Smallmouth Bass and Rod Weight

[jcblackmon]

I appreciate all the replies and suggestions. The Little Missouri in Arkansas is the water in question, and I don't think it's very large or brushy. I have an old Scott G, 8'8" 5 wt., and didn't know if it would handle the size flies that are needed for smallmouth. Some of the guys I know that fish for largemouth bass, throw large flies that require at least an 8 wt.. They have not fished for smallmouth, but consider a bass is still a bass.

John

[jimswanson]

They have not fished for smallmouth, but consider a bass is still a bass.

John

Um, no. Texas LMB get over 10 lbs. Most smallies run under 5, and don't hang out in stump infested waters . You can get away with lighter line if you're throwing smaller flies.

Jim

[bobbyg]

Well, jcblackmon, there you go. Clear as mud uh?

Bob

[LigonierA1]

Overlining a rod should be THE standard for smallie fishing. Some will argue with me, that's fine, but as stated, a 5wt will handle most of it.

I fish small streams and big rivers for smallies. I'm no expert but the small stream stuff is EASILY handled by the 5wt, or even a 4wt if the rod has any zip. Overline it and it will toss a pretty large bug with minimal false casts.

I used to use an 8wt for the big river stuff and one day I grabbed the wrong rod tube. Ended up on the river with my 6wt rod and my 8wt Clouser line and reel. Not having any other option, I strung it up and had a fantastic day. It cast just fine, the smaller fish were more fun, bigger fish were handled just fine and I realized the value of overlining a rod for tossing bigger(smallie sized) flies.

Some have said that you need an 8wt for the size of the fly, not the fish. There is some truth to this but I'd suggest it's the lineweight, not the rod, that does the job for you.

I now use a fast 4wt overlined with a Rio 6wt DT for my small stream fishing.....perfect. Bigger water gets a fast 6wt overlined with a Whitlock 8wt bass bug taper. Good, not perfect.

There are times I'm undergunned, wind blowing, 80' cast with a BIG deer hair bug. Still working on that one

[bobbyg]

Overlining a rod should be THE standard for smallie fishing. Some will argue with me, that's fine, but as stated, a 5wt will handle most of it.

I fish small streams and big rivers for smallies. I'm no expert but the small stream stuff is EASILY handled by the 5wt, or even a 4wt if the rod has any zip. Overline it and it will toss a pretty large bug with minimal false casts.

I used to use an 8wt for the big river stuff and one day I grabbed the wrong rod tube. Ended up on the river with my 6wt rod and my 8wt Clouser line and reel. Not having any other option, I strung it up and had a fantastic day. It cast just fine, the smaller fish were more fun, bigger fish were handled just fine and I realized the value of overlining a rod for tossing bigger(smallie sized) flies.

Some have said that you need an 8wt for the size of the fly, not the fish. There is some truth to this but I'd suggest it's the lineweight, not the rod, that does the job for you.

I now use a fast 4wt overlined with a Rio 6wt DT for my small stream fishing.....perfect. Bigger water gets a fast 6wt overlined with a Whitlock 8wt bass bug taper. Good, not perfect.

There are times I'm undergunned, wind blowing, 80' cast with a BIG deer hair bug. Still working on that one

Let me know if you figure out that 80' cast with a deer hair bug!

I suppose if you're fishing graphite you can probably go up or down 2 or 3 line weights. I really don't know. I fish bamboo and you are asking for trouble by over-lining these rods by 2 or 3 weights. Plus, and this is just my opinion, I prefer fishing with rods mated with their optimum performing lines for the water and bugs suitable for the best chance of hooking fish.

Bob

Bob

[DarrinG]

I've tried some overlining and it works. But, I've tried it on rivers and when I was floating the river and saw a eddy on the far side and wanted to punch a cast considerable distance (with the overlined rod), the rod would not carry that heavier line plus the big fly in the air very well...at distance. In close and at moderate distance, it was icing. Try to carry much line in the air at a target at further distances, it stinks, even with a decent dbl haul. I've found a good compromise in the 1/2 line heavy lines, such as the GPX, Grand and especially the Clouser lines. They have enough weight (head) for decent short distance casts but will also not be so heavy that they bog the rod down at longer distances.
4wt for smallies? I maybe can see a 4wt for small stream bass flies but on a larger river? No way for me. My box is full of subsurface flies that I havta chuck-n-duck with a fast 6wt. Most wrapped w/ .30 lead and coneheads, etc to get em down fast. The 8wt shines with those type flies and I'm actually not near as tired or sore arms using a heavier rod that will handle heavier flies easier than trying to force and struggle lobbing them with a lighter rod.

[crcaddis]

I've never seen a need to overline a rod, provided that I took the right rod to the party. I use a 7wt for smallies most of the time, sometimes a 6wt, or a 5wt, or an 8wt, or a 9wt. Cheers.