River smallie rod

[jedwards36]

Hello everyone, this would be my first post in the forum. I fish for river smallmouth almost exclusively. And it's mostly spin, But I've done a lot of pond bluegill fly fishing. So I'm looking for a new rod but can't decide beetween a 6wt or 7wt. What rod weight do you guys prefer, 6wt or 7wt? Keep in mind i will throw sizes 2-6 bass bugs 90% and size 6 woolly buggers the other 10%. Thanks

P.s the biggest smallmouth I've caught out of my river is 16inches.

 

[axle27]

I have a 7wt for smallies and light saltwater. I have no real preference, I just skip numbers in weights for rods (3, 5, 7... and 10; I was never good in math.

 

[ted4887]

Either one will do just fine. I'd personally lean toward the 7 wt just to give you a little extra strength for casting some of those bigger flies.

If you have good lucky with wooly buggers, give a Tequelly a try. I can guarantee you won't regret it.


Welcome to the forum!

 

[tpo]

The 7 wt would be the safe choice. It would do all you'd ever want, large flies, sinking/sink tip lines, long casts, etc. Given the size of the typical fish, a fast action 6 wt would be a little more sporting and you might enjoy it more. If you're not trying to chuck out long casts, you can always throw a 7wt line with the 6 wt rod, it will turnover the larger flies and I find over-lining my rods by one weight works pretty well, especially with floating lines. As usual, there's no definitive answer. Good luck!

Tom

 

[caseywise]

i've fished a 6 wt. and 7 wt. for smallies. although both are adequate, i would go with the 7 just because of the ability to throw bigger flies.

casey

 

[dpreller]

as said i fish similar situations and i use a fast action six with a 7 line on it. but thats because i enjoy the little lighter tackle and it lets the bluegills show off a little more . the safer choice would be the 7 if you wanted to make sure you could throw bigger heavier flies but if i gotta throw something that heavy ill use my light spinning stuff.

 

[Guest1]

I fish for Smallies a whole lot. I use a 5 most of the time but a 6 part of it. A 7 a bit more than the 6 and sometimes an 8. Given your choice I'd go with the 7 not because I use it more, cause I don't, but because I always opt for the bigger rod. A seven will not let you down With bigger poppers, or more importantly in wind.

Someday in the future if you want to get a few more rods you can always get the 5 and 6 weight rods. I just think it's better to be overgunned than under gunned. :teef:

P.S. I almost forgot, welcome to the forum! By the way where are you located? Oh, and check out the Smallie in my avatar.

 

[caseywise]

listen to the guru......
he is known as diver dan! the master of smb,pike,walleye,sturgeon,musky,moon eye, perch, crappie.......:teef:
lol

casey

 

[wabi]

I'm one of those nut cases that go the other way on rod selection.

I fish for fun, not meat, so I usually pick a very light rod for the conditions I expect to face. Not much excitement in dragging in a 10" bluegill on a 5 or 6wt, but on a 2wt it isn't always easy.
Bass (LM or SM) with my 8wt would be the smart choice, but I'd probably use my 6wt just for the fun of it.

On the other hand I bought an 11' switch rod this summer that turned out to be heavier than I anticipated (throws an 8/9wt switch line or a 10 or 11wt WF line well) that I will use in the big river (the Ohio) this winter simply because I can cast huge flies long distances with it and I'm sure I'll be bragging if I can hook anything over 5 pounds.

 

[axle27]

Let me augment my original post by saying that I'm not the luckiest fisherman in the world. With that being said, I've never caught what I consider a big smallie. If I go where the sizes are not known to be big, I'd likely take the 5 for some fun. The 7 can wear you out if you cast it all day.

 

[jedwards36]

So I'm getting that a fast 6 would be good. I'm just a little woried about the 6 not being able to handle large poppers. I won't throw anything under size 6( I've got a 5 for that) and no more than 1.

 

[dpreller]

if you already have a 5 (i missed that) then get the 7 the six probably wouldnt do that much for you.

 

[ditz]

With the added info I would also recommend a 7 if not an 8. I use a 2 in the small creeks that I fish but I don't cast flies tied on 1's either. You should also try some helgamite patterns and a 'blind squirrel' if you tie your own.

 

[jedwards36]

I was thinking that. I might try and tie up some size 6-4 clousers over the winter. I know what patterns I need. Would a 7wt be adequate for 3"-4" size 6-4 clousers? I would like to use the same set-up for poppers and streamers.

 

[itchmesir]

Save yourself the time on wondering whether to get a 6 or 7 and just get yourself an Albright GPX 6/7 9' for $80

 

[jedwards36]

im going with the 7wt. its better to be a little over than a little under. plus i have a 5 weight already for smaller fish.

 

[itchmesir]

To answer your earlier question.. yes a 7wt will cast those flies.. If I can do it with a 6wt.. you can easily do it with a 7wt

 

[45fisher]

... I just think it's better to be overgunned than under gunned. :teef:

Dan's got it right in more ways than one:thumbup:

Since some of the States best smallie fishing is within a few miles from me...I fish for them 90% of the time. My go to rod is a Med-Fast 9' 6/7 I built a few years back. It will throw everything up to and including large poppers.

Largest smallie this year was only a 17' but last year I got 2 back to back 22".

Larry

 

[Guest1]

Would a 7wt be adequate for 3"-4" size 6-4 clousers? I would like to use the same set-up for poppers and streamers.

I use a 5 all the time with Clousers. I even throw smaller poppers on it. A 7 wt is fine. No problems. :thumbup:

last year I got 2 back to back 22".

Larry

Those are big big Smallies, and to get two is amazing. I wouldn't be fit to be around for a week after that if it had been me.

 

[biggie_robs]

I use a 5 all the time with Clousers. I even throw smaller poppers on it. A 7 wt is fine. No problems. :thumbup:

Those are big big Smallies, and to get two is amazing. I wouldn't be fit to be around for a week after that if it had been me.

Concur!!!!