Warren
I usually use a 6 wt rod, either 8 or 9 feet long depending on the water I am fishing. The 9 footer is overlined with a 7wt line. These 2 set ups will cover 99% of the smallmouth water that I normally fish.
I have several leader/ tippet set ups. For swinging streamers, I use a Flourocarbon furled leader, 4 or 5 feet long, and 2-3 feet of 6 or 8 pound flourocarbon for a tippet.
If I am fishing poppers, I use a "Big Game" furled leader 5'6" long and 2-3 feet of 8 pound mono for tippet.
I also use a standard 5 foot thread furled leader with 4-5 feet of 6 pound mono tippet for fishing wets and sometimes streamers depending on the water depth or how lazy I am at the time.
Hope ths helps.
"A woman drove me to drink and I didn't even have the decency to thank her."
-W.C. Fields