Riggin' -- Ideal Smallmouth Set Up

[ginkyhackle]

Folks:

I'm relying on the assumption that any conversation that involves gear usually gets people talking, and I'm curious to hear what folks are packing when they go after Smallmouth. I have three variants am am curious to hear if others have made similar choices.

River Set-up:

Rod: Sage Fli 8 weight (amazing action - and moderately priced)
Reel: Redington CD (inexpensive and amazing cork drag)
Line: Sci Angler Bass Taper Floating
Leader: Usually very long:

8 feet of commercial 8lb test made for spin/bait casting.

5 feet of good f-carbon -- Scientific Angler makes a nice 2x or 3x bass tippet.


Lake Set Up:

Same rod and reel as above

Line: 8wt Rio's Clouser Taper -- very heavy tip -- floating. -- I also bring a spool of intermediate sinking line for streamers near big drop offs.

Leader: Again, longish. 10 feet of the cheesy mono mentioned above -- ready for this -- tinted green. Two feet of f-carbon tippet 2x or 3x.


Larger Stream Set Up:

Rod: 6 weight TFO Professional (this rod has very nice action)
Reel: Anything will do I use everything from an old Orvis Clearwater to a Battenkill Bar Stock.

Line: Cortland Bass Taper, Floating.

Leader: 4x - 5x Sci Angler


I like the bigger guns for lakes and rivers, because you never know what might grab your line -- I caught my fist pike (by mistake) on Chambers Lake in Wagontown. -- I was glad I had an 8 weight.


Lake Smallmouth Flies: Big nymphs -- and sometimes small ones -- Caddis work. Glo-bugs. I twitch these little guys slowly and have had amazing luck this summer. Wooly Buggers. Giant Hoppers. Deer Hair Divers.

Rivers: Hellgramite imitations (incredibly effective). Caddis Nymphs. Big Hoppers. Very buggy stoneflies.

Streams: Nymphs. Big Dries (I like green drakes). Hellgramites.


Do others take similar or radically different approaches?

 

[Fredrick]

For rivers (Schuylkill, Perkiomen) I use a Orvis T-3 8 wt tip flex with sci anglers bas bug tapper on a orvis mid arbor reel I also keep a exra spool with Orvis streamer /striper sink tip line. Leader I use Clouser's formula .I use this for all big water lakes and ponds

For big streams (Brandywine) I use a orvis T-3 6 wt tip flex with a orvis large arbor reel with orvis wonderline wf trout and a extra spool of Orvis streamer striper sink tip line Leader is the same Clouser's formula

Small streams I use a Orvis 7'9 5wt troutbum full flex rod with a Orvis battenkill barstock reel with orvis wonderline wf trout . leader would be 9ft 3 x


Like Lefty says to catch big fish you got to give them the breakfast so the smallest thing I chuck is a size 6 with the average being a size 4 and anything over 2 and a half feet of water I whip out the sink tip.......... :lol:

 

[buckbarrett]

I've used all sizes of line, rods, leaders (sometimes 6") I've caught millions of bass in 35 years, adding together largemouth, smallmouth, white, rock, and striped. I've narrowed it down to a bead headed style of muddler minnow to sink under the water and a black popper for the top, and a clouser for the ocean. Strip it and twitch it just right and it rarely fails me.

 

[Padraic]

Paul G & I fished the Connodoguinett during the hex hatch. For that, I usually used a 9' 6wt that I built on a Pac Bay blank. I put a full wells grip and a fighting butt on it. That helped horse in the bigger bass quickly, since I could put a lot of pressure on the fish.

I used a Rio line with a bass taper. The fly was pretty bushy and difficult to cast on anything less. I used a 7' leader. The bass weren't line shy but you did have to cast a good distance.

Sadly, the Connie has crashed along with the rest of the Susquehanna and we haven't had good fishing for years now.

For the Susquehanna, I had the St Croix Legend Ultra that Bob Clouser designed. Along with that, I had Bob Clouser's Rio Line (floating). Anyone who is interested in an 8wt should try that rod. It has an action that is really unique and very easy to cast.

 

[Fredrick]

Pad I would of probally bought the ST CROIX if I would of known about it before I bought the T-3 but i'm definitley impressed with the T-3 so no complaints except for the dent it put in my wallet :-D

 

[Philly]

Since I generally fish the Wissahickon. I use a 8 1/2 ft 4 pc 5 wgt I built on a Cabela's blank. The biggest bass I've run into there was a shade under 17 inches, but on average they're in the 8-10 inch range. Even if I fish a bigger river like the Schuylkill or Susquehanna, or lake, I use a 9 ft 6 wgt. I didn't even get my 8 wgt wet on my trip to Ontario in July, used the 6 wgt exclusively. Ending up hooking and landing more pike than bass on it. I have floating and intermediate sinking for the 5 wgt, and floating, intermediate and full sinking for the 6 wgt.
Personal preference, I just think an 8 wgt is overkill for smallies in this area. I hear the arguements that you need the heavier rod for large flies. Given the abundance of light weight materials, and tying styles available it's quite easy to tie a large fly that can be cast for a 6 wgt. I think the picture is attached. This is what I used all week in Ontario.