Any suggestions on a good 9’ 6wt rod for smallmouth bass. I have a reel with 6wt line and am looking to buy or build a rod for river fishing. Live in VA and I won’t be fishing any huge flies. Mostly poppers size 4 and smaller and streamers about the same size.
Thanks
I use a TFO BVK 6wt with the fighting butt. If you want to build it, the blanks are available from J stockard, who is a sponsor here
http://www.jsflyfishing.com/tfo-bvk-fly-rod-blank
I use a 7wt bass line on that rod for smallies, but I also have used a 6wt GPX line on it.
For years I used a St Croix LU 4 pc 6wt when fishing for Smallies. Recently I switched over to a Level 7wt from Rise Fishing Co. I really like the rod. Well balanced and cast and fishes very nicely. They also make the rod in a 6wt. http://risefishing.com/salt-water-fly-rod.html
While I have not cast one, I have heard good things about the TFO Mangrove Series.
Dave
Like Pillcaster, I also used a 6wt BVK for smallies while river fishing this year. Great rod, and really casts poppers well!
I also used a 12’ 5wt switch rod (Allen Olympic series) one day on the river, and it worked good too (caught some NICE Smallies!), but is probably more rod than you want or need.
Not to hijack, but
I, too have heard good things about that rod. I went with the BVK mainly because of overall weight. I have an Orvis power matrix 6wt saltwater rod I was using for smallies, but that bad boy weighs almost 5 ounces and after a couple hours I could feel it. The BVK, even with the fighting butt, is still just a little over 3 ounces. The downside of the BVK is there has been some reported breakage issues. I have fished a 6wt w/o the fighting butt ever since they first came out and have not had any problems. Of course, the TFO warranty will make you well if you do break one, but if you lose the “fish of a lifetime” because it breaks, well… The same criticism has been leveled at the Orvis light weight rod lines, I saw a guide break his helos trying a roll cast.
have a new custom made 9’ 6wt. going for 200.00 + shipping
Built a VXP 6 with a fighting butt. Great rod.
Batson came out with the Revelation series. That company makes excellent blanks.
My main Bass rod is a Cabelas 9’ 6wt TLR rod. Like it alot. they are on sale right now for $79. 
I fished the Potomac River for years with a Sage RPL 6wt.Great all around rod for SMB and all FW fish.They come up on Ebay pretty regularly for a decent price.
e bay has the BVK for about $230.00 brand new. I fish for carp and smallies with the BVK (6 wt) on the Passaic river.
I have the BVK in 5wt, if you get one, try the SA GPX line on it. I have it on mine and it is great!
Found a Thomas & Thomas 8’6" 6wt blank for a lot less than the regular list price. Hope to have time to build it before the weather turns cold.
Thanks
Wow! You guys must like canons. I prefer a 7’9" Bamboo 7 wt for big bass flies, and Huge Carp.
I think the Sage VXP in the 691 (which indicates 9’ 6wt with fighting butt) would be ideal; especially considering the blowout prices on them now! You can also buy the blank and build it the way you like.
I am partial to an old glass 8.5 ft, 8 weight that I use primarily for largemouth bass. I am most often using larger poppers and weighted clouser minnows. I have used a 6 wt, but like the 8 wt for larger bass (3-5lb).
What he said times a million! That rod casts so smoothly!
I’ve always used an Orvis Clearwater (the original Clearwater) 9ft 6wt with a RIO Cold Water Clouser line. I like the slower action and the heavy weight forward line throws a big fly on the 6wt with no problem. I think their new line that is similar is their smallmouth line. I know a lot of folks bad mouth Orvis, but I love the original Clearwater rods. I have a newer 4wt rod as well, and it casts nicely too. Again, I like the slower action.
There are 2 rods that have not been mentioned that are great smallmouth rods. The first is from the Mystic Rob company in Michigan, their Reaper series. The second would be the Shore Stalker from Loomis designed by Dave Whitlock that are 8’6" rods.
But probably the most important thing I think you can do is change lines that you are using, the GPX it’s a great summer line but it seems to tango a lot and get stuff for me in the fall when the water temperatures drop. A line that I think you should consider is the Wulff Bass line in whatever weight way you choose. The RIO Grand is another possibility a great versatile all-around line. Fishin, Jimmy
I use the GPX, but I’m in Florida, hard to use the coldwater lines down here, it gets so limp in 90deg heat.
Tried the Wulff line, it was too heavy in the head to cast well on the Scotts and the BVK. Just a matter of personal casting style, I suppose.
I also have a 9’, 5-wt. BVK. I have over-lined it with a 6-weight line, which casts MUCH better given my limited casting skill. I use a cheap, large arbor reel from BassPro which balances nicely with the rod. I find this a very acceptable rig.
Regards,
Ed