Rod recommendation for smallmouth/trout

[Narf]

I currently have a 9' 5wt fast action I use for trout. I am looking at adding another rod for smallmouth canoe fishing and large streamer trout fishing. Budget is $250 for rod only. I already have a reel. What would you recommend? I'm leaning towards a 9' 8wt . Thank you

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[sjkirkpa]

I don't like recommending rods because what works for me might not work for someone else. That being said, in the interest in helping you put together a short list of options, I have a 6 wt Echo Ion XL that I use for exactly what you say you are looking to get a rod for. The 6wt Ion XL is a nice, pretty powerful rod that will easily cast large streamers. I think it runs about $190.

Your line choice is at least as important as your rod choice when it comes to casting large flies. Again, everyone has difference preferences but I use Airflo streamer max float and Airflo streamer max with a sink tip on this rod mostly.

I occasionally use this rod for large dry flies as well on lakes. In that case I put on an Airflo River and Stream.

These set-ups work for me, but may or may not be the right ones for you. Try to give as many rod line combos as you can at your local flyshop.

Good luck.

 

[WNCtroutstalker]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "large" trout streamers, but you might consider a 7 wt. In terms of rods, I have no experience with it, but recalling some past reviews you might check out the TFO Mangrove, a bit above your target price at $279 I think. Also, and again no first hand experience, but you might check out the Redington Vice. Lists for $200 I think and may be on sale at some places. Good luck to you!

 

[ejsell]

How big are your smallmouth on average and how big a streamer? I do most of my small mouth fishing with a 5wt. Occasionally with a 6. Windy conditions on my up-ground reservoir I break out the 7wt. Usually catching between 6" and 18" smallmouth.

My 7wt is primarily for steelhead and the 8wt for surf fishing and salmon sized fish.

In that price range I'd look for a 6 or 7wt. TFO, LLBean, Orvis or Allen rod.

LLbean a Streamlight Ultra or Double L they have 20% off right now. Puts you well within your price range. I love my Streamlight 5wt. But am considering upgrading to the Double L.

Allen, my favorite rod to use is my 7wt Volant $319. The 6wt $309, But they do run really good sales, I know I got mine for way below that price. I have thrown some big streamers in heavy wind with it and had a few king salmon on. The 7wt. handled well with those.

Allen's warranty and customer service were awesome a couple years ago when I broke the tip off in the back of a truck.

Bean's customer services and warranty have also been awesome when I've had an issue.



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[trev]

No recommendation for any rod from me, people and needs vary far too much, but I'll second the idea of a 7wt, unless you need very long casts.
I can tell what I've found over many years: 8 or 9 wts work well for bass or trout or even micro fish, I used them exclusively for about 30 years, including the years when I was on trout water several times a week year round. However a 7wt will cast the same flies just not as far and for bass far ain't required- I've caught as many within 15' of me as I have at 40' and I don't recall many past 40'.
When I fished a lot from a canoe, I found 8' rods easier to manage than 9' rods, others may find differently.
I mostly wade fish streams for smallmouth these days and for now have settled on 7.5'-8' 7wt medium to medium-fast action as my ideal rod. In this niche I believe fiberglass superior to graphite; at 8.5'-9' graphite starts to lead, and in that MOC I'd look at a 9' 6wt med fast and use a 7wt level line on it. I'm comfortable casting 2.5-3.5" streamers all day with a 7.5' 7wt.; mostly at ~30', but out to 40'. I learned eventually that past ~40' line control and where is the fly now become problematic in fast moving water, for me.

 

[Unknownflyman]

Cant go wrong with a 6wt for smallmouth, 7wt for large bugs.

 

[First Light]

TFO Mangrove is a great rod - it is my backup/2nd rod that I always have with me.

 

[falcon53]

I fish for smallmouth on larger rivers (fish are generally larger) mostly on the Delaware river. I have used various line wt rods but my primary rods are a 9ft 6wt TFO Pro model and a 10ft 7wt Allen Azimuth when casting larger flies. The TFO is med fast and the Azimuth is on the faster side. I generally use a sink tip line (15ft with a floating rear). I use the same setups for shad in the spring. Unless the fish are overly large and the flies are really big my opinion is the modern 8wt is a little more than necessary. Both rods are not big money items.

 

[gpwhitejr]

I started using my keiryu rod for bass fishing in my kayak. You don't need a particularly long cast, and you don't have all that line tangling on stuff.

 

[kentuckysteve]

Cant go wrong with a 6wt for smallmouth, 7wt for large bugs.

I agree with this.I use a 7wt but most days i could get by with the 6wt just fine.

 

[Unknownflyman]

I agree with this.I use a 7wt but most days i could get by with the 6wt just fine.

I landed this 22" on a very stout semi fast, its fast St. Croix 5wt it handled the fish ok but it was a battle, the fly around 5"" was a ***** to cast any distance and its light and sparse. Most of the time for big bugs Dalhburg divers and deer bugs its my 7wt switch rod and commando head with floating tip for surface and sink tips swinging. The fight is still fun and my shoulders are fine after a weekend of casting Bass and pike sized bugs.

The right line is crucial to big bug casting, on this evening the wind was down and it was doable on a 5wt, you can see I was humping some line man. I hooked that fish straight out casting into the rattails and wild rice.

So yeah small and largemouth bass in wind, casting day after day is 6wt 7 wt to deliver the fly, I have a 8wt, its painful to cast for two days long hauling in the wind.

 

[clouserguyky]

TFO Mangrove in a 6 or 7 wt will have you ready to go. I use my 9’6” Sage One while wading for smallies and my 7wt Mangrove from the boat/kayak. Either rod could cover all smallmouth duty. I do go with the 6wt for most trout streamers though. It depends on what size flies you’re throwing. A fly line with a semi aggressive front taper will help. I use SA MPX and Rio smallmouth. One of those Mangroves with the right lines should get the job done.

 

[kentuckysteve]

I landed this 22" on a very stout semi fast, its fast St. Croix 5wt it handled the fish ok but it was a battle, the fly around 5"" was a ***** to cast any distance and its light and sparse. Most of the time for big bugs Dalhburg divers and deer bugs its my 7wt switch rod and commando head with floating tip for surface and sink tips swinging. The fight is still fun and my shoulders are fine after a weekend of casting Bass and pike sized bugs.

The right line is crucial to big bug casting, on this evening the wind was down and it was doable on a 5wt, you can see I was humping some line man. I hooked that fish straight out casting into the rattails and wild rice.

So yeah small and largemouth bass in wind, casting day after day is 6wt 7 wt to deliver the fly, I have a 8wt, its painful to cast for two days long hauling in the wind.

That is a hog of a bass for a 5wt.Nice one.I bass fish with a fast St Croix 7wt and like clouserguyky mentioned i also use the Rio Smallmouth line and it does exactly what i need it to do.I don't try to throw the big streamers much cause back can't do it much but this setup would handle them fine.I too have an 8wt but it's really too much rod for my type fishing.

 

[Unknownflyman]

Thanks man, yeah 7wt is a nice big game rod for lots of fish, I not suggesting getting into two hand rods, I just went to that because it just made more sense where I fish. 8-9-10 single hand rods to me are like the next weight class. A 7wt switch is like a 8-8.5 weight.

7wt single has lightness and power. it really depends on how big of fish and fly a guy needs.

In that first pic, one day I was out deeper fishing walleye and perch and watched a 50" muskie take out a baby duck and there are large pike, Ive landed and lost some really big ones in that same area.

I do know this, when you get your rig dialed in and some good fly patterns for bass, a guy will forget about spin rods. Bass on the fly rod is as good as it gets. Maybe even more fun and enjoyable than those spooky trout.

 

[VaFisherman]

It is not the size of the smallmouth you expect to catch that determines the fly rod/line size, it is the size of the flies the fish like in your local streams. You can land any smallmouth on a 5wt rod but you cannot always cast the fly that the fish want on a 5wt. Where I fishing we use large air resistant flies and 7 thru 9wt rods to throw these large poppers and streamers, with the 7wt used the most. Since trout streamers are also on the menu the 7wt sounds like your best option.

Now you will get hooked on this smallmouth fishing and will want two rods rigged, one with a top water popper/slider and one with a streamer. That is when you will add your 8wt rod and this will happen, trust me. I carry two 7wts, two 8wts and one 9wt in my raft when I float the river for smallmouth, each rigged with something different.

 

[huronfly]

It is not the size of the smallmouth you expect to catch that determines the fly rod/line size, it is the size of the flies the fish like in your local streams. You can land any smallmouth on a 5wt rod but you cannot always cast the fly that the fish want on a 5wt.

Absolutely. I use a 4 and a 6 weight for smallies and pike in the river in my backyard. I've found easy to cast flies like woolly buggers and rabbit strip leeches just work, even for the biggest smallies, so I have found no need to go above a 6. Modern lines such as OPST commando allows someone to easily throw large streamers on a rod as light as a 4 weight no problem. Mind you, most of my smallie fishing requires relatively short casts less than 50', if I was shooting for big distance I might reconsider increasing rod weight.

 

[dennyk]

I use a 7 wt for most of my Smallmouth fishing, I do need to make longer casts and quite often I fish a dropper set up with a popper type fly and a large Pat's Rugger Legs as a dropper. For large streamer fishing for Trout and Smallmouth I prefer the 7 wt over my 6 wt. Sure a 6 would work in most cases, but why struggle because the 7 will be easier to cast.

Denny

 

[Narf]

Thanks for all of your input. I liked the idea of more than one rod while canoeing and being able to adapt to conditions. I also like to make things, so I bought a 8'3" 6wt fiberglass blank on the cheap and am going to give it a go. I'm also going to try to find a used 8 wt or build another dependi g on how this one goes. Thanks again

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[Narf]

Just wanted to follow-up on my build...I finally wrapped it up last weekend. I'm pretty happy with the results and will hopefully test it this weekend.

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