I am looking at building myself a fly rod this winter for use on some of my local smallmouth streams. I pretty much always fish out of my bassboat so wading for smallies will be totally new to me, as will fly fishing. Can someone recommend an entry level blank that would work for this? Also if anyone can point me in the direction of some reading material on the topic that would be great.

Thanks
Scott Sheets

Lefty Kreh and Dave Whitlock have written extensively on this subject. Rainshadow or Tiger Eye 6 wt blanks in your price range would be a good starting point.
Black Dog Tackle, Neal's and Dan Craft have the Sevier Tiger Eye blanks. Just about everyone to the left has Rainshadow. FishStick4U, Custom Tackle, Bigham Ent., Angler's Workshop, Schneider's and many others.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2007 05:33PM by Spencer Phipps.

RodMaker Volume 7 #1 has an article on building a nice smallmouth river rod (spinning). You'd like it.

For fly, I like an 8 to 8'6" 5-weight (5.7 to 6.2 ERN, AA above 65).

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Tom,
I have that issue, and have built a similar rod based on the article for a friend. I have been wanting to try fly for a while and I figured what better way than by doing it in the streams where I learned how to fish as a kid. Thanks for the CC info, I'm looking forward to this.

I took a 5 weight Dan Craft FT rod up to the Androscoggin (Maine) this summer (actually, it was a 4 wgt with a 5 wgt line) for smallmouth this summer and ran into windy conditions and felt totally undergunned. Friend loaned me his 8 wgt and I was just fine. Did not have a heavier line with me to try on the FT 4 wgt, but suspect it would probably have been ok. I later built a 7 wgt Dan Craft FT and fished it in Labrador in August throwing flies from size 4 streamers and mice down to size 16 nymphs for LARGE brook trout and it was perfect.

I have built Rainshadow and Tiger Eye rods this summer and like their action and looks (I know they are "slower" than the FTs, but I still liked them !). If i were looking for an entry/lower budget rod for smallmouth in streams, I would go for a 6 or 7 wgt in either the Rainshadow or Tiger Eye without thinking twice. I think you'll be very satisfied. I don't think you would be happy with a 5 weight (heavier flies and wind will make you unhappy).

Tony M

An 8 ft 6 in 5/6 4 piece Tiger Eye I have on the shelf measured 47 pennies/ 5.94 ERN/ AA of 66 degrees.

Good advice all.

I do want to mention that wind isn't a problem if you're able to cast well. On a smallmouth trip this past summer, I was fishing with 3 friends who were all using either spinning or casting gear. The wind was so fierce every one of them had to "go to the bank" and wait things out. On the other hand, my 5-weight fly rod did fine all day and I land several nice fish. I gave my buddies a pretty good ribbing, after all, when a guy with a 5-weight fly rod can stay out in 30 to 40 mph gusts and cast just fine, and they had spinning and casting gear and had to call it quits, well....

Never think that even light fly rods can't be effectively cast on windy days.


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Of course, I sell them (the Tiger Eye blanks) but I also build on them. The fishing around here is largely trout and smallmouth bass plus the annual steelhead runs. These blanks make very nice smallmouth rods.

Joe Douglas

Scott, get ready to have some fun. That's my favorite kind of fishing.

I like Tom K's approach and use the same type rig...8.5' with ERN in the 5-6 range, fast action. I spent a day one time being guided by Bob Clouser on the Susquehanna. He designed and fishes the St. Croix 4F898. I learned an immense amount from Clouser that day and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Very personable and knowledgeable guy. I have used a lot of the techniques he taught me that day ever since. However, the one thing he didn't convert me to was using such a powerful rod for smallmouth. After a short time on the water using Clouser's set-up, I switched back to my 865 and used it the rest of the day, successfully and ejoyably casting heavy Clouser minnows on a pretty breezy day and was into fish pretty much non-stop. Another thing to consider is that for every 16" fish you catch, you'll probably get 50 in the 8-10" range and those fish frankly aren't that much fun on an 8wt. In a stream instead of a river, the ratio might be even higher. For most streams, a 16" fish is a real lunker.

Have fun. I know you will.

Tony -

What weight line do you throw with your Dan Craft 7 weight?

Tony

Tony,
This isn't Tony but I have built my second of my four DC FT 9' 7wt. blanks

My first is my favorite so far. I built it with a standard 1 1/2 fighting butt and 9 guides, first stripper 23" from rear of grip - no tamer. Fuji TiSiC strippers and REC recoil s/f running guides and a REC recoil tip-top. Epoxy was used for the wraps.
It is perfect, and I mean perfect, with a 9wt Wulff Monoclear Inter line. Tight loops, great line speed, honest 90ft casts with large deer-hair Dahlberg Divers.

The second blank I built with a removeable fighting butt that adds about 1 1/2" to the rod, 10 guides for smoother static loading. The first stripper is 28" from the rear of the grip. Went with REC recoils all the way (s/f runners). 3 coats of PermaGloss was used for the wraps to save weight.
The rod cannot handle the 9wt line. The 8wt is O.K. and maybe I can even use a 7wt.
The longer rod and more guides near the tip may account for some of the difference. But, I really think it is a manufacturing issue.

The 3rd DC FT 7wt blank will be built with a 1 1/2" fixed fighting butt, the first stripper 28" from rear of grip, REC's all the way and 9 guides.

I havn't thought about the 4th yet. Maybe it will be like the 3rd, but with TiSiC strippers.
Herb

Tony S:

I used a 7 wgt weight forward line on my DC 907-4 and it worked out just fine. I'm sure I could use heavier line, but didn't need it on the (good size) river in Labrador. The ultra-fast tip action also seemed to handle smaller flies and heavy strikes great, too. I caught pretty good size pike and the rod backbone was plenty adequate. Great rod. My standard trout rod here in Connecticut is a DC 904-4 with a 5 weight line.

Tony M

The question is between stream or river. A 5 wt. is a great creekin' rod. But, try to turn a 20" smallie on a river with rapids, strong currents, ledges, grass, large boulders, etc. with a 5 wt. and it ain't going to happen. Especially if you're wading. The last thing you want is to lose the big pig of a lifetime because you're fishing too light.
As for the Dancraft Five Rivers. They're extremely fast and probably wouldn't be the best for a beginner.
I use only CTS blanks but they're a bit pricey for an entry rod. I built an Affinity MX, 7 wt. this summer and used it on the New River in Virginia. Great rod for big fish. I prefer 9' rods for rivers and 8 1/2' for creekin'. Lots of opinions out there. You'll soon develop your own once you get going.
Have fun.
Todd

Thanks, all, for chiming in.

There are definitely opinions about using different line weights. I spoke with Dan Craft yesterday and asked him about all this.

He confirmed that the FT is correctly weighted, but because of the "fastness" and the reserve power of the blank, it can easily handle a heavier line. He also confirmed my belief that a short powerful casting stroke is well suited for the blank. If you want "softer", you can weight it down. A "happy medium" would be to use an SA GPX or Rio Grand, which are lines slightly heavier than their rating. They were designed for "faster" blanks.

See you on the water.

Cheers,

Tony

On the photo page, you can find my Virginia caught 8lb, 4ounce smallmouth. Did it with a 5-weight rod. Yes, it was quite a struggle but I got him. I've never lost a fish due to not having enough rod and generally get to have fun with those that weigh far less (most do). In a pinch, I could see going to a 6-weight, but 7's and 8's are, in my opinion, way too much rod for any smallmouth. Each person has to use what they're most comfortable with, but I do a lot of smallmouth fishing and am lucky enough to catch many good size fish each year and do it all with a 5-weight rod (ERN 5.7 to 6.2).

By the way, I did not realize it at the time, but that would have been the Virginia state record smallmouth. It's been almost exactly 2 years ago that I caught it on the New River.

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Tom -

I am in awe of your 8 pound Smallmouth. That is truly awesome.

I agree that 7 weight is a bit much for Smallmouths. I jumped into this discussion to talk about line weighting on the Dan Craft FTs, which is of great interest to me.

I also have a good 5 weight story for you. I will send you a photo separately. Let's just say that one day while fishing for Sea Trout on the flats of Florida, a pod of giant Space Coast Redfish (Space Coast not Space Ghost) came swimming by.

Cheers,

Tony

I can believe it and obviously there are times when you will be undergunned, but overall, and considering that most smallmouth are only about 12 inches long, the lighter powered rod ends up being more fun, most of the time. For me anyway.

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Tom -

Do people ever talk about lines that match up well with certain blanks in this forum? I have been learning that the slightly overweighted lines such as Rio Grand or Scientific Angler's GPX are the line of choice for people that use the FT. For good reason.

Tony

I don't think I could effectively throw the size bugs and flies I like for smallmouth fishing with a 5wt. Maybe that's because I'm not a good enough caster. But, the 7 wt. handles them wonderfully and feels very comfortable. Like you said, that's the key. Find what is comfortable for your style.

The line that matches best for me may not match best for you even on the same rod. You and I don't cast the same nor do we necessarily fish the same distances or use the same flies. This is one of those areas where you have get a feel for the rod and what you're going to do with it. Nothing wrong with getting a lot of other opinions on what lines work best, but without knowing the distances others are using their rods at or what type flies they're casting it really won't correlate to your own use of those same lines.


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