Smallmouth river rod advice

[PaulVE64]

This spring I will again attempt to lure a group of prespawn smallies to bite my jigs.

This is an exceptional (for me) group of about six to ten 3# plus smallies in a chain of 6ft dp pools next to a rock shelter that is a out 300 yds long and about 45 ft wide with lots of tree cover and about 2 miles down stream it empties into a large river.

 

I have been on these resident smallies for a few years and they are the most violent fish I can catch.

Anyway I've tired of hooking and losing them and I'm wondering if I'm using the right tackle for the job.

My lure of choice is a 1/16 - 3/16 oz jig and letting it crawl bottom. I also throw weightless flys on a carolina rig.

Lengths of 6.5' to 7.5' but should it be an XF tip?

I lose most of these bruits on their 2nd jump after they've opened up some space on the hook. The only ones I can land are hooked on the top of the nose so I can turn them.

Budget for the rod is $250

[bowhunter63]

My favorite Smallmouth River rod is a Carbon light 2.0 7 ft 6 xf medium. I have it loaded with 8 lb braid. It handles ever thing I want to throw from jigs to swim baits. The Reel is a carbon light also. I do a lot of wading and it casts light baits a long ways. Well with in your budget 

[drakesndrum]

Daiwa Tatula TTU701MFS 7' 1/8-3/4oz or the TTU711MLFS 1/16-3/8oz.  Either will work, the 701 if you need anything heavier than 1/4oz.  Have fished a pile of spinning rods for river smallies and come back to these every time.  They run $150-160 but can be found cheaper if you look.

[PaulVE64]

I have played with that TTU711MLFS.

It's a nice rod but I liked the Shimano Curado CDS70LA even more in hand.

I need alot of backbone on a fairy wand.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Are your hooks sharp? Does the rod you’re using have the power to set the hook?

[PaulVE64]

2 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Are your hooks sharp? Does the rod you’re using have the power to set the hook?

I use light wire hooks and they're sharp and the rod is a 6'  mlf and its enough for the hooks.

I normally lose them on the jump during a headshake so I'm wondering if need to look at the tip speed. 

[newapti5]

For light wire small hooks on finesse jigs, like the ones on Ned rig or the Strike King bitsy bug, I find that penetration isn't the problem. The main cause of losing smallies is that the small hook tears a rather large gap on their mouths. In my experience, that's either because I got too excited during hookset, or the drag was set too high. 

 

Either way, with that gap, whenever the line tension is loose, like when they jump, the hook would have a big chance of flying out. That's why my favorite smallie jig rod is a moderate fast one. It greatly helps keeping the pressure on them, even with the gap. And I never have trouble with penetration, as long as the light wire hook is sharp. 

 

For $250, I would go with a Dobyns Champion. Their fast action is rather moderate-fast. Or, you could get a Loomis MBR rod, like GCX 783C MBR. Their action is perfect for smallies, too.

[SWVA]

Been using this one for similar uses that you describe and don’t want for anything else.

 

Loomis SJR 781 6’6” Light/fast.  Stradivarius 2500, 15lb PP and 5-8lb mono leader.

 

I throw a ton of 1/8 oz jigs on this rod.  Before I used an IMX mag-light that I loved, but it was only 6’ and I wanted a little more length.

 

I’ve liked the light and ML IMX spinning rods for a long time, and have picked a bunch up used, but in great shape for $150 or so.

 

Sadly after 20 years I’m moving away from Shimano and Loomis rods due to their warranty being a joke now.

Oops, meant to attach pic.

 

[PaulVE64]

12 hours ago, newapti5 said:

For light wire small hooks on finesse jigs, like the ones on Ned rig or the Strike King bitsy bug, I find that penetration isn't the problem. The main cause of losing smallies is that the small hook tears a rather large gap on their mouths. In my experience, that's either because I got too excited during hookset, or the drag was set too high. 

 

Either way, with that gap, whenever the line tension is loose, like when they jump, the hook would have a big chance of flying out. That's why my favorite smallie jig rod is a moderate fast one. It greatly helps keeping the pressure on them, even with the gap. And I never have trouble with penetration, as long as the light wire hook is sharp. 

 

For $250, I would go with a Dobyns Champion. Their fast action is rather moderate-fast. Or, you could get a Loomis MBR rod, like GCX 783C MBR. Their action is perfect for smallies, too.

Jeez, I've been thinking xfast is better.

I tried a mod/fast tip (fenwick hmg) and it didn't feel right. I'm normally using a MLF stC Triumph. I've always heard they were both slower than most others.

[Susky River Rat]

I would consider a ST. Croix premier med light . You will be able to feel the smallies pick the baits up right off the bottom with it. 

[newapti5]

5 hours ago, PaulVE64 said:

Jeez, I've been thinking xfast is better.

I tried a mod/fast tip (fenwick hmg) and it didn't feel right. I'm normally using a MLF stC Triumph. I've always heard they were both slower than most others

 

IMO it also depends on the line I am using. For fast or xf tip, fluoro or mono would compensate the stiffness a little; for braided line, I'll be using moderate fast medium rod, or just a medium light rod.