New Fly Setup For Smallmouth

[jtram]

i am about to buy a new fly setup for doing some serious stream smallmouth fishing. I have done a little with my 4 and 5 weights in previous years but i am ready to get a 6 or 7 weight to chase after that 20 inches with a fly. What recommendations do you guys have for rod size/ line/ reels? Sink tip or floating? I have always been a Ross reels guy but open to suggestions and i am leaning towards a 7 weight diamondback flawless because i have one in 5 weight and love it. Thanks for your help

[RSBreth]

I don't know about that brand but I would say the since you have a 5-weight jumping up to a 7-weight makes a lot of sense.

[Wayne SW/MO]

A 5 weight is fine for smallies. The key, IMO, is in what you intend to throw. If you intend to throw clousers, bugs, or anything that resist moving then I would go with a 7 or 8.

I like 8's, but I also fish around Bull Shoals and have wind to contend with.

I bought a Flawless just recently, a 3 weight, and it is a fine rod. You can't beat the price right now either.

[crawfly]

My approach if Diamondback Flawless is your choice of rod would be the DBF906-4SSD.

Why ;

oversize guides allow for a better & easier shoot

easily goes up a line size, perhaps 2 depending on your casting style ...... this opens up larger fly sizes with the same rod.

cost difference is only 50 bucks but versatility makes it well worth the difference.

understandably, ymmv

[et84]

My river smallie setup is an 8' 5wt Sage DS, Lamson Guru 2 w/ Rio Coldwater Clouser line (WF5), and I LOVE it. I mainly throw clousers and deer hair bugs with it. The bigger/ heavier weighted flies can be difficult to turn over sometimes with a 5wt, but the areas I fish don't require more than a 40' cast (at the MOST). In fact, I caught a 16"er last weekend tossing a firetiger colored deer hair popper I tied on a size 1 Mustad 3366. I'm sure I could throw it farther with a 7wt, I just don't need to. Good luck on the search!!

[stlfisher]

I fished for smallmouth with a 5 weight last year and went out and bought a 7 weight for them this year. As Wayne mentioned it depends on what you intend to throw and I like throwing bigger wind resistent stuff. I wade fish for them mostly so a floating line suit's me just fine. The 7 works great and it is much easier to throw the bigger flies...but not to heavy the fight won't still be fun. Makes a great heavy streamer rod for trout as well.

[jtram]

Ill probably be throwing heavy clouser and crawdad patterns as well as some corks sounds like the 7 will probably be my choice. In the meantime looks like my 5 will have to suffice on sugar tomorrow. Do you guys typically throw a tapered or straight leader for your streamers? Thanks for your replies

[Jason R.]

I use my 7 (sage vxp) all the time for smallies but I prefer my TFO BVK 6wt. Depends where I am fishing though. I use my 4wt alot for smallies on small streams. For some reason I only use my 5wt for trout... weird. PS- you cannot go wrong with Ross or Lamson for the reel.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Do you guys typically throw a tapered or straight leader for your streamers?

I like some taper, but the bigger stuff isn't real particular. A twisted leader, or hand furled as they are also know works well and is easy. If not I would throw something like 2' of .020, 3' of something around .016 and the 3' of 0.008 or somethong similar that I could put together to get some energy in turning the leader over.

It is always easier to turn smaller over with bigger. Quite often by the time you get to the leader you are basically in a roll casting mode and the larger diameter will over power and turn over the lessor.