xfast Fenwick elite tech smallmouth. Very sensitive and crisp. Awesome grip and super comfortable. The perfect length for casting with accuracy with trees over my head and for skipping under trees and roll casting from shore. Nice light tip to work finesse and weightless plastics and has a lot of backbone for setting the hook

[Further North]

On 8/14/2016 at 9:53 PM, Turkey sandwich said:

That's my thought process, only Philly makes yard casting hard.  The 8wt will also work for stripers and bonefish.  

Philly would make yard casting hard...I couldn't live there.

...not sure what size flies you throw for stripers and bonefish I've only fished for bonefish once - unsuccessfully - and it worked OK...but those results speak for themselves...

I've reached a point where I'd rather throw a smaller fly for smaller toothy fish on an 8 wt. than a bigger fly on a 10 wt. for bigger fish...it's just too much of a PITA for me.  I like the way an 8 wt. feels and casts soooooo much more than a 10 I can't explain it...

It's kinda like when I'm throwing gear...I've got an 9 ft. musky rod that I can toss a Cadillac on...but I don't like fishing that way...does that make sense?

[Turkey sandwich]

3 hours ago, Further North said:

Philly would make yard casting hard...I couldn't live there.

...not sure what size flies you throw for stripers and bonefish I've only fished for bonefish once - unsuccessfully - and it worked OK...but those results speak for themselves...

I've reached a point where I'd rather throw a smaller fly for smaller toothy fish on an 8 wt. than a bigger fly on a 10 wt. for bigger fish...it's just too much of a PITA for me.  I like the way an 8 wt. feels and casts soooooo much more than a 10 I can't explain it...

It's kinda like when I'm throwing gear...I've got an 9 ft. musky rod that I can toss a Cadillac on...but I don't like fishing that way...does that make sense?

It makes perfect sense.  Throwing giant musky plugs on a broom stick and throwing giant bushy streamers can both be pretty exhausting.  I'm still very new to streamer fishing, and just getting acclimated to the ways wind resistant and weighted streamers wreak havoc on a good, respectable loop has me comparing it to casting musky gear or throwing a heavy Carolina rig for hours.  I'm hoping the heavier 8wt will help add more control and reduce some of the fatigue.  Still, it's pretty hard to beat a fish crushing a streamer and then fighting them on the whippy stick. 

[Further North]

On 8/16/2016 at 1:42 AM, Turkey sandwich said:

It makes perfect sense.  Throwing giant musky plugs on a broom stick and throwing giant bushy streamers can both be pretty exhausting.  I'm still very new to streamer fishing, and just getting acclimated to the ways wind resistant and weighted streamers wreak havoc on a good, respectable loop has me comparing it to casting musky gear or throwing a heavy Carolina rig for hours.  I'm hoping the heavier 8wt will help add more control and reduce some of the fatigue.  Still, it's pretty hard to beat a fish crushing a streamer and then fighting them on the whippy stick. 

Meant to reply earlier...got distracted at work, then forgot.

IMO, you're better off with unweighted or lightly weighted flies and a sinking line than you are with a heavy fly.  I find an intermediate sinking line easy to throw, especially in 8 wt.

They are a complete PITA in shallow water though, unless your flies ride hook point up, or have excellent weed guards.

[Spankey]

My favorite rod is two rods.

St. Croix Premier Crankbait Rod. 6'6" Mod. action. Why, it falls in line with my crankbait sizes I tend to mostly throw. In my mind its the best crankbait rod out there. My opinion. Bought a 7 foot version for this season. Love it but, not as much as my older 6'6".

St. Croix Avid Spinning Rod. 6'9'' ML X-fast action. I love to worm fish, drop shot and split shot. 4"-5" worms. Just feel I get good hook sets with it. 6# test and light wire razor sharp hooks.

Never leave home without them.

[Turkey sandwich]

On August 19, 2016 at 10:20 PM, Further North said:

Meant to reply earlier...got distracted at work, then forgot.

IMO, you're better off with unweighted or lightly weighted flies and a sinking line than you are with a heavy fly.  I find an intermediate sinking line easy to throw, especially in 8 wt.

They are a complete PITA in shallow water though, unless your flies ride hook point up, or have excellent weed guards.

I'm starting to feel better with the 6wt, but man, in less than 4' of water, the sinking line is a pain in the ass.  I'm beginning to appreciate the ridiculousness of a line basket, lol. 

[Further North]

17 minutes ago, Turkey sandwich said:

I'm starting to feel better with the 6wt, but man, in less than 4' of water, the sinking line is a pain in the ass.  I'm beginning to appreciate the ridiculousness of a line basket, lol. 

You're gettin' the idea.

IMO, sink tips are for still water or deep, slow current.