Hello Steve, I like my 2 piece 9 wt flyrod with a sink tip flyline of the same wt, i.e. 9wt flyline with a ten foot tip that sinks at a medium rate, I can throw the biggest streamers I can come up with at the vise and the 9wt would throw larger flies still if I tyed them.
I'd like a 2 piece 7 wt flyrod for the same purpose and may build one but I know I'd have to down size the streamers that I tye.
Any decent reel that will hold a hundred yards of backing (this is more or less and in the case of smallies is just to fill up the reel spool) plus the 9wt flyline, (or 7wt if you go that way) and that has a useful drag will work fine. There are too many reels out there to name a brand. Same with the rod, but if you want to get into a more detailed recommendation, just say and I know it will follow !
Hope you take up fly fishing with a fly rod and reel, flyline and leader Steve, and I hope that at least some of the above helps !
Cheers,
MontanaMoose