Medium light for smallmouth?

[NathanDLTH]

Truthfully a well built medium will throw lighter baits than they are rated for. However, if you are set on getting a ML then go for it, but it's not 100% necessary. I do 95% of my smallie fishing on Mediums for spinning rods or a MH baitcaster. Also don't go below 10lb line cause of rocks, snags, and general debris in the river close to me.

[Junk Fisherman]

Medium light action is ideal for lighter lures.  I fish a lot of smallmouth and finesse overall and this is my arsenal:  

 

Light Action- Ned rig (1/15 and 1/10th) and hair jigs

Medium Light- tubes (1/8 to 3/8), dropshot, Neko, spybaits, blade baits, shakey head, secondary 

Medium- cracking tubes (1/2 to 3/4), stupid tubes; I will use the medium for heavier blade baits and spybaits.

 

I only used medium light rods for finesse for years until I started throwing a Ned rig and cracking a tube.  I also use longer rods (7'4 to 7'9) so that helps fighting fish with lighter actions.  While I have thrown a Ned with a medium light I prefer the casting distance of the light action rod.  Obviously, a baitcaster is used for spinnerbaits, cranks, topwater, ect...

[moguy1973]

I'm not sure why people think fishing for smallmouth is any different than fishing for largemouth.  They both pretty much eat the same thing.  "Smallmouth" is a misnomer as I've had them take 6" baits just as easily as a 2" bait.  Whatever tackle I'm using for largemouth is what I'm using for smallmouth.  No special setups are needed.  In fact, I like to have my beefier setups for smallmouth as they fight 10x harder than largemouth typically do.   As others have said, if you need to throw something lighter like a Ned rig get a good spinning set up that can throw something that light.

[J Francho]

They live in completely different environments, where I'm from.  If you primarily fish for them, then "beefier" gear you use for largemouth would be as foreign as a stand up tuna rig is to you, which you could use to catch fish as well.  All you need here is a relatively light spinning rig with 4-6# line and some basic baits to catch them. 

[Junk Fisherman]

49 minutes ago, moguy1973 said:

I'm not sure why people think fishing for smallmouth is any different than fishing for largemouth.  They both pretty much eat the same thing.  "Smallmouth" is a misnomer as I've had them take 6" baits just as easily as a 2" bait.  Whatever tackle I'm using for largemouth is what I'm using for smallmouth.  No special setups are needed.  In fact, I like to have my beefier setups for smallmouth as they fight 10x harder than largemouth typically do.   As others have said, if you need to throw something lighter like a Ned rig get a good spinning set up that can throw something that light.

 

I don't think people differentiate between smallmouth tackle and largemouth tackle but what is different is where you fish for them.  It's not the strength of the fish that dictates what power rod I use but rather the cover I am fishing in and the lure I am using.  All of my smallmouth fishing is in open water where I can play the fish.  On the other hand, the largemouth I fish for are often in weeds, wood, or docks where I need the beefier rod for handling the fish.  I use my medium action spinning rod more for largemouth because of where I'm fishing not what species I am fishing for.  

[TnRiver46]

Both species live on the same boulder or brushpile where I fish, probably similar to @moguy1973. Might get SM one cast and LM the next on the same spot same lure 

[A-Jay]

9 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

I don't think people differentiate between smallmouth tackle and largemouth tackle but what is different is where you fish for them.  It's not the strength of the fish that dictates what power rod I use but rather the cover I am fishing in and the lure I am using.  All of my smallmouth fishing is in open water where I can play the fish.  On the other hand, the largemouth I fish for are often in weeds, wood, or docks where I need the beefier rod for handling the fish.  I use my medium action spinning rod more for largemouth because of where I'm fishing not what species I am fishing for.  

I am right here as well ~ 

Could be spinning gear or Casting gear 

A-Jay

[Randy Price]

I've been fishing for 50 years primarily in IL,WI, and AR and all of my fishing buddies use spinning gear for everything BUT musky.  I have a couple of BC bass rigs but find myself still using my spinning gear.  Habit I guess.

[moguy1973]

2 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

I don't think people differentiate between smallmouth tackle and largemouth tackle but what is different is where you fish for them.  It's not the strength of the fish that dictates what power rod I use but rather the cover I am fishing in and the lure I am using.  All of my smallmouth fishing is in open water where I can play the fish.  On the other hand, the largemouth I fish for are often in weeds, wood, or docks where I need the beefier rod for handling the fish.  I use my medium action spinning rod more for largemouth because of where I'm fishing not what species I am fishing for.  

 

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Both species live on the same boulder or brushpile where I fish, probably similar to @moguy1973. Might get SM one cast and LM the next on the same spot same lure 

Yep, that's the difference.  All the places I fish I can catch a largemouth one cast, a spotted bass the next, and a smallmouth the next.  Not really many smallmouth only fisheries around me.

[Junk Fisherman]

32 minutes ago, moguy1973 said:

 

Yep, that's the difference.  All the places I fish I can catch a largemouth one cast, a spotted bass the next, and a smallmouth the next.  Not really many smallmouth only fisheries around me.

 

All of my smallmouth fishing is on the Great Lakes.   I am much more likely to catch a lake trout or brown trout than a largemouth.  Actually, I have never even caught a largemouth on these bodies of water.  I do fish some other places that are mixed.  

[Spoons]

15 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

All of my smallmouth fishing is on the Great Lakes.   I am much more likely to catch a lake trout or brown trout than a largemouth.  Actually, I have never even caught a largemouth on these bodies of water.  I do fish some other places that are mixed.  

Forsure I have just heard about more and more guys using med lights for all their finesse stuff and was wondering what the buzz was about. I don't have the knowledge yet to find them on lake michigan so I usually stick to the Dupage river for smallmouth. 

[MickD]

I fish smallies in mostly open water as many others, but I prefer Med power/fast action for tubes-better hook sets than lighter powers.  I like a ML power, Mod/fast action for snapping 4 in swim baits off the bottom due to the better "follow" of the rod tip on the drop.  Too much power when snap jigging gives too sharp of a snap and a loose line dump on the drop.  ML power with the more moderate action works much better on this.  (5/16 and 1/4 oz max)

 

But for most bottom finesse, I like more power for the hook sets.  Often very long casts and fish contact.

[roadwarrior]

3 minutes ago, MickD said:

But for most bottom finesse, I like more power for the hook sets.  

[Junk Fisherman]

Never had a problem setting the hook with a tube and an exposed hook for smallmouth.  And that goes back to when I used straight fluoro and it’s stretch rather the braid/fluoro that I use now.  I do use the medium for a stupid tube for better hook sets.

[haggard]

On 11/17/2020 at 5:55 PM, Spoons said:

Hey guys I am looking to get more into smallmouth fishing. Do you guys mainly use medium lights to be able to throw the lighter lures for them? Would a walleye rod be a decent choice to double up as a smallmouth rod? I figured any big lures could be thrown on my medium setup anyways. 

 

Smallies (at least around here) aren't shy about taking heavier lures, so a medium is fine. That said, if the bite isn't on and you want to try a lighter presentation, ML is great (and multiplies the fun factor when you get a fish on). As much as I prefer using the M/F baitcaster, the ML/XF spinning setup has become my most used, and if I take only two rods, that's one of them (paired with a M or MH baitcaster).

 

If you don't have anything lighter than a medium, a ML is great to have - also for lighter techniques like drop shot, ned, weightless, small jig heads etc.

 

[Spankey]

On 11/30/2020 at 9:12 AM, TnRiver46 said:

Both species live on the same boulder or brushpile where I fish, probably similar to @moguy1973. Might get SM one cast and LM the next on the same spot same lure 

This is common in the river I fish. You could catch a smallie out of the top of a lay down and as you fish it inward pull a largemouth out of it. On the same lure. 
 

I’ve caught a lot of largemouths on the river over the years. But in all honesty none was ever a real brute. But some respectable largemouths. PBs on it were smallmouths. Those fish towered over the largemouths. 
 

Primarily ML fast or x-fast w/ 6 lb. test, soft plastics. 

[J Francho]

River environments favor smallmouth, and they can compete in shallow water.  Lake environments favor largemouth, which often drives smallmouth to deeper water.

[Spankey]

2 hours ago, haggard said:

 

Smallies (at least around here) aren't shy about taking heavier lures, so a medium is fine. That said, if the bite isn't on and you want to try a lighter presentation, ML is great (and multiplies the fun factor when you get a fish on). As much as I prefer using the M/F baitcaster, the ML/XF spinning setup has become my most used, and if I take only two rods, that's one of them (paired with a M or MH baitcaster).

 

If you don't have anything lighter than a medium, a ML is great to have - also for lighter techniques like drop shot, ned, weightless, small jig heads etc.

 

Cranking for those Smallies I’ve gotten to the point to fishing with a moderate reaction. Only way I prefer these days. 
 

The biggest darn problem is finding a rod, casting or spinning with a moderate action. Med. and ML Almost everything out there is fast or x-fast. I’ve found a few over the years that are working great. Even 1/4 oz. CBs on casting setup. Everyone has their own preference but I feel I lost a lot of smallies years prior to fishing with a faster action. I feel the same with fishing spinnerbaits also, needing more of a moderate tip. 

[J Francho]

3 hours ago, Spankey said:

The biggest darn problem is finding a rod, casting or spinning with a moderate action. Med. and ML

Saint Croix Avid AVC70MM is a sensitive graphite stick with an excellent slower taper that can throw lures from 1/4 to about 5/8 oz.  I step up to the AVC70MHM for lures 3/4 and over.  Mine are over 15 years old, and I haven't really found anything close.

[MickD]

3 hours ago, J Francho said:

Saint Croix Avid AVC70MM is a sensitive graphite stick with an excellent slower taper that can throw lures from 1/4 to about 5/8 oz.  I step up to the AVC70MHM for lures 3/4 and over.  Mine are over 15 years old, and I haven't really found anything close.

If you build your own the Rainshadow Revelation Inshore Popping series (a bunch of mod-fast action blanks) are good candidates.  One I love is REV IP 70 ML.  One of my favorite blanks, and I think just what the ML-MF advocates are looking for.

[Robert829]

I normally use fat ika fishing smallmouth. Using ML works fine but sometimes I need more rod power for hook setting...

[Spankey]

Being a St. Croix fan boy I’ve been fishing a medium moderate 6’6” and a 7’ Premiere Crankbait Rods for a long time. These were great sticks and they didn’t break the bank. They don’t offer them anymore. Shame they dropped them. I’m able to throw 1/4 oz. Shad Raps without issues. 
 

Call me crazy but I need using an Abu Garcia casting and a spinning version of the Veritas “Winch” and I’m 110%+ Satisfied with those rods. Moderate is moderate on their rods. I don’t care what the reviews are on their stuff. They are ok by me. 
 

Sorry if this was way off topic but it ties into Smallies on my end. 
 

Good fishing. 

[galyonj]

A 6'10" MLF with a 200 size spinning reel has been my most productive combo since late-summer, regardless of the color of the fish. 15lb power pro v2 to a 6lb leader.

 

I use it for wacky rigs and ned rigs, nosehooked flukes, stuff like that.

[cheezyridr]

On 11/30/2020 at 8:18 AM, moguy1973 said:

I'm not sure why people think fishing for smallmouth is any different than fishing for largemouth.  They both pretty much eat the same thing.  "Smallmouth" is a misnomer as I've had them take 6" baits just as easily as a 2" bait.  Whatever tackle I'm using for largemouth is what I'm using for smallmouth.  No special setups are needed.  In fact, I like to have my beefier setups for smallmouth as they fight 10x harder than largemouth typically do.   As others have said, if you need to throw something lighter like a Ned rig get a good spinning set up that can throw something that light.

 

On 11/30/2020 at 9:12 AM, TnRiver46 said:

Both species live on the same boulder or brushpile where I fish, probably similar to @moguy1973. Might get SM one cast and LM the next on the same spot same lure 

 

same here.  i used to use a spinning set up for throwing lite lures, but i don't now.  i have a st croix mojo 7' casting rod it's MLM paired with a nice bfs reel and 8 lb flouro. i can throw tiny lures for the long bomb if i want,  but more importantly to me, i can put them where i want them accurately. it would be nice to have just a smidge more stiffness, but i haven't found anything like that so far.   most of the season though, i'm throwing bigger baits, and don't use that rig as much. i use my regular bass rods most of the time.

[PaulVE64]

My MLF rod is only 5'-6" long. 

I love that length for finesse vaits in creeks which have 1 to 4 lb smallies.

 

Its deadly accurate forehand or backhand and all tight spaces 

 

I am thinking of upgrading it to something more sensitive, but its hard to find something in that length. Id even consider a 2 pc