Buying a new small creek/river smallmouth rod. Suggestions?

[Dinger0306]

Most of my fishing lately has been wading small creeks for smallmouth and I think I’m ready to upgrade my spinning outfit. I’m currently using a 6.5’ M Lightning Rod and a 2500 Sienna which has been a terrific outfit for the application and price. 
 

I’m definitely thinking an ML fast to extra fast, since my Lightning rod was quite light for a medium and most MLs are rated the same line and lure wise. I’ll be throwing wacky rigged senko 3-4”, 1/20-1/10oz Ned rigs, 1/16-1/8 t rigs, small rapalas, teeny pop rs, 60 whopper ploppers, 1/8oz bitsy bugs and spinner/buzzbaits, amongst other things. I’m leaning towards a 6 1/2’ cause that’s what I’m used to, 7’ is a no go cause of overhanging brush and while I think a 6’ would be perfect I want the versatility for casting distance in case I wanna use it for finesse largemouth lake fishing, or casting further in larger creeks or rivers. For reels I’m almost dead set on getting a Daiwa LT series, probably a Regal in 1000 size as I’ll run 6-8lb mono. 
 

So far I’ve looked into:

St. Croix Premier

St. Croix Triumph

Dobyns Fury

Fenwick HMG

 

One other thing is since it will most likely be dunked at times, I’m thinking cork > EVA. I’d imagine EVA gets slippery or “soggy” (haven’t dealt with high quality foam so don’t know) and prefer cork but I’m open to the idea.

 

 

Leaning mostly towards the Premier, but is it really worth the extra price compared to the Triumph when the blank material is the same? The HMG’s lifetime warranty I like since it’s not going to be pampered all the time, but the handles look a bit long and may get in the way.  For the fury, I’ve heard good things but still very undecided. Any suggestions or insight on the ones listed above would be welcome as I don’t have any outdoors stores near me where I could try them all out, or insight on what you use for wading creeks. Thanks!

[Bdnoble84]

I have an hmx for this purpose and so far i like it in med/fast. But a med xf or med.light xf would be nice. I have a 7’ med light xf cabelas fish eagle now but its not as fast as advertised. I dont feel like it loads up as well as it should with the small hair jigs i throw, but it does handle fish in current well.

[Drew03cmc]

I have both an Avid 6'9" MLXF/Stradic 2500 CI4+/10# Smackdown and a Legend Tournament Bass 6'8" MXF/Stradic 2500FL/15# Smackdown. The MLXF has plenty of backbone to handle good size fish. I like the MXF for Super Flukes and small craws and jigs to 1/4oz.

[TnRiver46]

It’s all downhill after you dunk it the first time……..

[Dinger0306]

 

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s all downhill after you dunk it the first time……..

The first scratch or bump is always the worst. I guess that’s just a sign it’s getting used haha

3 hours ago, Drew03cmc said:

I have both an Avid 6'9" MLXF/Stradic 2500 CI4+/10# Smackdown and a Legend Tournament Bass 6'8" MXF/Stradic 2500FL/15# Smackdown. The MLXF has plenty of backbone to handle good size fish. I like the MXF for Super Flukes and small craws and jigs to 1/4oz.

An Avid/Stradic combo is great I’d bet. I’m glad to hear the ML’s still have good backbone, the fish I’ll be catching will all be between 12-18 inch range, but the current can be a game changer.

4 hours ago, Bdnoble84 said:

I have an hmx for this purpose and so far i like it in med/fast. But a med xf or med.light xf would be nice. I have a 7’ med light xf cabelas fish eagle now but its not as fast as advertised. I dont feel like it loads up as well as it should with the small hair jigs i throw, but it does handle fish in current well.

How do you feel about the handle length? I’ve not checked into the HMX’s, the HMG seems like it has a long-ish handle compared to most rods

[ATA]

I have M-AIRE 5'6" ML and it is very effective on streams and rivers, First I hate the idea of short rod, But when I used it I could see how it making my life easier. The second one Is my Shimano Shaula 6'6" and they both are life savers when it comes to store fishing or any place with lots of trees and overheads.

[QED]

Sounds like an overdetermined system to me.  Apparently you want to cast ultralight baits with a ML fast rod, which generally is not optimum for ultralight stuff.  For example, a Shimano PA267MLA (ML/F) will cast the light stuff well, but will only be marginal for the ultralight stuff and it is perhaps their best USDM spinning rod for lighter stuff.

[Scott804]

My brother fishes in a similar scenario with an HMG and he loves it, but I would definitely try to feel one of the rods in store to make sure it is light enough to toss the lighter stuff. He has a medium and it definitely leans a little heavy in my opinion. 

[Jig Man]

I have 2 HMG 6’ ml rods that I use for Ned rigs, small swim baits, and slider grubs using 1/16 and 3/32 oz heads.  They are paired with Shimano 1000 reels and 6# fluorocarbon line.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

If your budget is around the $150 mark I would go with one of these 2 if it had to be under 7'

SC Mojo 6'10 ML XF-Its the same price as premier but the blank the higher quality blank makes it lighter, more responsive, more sensitive and the XF makes it an accurate casting rod.

13 Omen Black 6'7 ML XF-This blank is superior to the SC2 in the Triumph/Premier and has similar performance to the SC3 blanks of the Mojo/Avid.  I like the balance of the Omen over the Mojo/Avids.  The handle shape and layout is more comfortable IMO and the rear locking nut secures the reel very well and doesn't back down ever, which happens from time to time with the Mojo.  @ $120 awful hard to beat overall and you could upgrade from a Regal to an Exceler with a thread in handle that gives you a better connection to the main gear then the hex pin on the Regal.

[NYWayfarer]

Anything by St Croix is my recommendation.

 

My current river Smallmouth setup is a 6’ ML St Croix Avid paired with an Abu Garcia Max Z size 10 spinning reel. Crazy ? $200 rod paired with a sub $40 reel but it works for me. Most productive combo I have.

[Bdnoble84]

21 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

Anything by St Croix is my recommendation.

 

My current river Smallmouth setup is a 6’ ML St Croix Avid paired with an Abu Garcia Max Z size 10 spinning reel. Crazy ? $200 rod paired with a sub $40 reel but it works for me. Most productive combo I have.

I really want an avid

[NYWayfarer]

34 minutes ago, Bdnoble84 said:

I really want an avid

I love mine. I could not justify the price as I am clumsy and have broken a few rods in my day. This rod is my Dad’s. He is 83 and not mobile enough to fish anymore so he gave it to me.

 

After using it for 2 seasons now I would buy another one in a heartbeat.

[Dinger0306]

10 hours ago, QED said:

Sounds like an overdetermined system to me.  Apparently you want to cast ultralight baits with a ML fast rod, which generally is not optimum for ultralight stuff.  For example, a Shimano PA267MLA (ML/F) will cast the light stuff well, but will only be marginal for the ultralight stuff and it is perhaps their best USDM spinning rod for lighter stuff.

I cast all of the baits I listed with a moderate fast, medium power Lightning Rod already. Some of those 1/16-1/8 rigs aren’t really light when you factor in hook and plastic weight. But then again I’m not making bomb casts at all, I’m casting <30 yds almost always. 

8 hours ago, Scott804 said:

My brother fishes in a similar scenario with an HMG and he loves it, but I would definitely try to feel one of the rods in store to make sure it is light enough to toss the lighter stuff. He has a medium and it definitely leans a little heavy in my opinion. 

I most likely won’t be able to handle any of them. Yeah there are definitely huge differences in different rod manufacturers power ratings, if I can find something that’s similarly “whippy” but lighter and more sensitive than my LR I’ll be content. That’s why I’m leaning more towards a medium light, since

A) if it runs heavier than an ML, maybe better hook sets but less casting distance

B ) if it runs lighter, better casting distance. 
 

I’ve fished medium spinning rods that feel more geared towards spinnerbaits than finesse lol. Thanks for the insight on the HMG seems like they get pretty good reviews 

[Dinger0306]

7 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

If your budget is around the $150 mark I would go with one of these 2 if it had to be under 7'

SC Mojo 6'10 ML XF-Its the same price as premier but the blank the higher quality blank makes it lighter, more responsive, more sensitive and the XF makes it an accurate casting rod.

13 Omen Black 6'7 ML XF-This blank is superior to the SC2 in the Triumph/Premier and has similar performance to the SC3 blanks of the Mojo/Avid.  I like the balance of the Omen over the Mojo/Avids.  The handle shape and layout is more comfortable IMO and the rear locking nut secures the reel very well and doesn't back down ever, which happens from time to time with the Mojo.  @ $120 awful hard to beat overall and you could upgrade from a Regal to an Exceler with a thread in handle that gives you a better connection to the main gear then the hex pin on the Regal.

I have not even considered the Omen, thanks for the heads up! I’ll have to look into those.

The Mojo I have checked out, know a few that fish them and like them but I honestly don’t know how a 6’10 will fair in a lot of the places I fish. If they made a 6’6 ML in the Mojo I probably would’ve never made this thread tbh haha. A 6’-6’3 would really be ideal but I’m considering more so a 6’6 strictly for versatility 

8 hours ago, Jig Man said:

I have 2 HMG 6’ ml rods that I use for Ned rigs, small swim baits, and slider grubs using 1/16 and 3/32 oz heads.  They are paired with Shimano 1000 reels and 6# fluorocarbon line.

That sounds just like the type of setup I’m looking for. How you like the HMG? I’ve been running 8lb but I’m thinking of downsizing to 6, I’ve never had break off issues as is and I think I’d get better casting distance with the stuff I throw

3 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

Anything by St Croix is my recommendation.

 

My current river Smallmouth setup is a 6’ ML St Croix Avid paired with an Abu Garcia Max Z size 10 spinning reel. Crazy ? $200 rod paired with a sub $40 reel but it works for me. Most productive combo I have.

The Avid’s look so nice. If it works it works! I fished a Daiwa baitcaster ($130) on a Berkley Cherrywood ($25) for a long bit as a broke teenager lol

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Yea they're good rods.  I have a gen 1 that preordered and I its gone with me everywhere for about 10 years, you can tell when you look at it.  I only stopped using this Feb when I smacked a bridge with it and cracked an eye.  I have a bunch of SC MLs and they're super versatile rods.  They may struggle with buzzbaits, but everything else they will do fine with.

[Drew03cmc]

On 7/17/2021 at 12:11 AM, Dinger0306 said:

 

An Avid/Stradic combo is great I’d bet. I’m glad to hear the ML’s still have good backbone, the fish I’ll be catching will all be between 12-18 inch range, but the current can be a game changer.

 

It handles that size fish without issue. Here is a nice fish from February in mid-MO. Caught on a hair jig.

[Rob St Croix]

I use a St Croix 5'10' LTB with a Carbonlite 2.0 1500

[kayaking_kev]

I had the Dobyns 702sf ML, but they do have a 662sf ML which is 6'6".

I'm not sure if it's going to throw 1/20 oz. baits though.

They do have a 661sf which is a Light Power, but I don't have any experience with it and I would wonder about fishing T-rigs on a Light Power.

It almost sounds like you should keep your Medium for your bigger baits and get a Light or even UL. I've caught SM on my St.Croix UL Panfish rod before, and a 7 lb. Catfish.

 

I would recommend getting the Daiwa Legalis LT over the Regal or Revros. 

[Dinger0306]

Ended up scoring a St. Croix Premier 6’6” ML split grip, took it out today and loving it so far! Light, much better casting distance with those 1/16oz neds and Teeny Pop-Rs. Perfect action, just wondering how it’ll do setting the hook with plastics on those 15+ inch fish. Hopefully will find out this weekend