Favorite set-up for smallmouth 2025

Northern Strain reply :

I was just curious what is everyone's favorite:

Rod-

Reel-

and Line-

for fishing smallies?

Crestliner2008 reply :

This would really depend on what I am doing at any given time. For all around use, I'd say my most productive set-up would probably be a med-light 7' spinning rod. Add a light (not ultra-lite) spinning reel, loaded with 6# test fluorocarbon line. This can used for drop shotting, light jigging and smaller 3" - 4" Senko fishing.

Next would be a medium action 7' rod (yes, I do like this length of rod for most smallie applications!). Any medium sized spinning reel loaded with a 8# test fluoro. This can be a great hard/soft jerk bait rod combo. And will do for heavier jigs and larger Senkos.

A second medium action rig can also be loaded with 6# - 10# Fireline or Powerpro and makes a great slip bobber rig, as well as for topwaters (if you lead it with a length of mono).

Lastly I carry a med-heavy baitcaster for my crankbaiting, heavy jigs, spoons and blade baits. One rig can't do it all. But the first one I cited will get you by in most instances.

I don't like talking about "brands". Everyone has their own pet brands. Some of us can only afford a particular series. Suffice the generalizations I've made above as solid. Get the best you can afford within those specifications and you'll be "good to ride the river".

grimlin reply :

6'7" MH E21 Edge promo rod

Daiwa Tierra 2500 spinning reel

6# yo-zuri hybrid ultra soft(green)/ 12# test Trilene XL (green)

Dave T. reply :

I have several smallmouth rods, but if I could only have one, it would be a 6 1/2' to 7' medium power, fast action spinning rod for lures in the 1/8 oz to 3/8 oz range.

Depending on the manufacturer, any good reel in the 2000 or 2500 or series is a good choice.

A quality 6 or 8 lb test line would work great.

That setup would cover about 80 to 90% of my smallmouth fishing.

GRiver reply :

I've only got one rod and reel I use for all my fishing, can't afford to get a rig for each set up, plus I wade fish, can't carry them all with me.

It's a 6'med Quantum "tournament grade" from Walmart

A Bass pro Extreme bait cast with 7.1:1 ratio, my strike zone are small, so I want to retrieve and recast as much as possible. I spooled it with 10 lb Trilene smooth casting mono. I know it is not the best for every type of fishing, crank baits, finesse, or top-waters. I have to pay close attention to how I'm presenting baits, not to crank to fast etc..I think it works pretty good.

Northern Strain reply :

i guess i will put mine out there i just wanted to see what you guys thought. I use a bait caster for heavier jigs and cranks, which is most of the time. I have my bait caster on a 6 foot m rod, and 12# test to get them out of he current. Also i have a 5'6 spinning rod with a shimano sedona reel. I put 4# test on this because i like the challenge to use as light of line possible, also smallies have good eye sight and i feel when you a finesse fishing it helps if they cant see the line. I am going out today in about ten minutes and think i am just going to take the spinning rod, I wade too!

huskybass reply :

It really depends upon what bait you are using. I use baits from 1/16 oz. up to 4 ounces. Different rods/reels and lines for different purposes.

A great all around smallmouth setup would be a St. Croix Avid 6'6" mediium rod paired with a Team Daiwa Sol 2000 and 8 lb. excalibur line. You could fish many different types of baits with this setup.

GRiver reply :

Oh yea....I forgot I do have a Ultra Light spinning reel. Again it's a Shakesphere rod and reel combo from Walmart. It's 5' with a ul spinning reel spooled with 4lb mono spider wire, lots of fun with smallies. I take it out from time to time.

retiredbosn reply :

I have four smallie rods, 2 spinning, both light size reels shakespeare tempests I think, hold around 100yds of 6lb Yozuri ultra soft, rods are 6'8" ml and 7 ft m, baitcasters I have a KVD signature 6'3"ml with a 05 size extreme baitcaster, and a medium 7foot crankin stick, with a accurist pt. Spinning rods are for the small stuff, the ml KVD rod is for light jigs all I use for smallies largest would be a 3/8ounce with a trailer making total weight around 1/2 ounce and hard jerkbaits. The crankin stick handles crankbaits, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, etc. All rods and reels carry Yozuri 6lb hybrid either Ultra soft or regular.

Forgot my favorite depends on what the fish are hitting that day. If it is dropshots then it is the ML spinning, grubs then the M spinning, jerkbaits the ML bc, topwater the M crankin stick. I like them all.

NewAngler reply :

I kinda just created a smallie rig this past week.

Shimano Spirex 2000

6'10" Falcon Lowride XG Shakey Head Rod

4 lb spiderwire mono.

roadwarrior reply :

It has nothing to do with the fish, it's all about the lure and

technique you are using. If we're just talking about one, all-

around rig, I recommend a 7' Medium Power/ Fast Action

spinning rod; 2500 series Shimano Symetre or Stradic; and

Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra Soft #6.

8-)

Steve_in_Maine reply :

My normal SM setup is a 6' medium action spinning rod setup, 8# fluro, and a 4" tube with rattles.

That's a very sensitive setup that lets me feel the lure very well. The tubes imitate the crayfish that the SM love to eat.

Steve

SPAZ reply :

I like a 7' medium rod for smallmouth.

fmoore reply :

Quote
It has nothing to do with the fish, it's all about the lure and
technique you are using. If we're just talking about one, all-

around rig, I recommend a 7' Medium Power/ Fast Action

spinning rod; 2500 series Shimano Symetre or Stradic; and

Yo-Zuri Hybrid or Hybrid Ultra Soft #6.

8-)

You just described my favorite setup to a T. Except the line. I prefer 6# Seaguar. Not that it really makes much of a difference.

MALTESE FALCON reply :

My favorite is my 7' Medium/Fast Quantum Energy PT, with Revo SX reel, and 10 lb Trilene XL Clear Blue Fluorscent line.

Falcon

A-Rob reply :

I love using light tackle for smallies.

I use a cheaper shimano rod, medium action, medium speed so it has that parabolic bend. It is 6'0 as I travel a lot and fish out of a boat with a bunch of my family often and wanted a compact rod.

I have a shimano sahara reel, beauty reel for a good price.

I use either 6# test maxima mono, or a 15# brain with a mono leader.

Tubes are often attached to the end, or a worm....this year I will try figuring out the drop-shot rig

midnighthrasher reply :

Rod - shinano cumara 6'8 medium fast

Reel - shimano sustain 2500

Line- spool 1 - 20lb green power pro with 10lb seaguar invisx leader

spool 2 - 8lb yo-zuri hybrid ( probably 6 lb seaguar invisx or tatsu this year )

Phranchise1213 reply :

I'll throw a my 7 ft med action shimano compre spinnin rod/2500 saros reel with 6# trilene 100% for tubes, small jerkbaits and any other sort of finesse styles. For cranking, spinnerbaits and top waters my setup is a 6'6 compre med/heavy crankin stick/citica 200e with 17# suffix elite. These both take care of most of my favorite applications...but like most of you have been saying, it is more about how you are presenting your lure, than the outfit you are using.

Tight lines

Phil

ProCrafter reply :

Dropshotting...

7' Med-Fast Shimano Crucial Dropshot rod

Pfleuger Trion or President reel.

Robo worm Ayu or Aarons magic

Gamakatsu DS hook

Quick Drop sinker

usually 1-1/2' leader with a swivel 8lb Izorline

steely dan reply :

a very inexpensive rod that I find unbeatable for tubin and grubin is the ray scott sport tackle 6' 9''. I will use 6lb floro when there are not zebra mussels. otherwise 6 lb xt works great as well. It is hard to beat this set-up in clear water!!!

Ern reply :

I love the light tackle for smallie but a bigger fish takes bigger tackle. I fish more small rivers and have the blessing of lots of 21+ smallies in those rivers. For me the rod and reel in my profile photo is working. Its a Curado 200E7 and an older Berkley Fast action Bionix 6' Med with SIC guides. The IM-7 graphite has just enough give for topwater but backbone for weeds. The high speed of the Curado lets me keep up with the current. I spool with 10lb Stren High Impact or a leader of the same and 6/20 PP. I can throw weightless SuperFluke Jr's and Dingers across the river no problem.

dixieboysles reply :

Rod: 6' Medium Quantum Rod

Reel: either Pinnacle Vision 6.2:1 or Abu Garcia Revo S 6.4:1

line: 12lb mono

In the fall and winter I throw jointed Shad Raps in wither shad or craw colors

In the spring and summer, I throw trick worms, baby brush hogs, Senkos (killer), and 4" lizards

d3bf48 reply :

For river fishing:

UL-Ugly Stick with old shakespeare sigma 2200 series. 4-6lb test.

I use this during spring when i'm throwing little crappie tubes and jigs n twisters.

ML- Gander IM7 with pflueger president 6730. 6 lb test usually.

I use this for crankbaits, jerkbaits, and bigger jigs n twisters or live bait.

Eternal Angler reply :

Medium Six Foot Rod

Good Spinning reel

8 pound test of Berkley Trilene

Lure wise I would either go with Bomber crankbait, Gitzit, or beetle spin.

Delaware Valley Tackle reply :

7' Med/Fast Custom Built on an MHX blank

Pflueger President 2500 size spinning reel 8# size braid on one spool and 6# Trilene XL mono on the second spool.

River Rat316 reply :

For all purpose light baits, anything to finesse jigs, hair jigs, wacky worms I use a 7' f Shimano Compre with a 1500 size Sahara with 8lb Gamma copoly on one spool and 20/6 braid on the other (hardly ever use the braid spool). Otherwise for winging spinenrbaits under tight shoreline cover I use a 5'6" pistol grip (can't remember brand, Berkely something) with a Daiwa 150h, once I shake the rust off with that little pistol grip I am usually fairly accurate (within 6"-1' and can get a nice quiet entry with a spinnerbait or swim jig.

DWG1984 reply :

7ft medium st.croix mojo

team daiwa advantage reel

berkely 100% flouro 8#

justinl8688 reply :

Carrot Stix drop-shottin rod

Daiwa Regal x-i spinning reel

6# Seagur Fluoro

Drop shotting for smallies is my favorite tactic by far!

RyneB reply :

I wade a small river for smallies. I use a Pro Lite Finesse baitcaster matched with a Pro Lite Finesse 7 foot rod. For line i use 20 lb power pro. I also carry either a fly rod or Ultra Light with me, i like to throw grubs on jig heads and small poppers that the baitcaster cant cast.

tnbassfisher reply :

The one I typically go with for smallmouth is my normal soft plastics setup.

Shimano Sahara 3000

All Star G-40x 6'6" Medium

6# P-Line Floroclear

harpers ferry reply :

Rod: 7' light action Shakespeare graphite

Reel: old Shimano Mark II spinning reel

Line: 6# clear blue Stren

I wade exclusively and use light lures/baits.

The Yankee Fist reply :

Loomis GLX Smallmouth rod.

2500 Sustain FE. (Will be sold to get the Stella)

YZH 6, green

SissySticks reply :

x2 on the ray scott rod-- awesome rod for the $$

6'4" MXF custom G-blanks casting rod (spinnerbaits, topwater, finesse jigs)

6' ULXF Scheels im8 rod

6 and 10 pound yo-zuri hybrid US

13416

Favorite set-up for smallmouth 2025

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