I picked up a rod last summer just for a coupla smallie creeks I fish near the city. I hesitated a bit b4 I finally bought it but it has turned out to be one of my favorite rods. It's a St Croix Avid 6'6" 4 wt. Easy casting out to 40-50' and the 4wt will handle most flies I use in the creeks very nicely. I've also been using it in the river headwaters I also fish for smallies. Other than that my shortest is 8'.

donald