You hardly ever actually use backing or the drag on your reel for smallmouth or largemouth bass. You need enough backing so the reel is close to full when you spool a fly line on your reel. You do need backing if you get a good sized carp on the line or if you want to use the same reel for steelhead fishing. When steelhead season comes around, I take the warm water bass line off of my eight weight reel and replace it with a fly line that I use for steelhead.

An eight weight rod is great for largemouth bass when you are fishing with big flies or when you are fishing where you need to pull the bass out of heavy cover. I fish for smallmouth bass a lot in Wisconsin rivers. Eight weight rods allow me to fish big, heavy flies and to deal with trying to land fish in heavy current. They are also better for fishing in heavy wind conditions.

I really like Feathercraft furled bass leaders. Just loop on a three to five foot tippet to the ring at the end of the leader and you are in business. I have one that is still going strong after three years. http://www.feather-craft.com/feather...-furled-leader