what rod do you use for smallmouth fishing?

[bigfruits]

what's your favorite rod for smallmouth fishing? im looking for suggestions for something to throw tubes, 1/8 oz jigs and small soft plastics with. looking for brands and model numbers.

thanks

-z

[MichBassMan]

I use several, but my fav is a 6' 3" St.Croix Avid med extra fast with a 2500 symetre spooled with mint green Yo-Zuri ulta soft #6.

[ultralightning88]

i been using a falcon original series, 6ft medium light. And its been doing good.

[jesse-c]

i use a 6'6 medium fast G-Blank Rod. They are custom made by a fella down in Oklahoma and they rock. They are the same as a G-Loomis GLX but the g-blanks are only 125. I know to some that sounds steep but its a super sweet rod for the money.

[Grey Wolf]

i use a 6'6 medium fast G-Blank Rod. They are custom made by a fella down in Oklahoma and they rock. They are the same as a G-Loomis GLX but the g-blanks are only 125. I know to some that sounds steep but its a super sweet rod for the money.

Same as a loomis glx?????????????????????????

Do you have any data or proof to back that statement up ?

The g-blanks are a nice cheap rod but I don't think they are in the same class as a G-loomis glx. JMHO.

[smallmouthbeginner]

believe it or not, i use an ultra light. The smallies where i fish usually are not over 3 pounds so its real fun to catch em with a small rod. I usually fish tubes with a 1/8 ounce head on em, either that or gary yamamotos. I use a 5 foot 6 ugly stik with a small as hell south bend reel.

[bigfruits]

believe it or not, i use an ultra light. The smallies where i fish usually are not over 3 pounds so its real fun to catch em with a small rod. I usually fish tubes with a 1/8 ounce head on em, either that or gary yamamotos. I use a 5 foot 6 ugly stik with a small as hell south bend reel.

i like fishing with light tackle as well. right now im using an avid 6'3" ml extra fast. i think theres too much current in the rivers i go to to use an ultra light but i can imagine how fun it must be to bring in a 3lb smallie on one.

[Jig Man]

I have 2 favorites for tubes for smallmouth; 1. Gloomis IMX SJR 782 and St. Croix Avid 6.6 MF spinning rod.

[roadwarrior]

I would recommend 6 1/2 or 7' Medium Power/ Fast Action spinning tackle. For the applications you mentioned, I fish a St. Croix ES70MF/ Stella 2500FB and Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft #6. My favorite smallmouth rig for other applications is a G.Loomis GLX PR844S/ Stella 2500FB and Ultra Soft #4.

For hard baits, particularly for jerkbaits and topwater, St. Croix Avid AC66MF with a soft tip. Mine is matched with a Shimano Metanium/ Ultra Soft #12.

8-)

[Crestliner2008]

You really need more than just one rod to accomplish the tasks you need to deal with smallies. A light to medium light action for drop shotting with 6# test line and a medium action for tubes & jerkbaits with 8# test. You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a rod either; BPS makes a decent line-up of rods which will put a lot of fish in your boat - and on a budget.

[jesse-c]

i use a 6'6 medium fast G-Blank Rod. They are custom made by a fella down in Oklahoma and they rock. They are the same as a G-Loomis GLX but the g-blanks are only 125. I know to some that sounds steep but its a super sweet rod for the money.

Same as a loomis glx?????????????????????????

Do you have any data or proof to back that statement up ?

The g-blanks are a nice cheap rod but I don't think they are in the same class as a G-loomis glx. JMHO.

Larry Mitchell buys his blanks straight from Shimano and wraps them himself. since he buys in bulk he gets them at a cheap rate. When you buy a loomis mostly all you are buying is the brand name. Use a loomis and then put the same model of g-blank in your hand and you wont tell the difference. I have owned both and i sold my loomis's on ebay to buy twice as many gblanks.

[mogin hunter]

I think alot is personal preference ,but I go with a G-Loomis GL3 7ft medium action with a Quantum pt spinning reel with 8lb line .The rod and action are up to you and the cost of such blanks and combos is up to you, buy the best you can afford and leave it at that the fish don't see the rod or reel it is what you are comfortable with .

[brittlab]

6'6" MLF avid

[roadwarrior]

When you buy a loomis mostly all you are buying is the brand name. Use a loomis and then put the same model of g-blank in your hand and you wont tell the difference.

Well, I'm glad you like your G-Blanks. Everyone likes to compare

their favorite rod to G-Loomis and most people think their's is as

good or better. It seems to me that G. Loomis is the standard by

which all others are measured. They are definitely different rods

with proprietary blanks. G. Loomis is much more than just a name,

it's a reputation built over a period of decades.

My favorite spinning rod and the one I use most often for smallmouth

fishing is a GLX PR844S. This rod is remarkable. Designed for light

saltwater, popping and live bait, it's the perfect fit for me.

:

[Smallie4130]

I just picked up a 7ft MLF st. croix with a pflueger supreme reel recently and before that I was fishing a 6'6" Bionix MF with a Sonora 2500.  Both have been great hitting the smallies but the new setup definitely feels better.

[fretfishman]

i have 2 rods that cover my smallie needs. 7'6" mh casting (st. croix) with 12# copolymer (p-line) and 6'6" M spinning (pflueger) with 10# big game or flouro (p-line).

allows me to throw the super light stuff and the heaviest swimbaits and jigs I'd need to throw for smallies. sometimes I bump the spinning rod's line down to 6# flouro for fishing open water structure.

[rebar]

G-blanks rods are made from Rainshadow blanks from Batson Enterprises. I have a 6'9" med. fast casting with revolver guides. I looked mine up and they made it from a spinning rod blank. It is called a RX7 graphite blank whatever that is. They ain't talkin, I asked. They just didn't answer my emails. With that being said, it is an awesome rod. I find myself picking it up, specially when I get tired cause it's so light. I have a Shimano Chronarch MG 51 on it and it is effortless to fish with. It is very sensitive but is a little light in my view for soft plastics, however I plan on using it for dropshotting and see what happens. I usually use a med. light for stream smallies and it will fill that place nicely. I will probly buy another one in a Med Heavy casting with regular guides in the future. I would say it's as sensitive as my St Croix Avid maybe. Larry Mitchell just sells them, a guy named George Blancas makes them. Larry usually has some for sale on Ebay or you can go to their website. I can't remember the name of the site, I will have to look it up and get back. lp

I looked it up, it's imaginationbassin.com They have a guide service on an awesome lake in Florida also.

BTW, I've been using a Allstar shrimptail special with about 4" cut off to match the action I wanted with the handle I wanted. Don't laugh, it works! I think it was around 6'9" to start with, could have been 7'. I have a Calcutta CT51 on it. I can fish from 6# to 12# fairly good on it. This is for stream smallies, I've found for me that a stiff rod makes me lose to many fish, gives them something to pull against I guess. I nearly always have a medium action rod with me if I need to fish T-rigs for them. My favorite lures for the light rod is about 100 different top water baits and 4" c.t. grubs on a plain jig.

[Masshole Mike]

i mainly use my 6'6" MF fenwick eagle gt/pflueger president spinning setup for tubes, soft plastics, jerk baits and drop shotting. i also bring along my 6'9" MHF fenwick elite tech pitchin stik/revo sx for throwing hair jigs.

[Bass Pro]

G Loomis BCR802 GLX is the ultimate smallmouth rod.  

[Dan:]

I used to use an Avid 7' ML F with a Stradic FH2500. Today I just got it replaced with a St Croix Legend Tournament Bass 7' MF (the tube rod) I haven't used it yet but I can't wait...

[Ultraman]

st croix legend tournament bass 6'9 ml xf (dropshot) with a sahara 2500

very very sensitive and i just love this rod

[Doc Smallie]

I use a Megabass F2-62XS Full House, 3-11 lbs., 1/16-1/4 oz., fast action, with 8 lb. fluorocarbon. It's unbelievably sensitive and just loads of fun to fish with. When I'm not using that I fish with the G. Loomis SMR822S-SP-GLX.

[Joe Boss]

My favorite 2 set-ups for Smallmouth fishing are my 6'6" ML St Croix Premier which I pair up with a Pflueger President 6730 spooled with 100 yds of 8lb line. And my 6'6" M St Croix Triumph paired with a Daiwa Capricorn. I have 2 spools for that reel one with 8lb line and the other with 10lb line.

[J Francho]

It depends on where I'm fishing, how deep, clarity, and what bait, not unlike largemouth fishing.  There are just too many options to list them all, but in general terms, I like a med/moderate BC for dragging big tubes, but I also use a MH/fast spinning rig for hopping or swimming them or lighter/smaller tubes.  Drop shot in deep water requires a med/x-fast spinning gear.  I use a shorter, 6' med/fast casting rod for slashbaits and topwaters, since I am not too tall.  Basically, I don't have a "smallie rod" but just match the gear to conditions.  For spinnerbaits, I use the same rod I'd use for largemouth.  Same for things like jigs.  About the only exception to this is when I rarely float 'n fly.  For that I use a 9'6" med/moderate spinning rod meant for steelhead.  Living on the Lake Ontario requires some for thought to line choice, as the zebes will eat up you braid.

[lineman711]

When fishing for smallmouth, I'm almost always in small rivers.  Tubes and Senkos are used most, with the occasional Rapala floating minnow and at times topwater.  I use a Loomis GL2 6' Medium Power/Fast action spinning rod paired with a Symetre 2500 spooled with Excel 6lb test in green.  Seems to be pretty good at every style of fishing I do.  Not the most expensive or refined setup, but I got a great deal on the combo and couldn't pass it up.  I'm actually impressed with it and it will work fine for me until i get a few more raises at work and can get an IMX or GLX.  I'm not usually a brand name follower, but I've seen G Loomis stand behind their rods 100%.  My cousin sent his back after breaking it in my truck door with a note explaining exactly what happened, they replaced it free of charge less shipping.  Depending on your budget, I would suggest taking a look at a GL2.  They can be had for less that $100, and although you don't hear much about them on here, I think they are a great rod in their price range, much better than my similarly priced All Star rods.