TNcreekfishing

@Cranks4fun yea I think I’m gonna put some mono on the 6’6 medium/fast hmg I have and use it for the smaller cranks I have. It’s a beautiful rod I really like it aesthetically and given the Fenwick name I’m sure it’ll perform well. I just didn’t want the fast action to be too quick for the trebles.. but at the same time I wonder how much truth there is to that.

@MN Fisher I ended up ordering the MH/MF cranker model in the victory today. I’m excited and hopefully won’t take it long to get here since it’s on back order. Thanks for the recommendation and thanks to everyone for your input.

@MN Fisher haha, I emailed them and they said they’re looking into it. Smart man to not sit around and think too long on it 😂

@Eric 26 hey I appreciate the feedback. Yea I have a brand new last gen Fenwick hmg that’s a 6’6 M/f with a basic 6:1 lews lfs on it and was trying to determine if i should just throw some mono on it for the added stretch to compensate for the fast action in helping to keep the fish from shaking the trebles. I would be using it from a kayak and liked the idea of having a shorter rod for target fishing the cranks over laydowns and in tight spots but you know how it goes.. as fishermen we want to be as efficient as possible and love buying new gear.. no one wants to lose that 5lber wondering if they’d had the right setup it could have been prevented. @MN Fisher and for some reason ALF isn’t showing the st croix rods at sales price anymore even though it’s supposed to be going until tomorrow.

I see on ALFs website for the victory they have a model called the “target cranker”. It’s basically the same specs but a moderate action instead of moderate fast. Would that be better for specifically fishing treble hook baits? And I assume even though it’s moderate action it’s still graphite?

Bad thing is all the rods are on back order 😂. I got an alert from ALF and was looking some yesterday. I didn’t look at the victory but even other models I was looking into were sold out like crazy. Yea I get what you’re saying about a MH rod possibly overpowering the 1.5s but I do like how a MH allows me to throw a those slightly larger treble swim baits as well. That’s why I heavily considered the dobyns because it’s a MH but from reports it’s very whippy and more Mediumish power.

First off, thanks to anyone who has input on this major indecision that I have 😂. Basically, I want a rod that I can dedicate to squarebills and small swim baits. I have a bunch of strike king 1.5s and 6th sense crush cranks that I would be primarily using this for but I also would like to use it for small swim baits like the Machshad series that weighs 7/16 oz. I figured a crankbait rod would work well with these beings they have treble hooks and aren’t GIANT swimbaits that require a SB rod. Beings that these are reaction baits I’m not looking for anything high end or super sensitive, I just want what’s going to keep the fish pinned best and help me land it. I’ve narrowed it down to 3 and those are the Lews KVD composite crank rod in MH/M, Dobyns fury CB and I also really like the way the new Fenwick HMG cranking series looks in MH/MF. It’s the age old composite/glass vs graphite debate I know but I gave specific brands and models so I hope that helps. I also have a bunch of fast action rods and wonder if I just through some mono on those for the added stretch if it would be good enough…? I’ve never had any confidence in cranks and I’ve never even caught a crankbait bass but I want to change that. I hope I can find some people who have experience with these models and also if there are any suggestions around $120-130 I would be open. Thanks guys! 🙏

@TnRiver46 You weren’t lyin, caught these at boat ramp right beside Roddy branch. I thought this would still be smallmouth territory but I’m not complaining it’s a good fish.

@TnRiver46 small world, my mom actually grew up on that road. Never been down it but I know that area cause I lived a couple years right up from there on old knoxville hwy but wasn’t into fishing back then so I didn’t get to scope it out. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to come on here and make a post then hear from someone who knows the area. I’m gonna drive over there when I get off work today and check the area out.

@TnRiver46 😂 that’s awesome man, I was really hoping for someone who knew this area and you were the first to comment, that’s perfect. Thank you so much for the info. Yea, I knew something was up when the bite just died with the weather and I was talking to my boss who worked at Rockford Manufacturing and he was telling me to go down that way. I know exactly where you’re talking about I’ve fished from the bank there at the park behind 4 corners market before but didn’t have much luck. I really wish I had a kayak to get in there and fish the other side close to the golf course because there are a lot of logs and lay downs so fingers crossed I told my wife that’s all I wanted for Christmas. Sadly I’m stuck on the bank right now so time to google earth the area for some bank access areas.

Hello and good morning everyone! I live here in East TN up near the smoky mountain national park. It’s really good for trout fishing but over the past few months I have gotten serious about fishing for smallmouth in the Little River (which is really a creek about 20-30 yards wide). It’s a long creek, running out of the mountains and all the way through Blount County until it eventually dumps into the lake. During the summer I was killing it. I did a lot of research and felt like I was doing everything right because I was having so much success. But now that fall is here and temps are dropping that has drastically changed. I’ve been skunked the last 3 times I went out not even a nibble and it’s become a little disheartening. I mainly fish the upper end of the river closer to the mountain and going through the valley and my idea is I had so much success here during summer cause the water was cooler and the riffles and current brought a lot of oxygen on those hot days. So basically ’m wondering if the drop off in activity is due to the changing of the seasons and the water being too cold coming out of the mountains so they migrated further down river towards warmer, calmer water for the coming winter? That’s just my theory but idk cause I’m so new to this and I know smallmouth can be very nomadic but I’m sure there has to be some sort of route or pattern they follow and I’m wondering what you all think. Does anyone have insight? Similar experiences from fishing this type of body of water? Are they going to be shallow or deep and are there any specific baits or lures smallies love in the fall? Thanks for any input 🙏

@thunderblack @PaulVE64 thanks for the input guys! I held one in at DSG a couple times and it felt buttery smooth but didn’t wanna pay the extra money if it didn’t have something to offer that a fuego couldn’t cover.

I plan on purchasing a 6’8 mxf st croix victory spinning rod to use primarily for bottom contact/jerkbaits. So now I’m trying to decide on what reel to get for it. I have a couple of daiwa fuegos and a bg but kind of would like to try something different and I’ve never had a Shimano spinning reel. Does anyone have experience with the miravel? I like the aesthetics of it and the 2500hg comes in around the same weight as my 2500xh fuego. It would be cool to have some input from someone who has maybe used it and the fuego and can compare the two as well. Because I’m basically wondering if for the extra 30-40 bucks the miravel has the edge on the fuego.

@mrpao hey thanks a lot for the input! Yea i was looking at the exceller as well because I love the look of it and the weight but I honestly don’t hear as much about it as I do the fuego among the community. But it’s on sale right now too so I would be kind of torn.. people talk so much about the bg as well so you almost feel compelled because it’s so loved. I was leaning away from it though because of its weight and I know for what I’m trying to do, bottom contact, that the lightest gear possible is idea.

@rgasr63 ahhh ok, got ya. I see what you’re saying now. Thank you for the response.

@rgasr63 Really?? That’s crazy to hear because I honestly would have never thought that a ML rated rod would be too light for Texas rigging. I will say though, that I’m not the most skilled, knowledgeable or experienced fisherman. I tend to be a little unorthodox sometimes. I say this because I have a 7’ light power rod that I use to do lightweight Texas rigs all the time and have been pretty successful. Little niko hellgramite with a 1/8 ounce tungsten bullet weight seems to slay the smallies. I do this a lot because the bodies of water I fish are literally snag city so exposed hooks are almost impossible to fish unless I wanna lose $20 in tackle every time I go out. So the light T rig and a skin hook have been a goto for me. I’ve actually seen this presentation used by Richard gene the fishing machine a couple times in his creek videos using a light rod and that’s what really kind of got me into the idea.

So I just purchased a daiwa tatula 6’10 medium rod. I know it says medium but the lure rating is more along the lines of a medium light. I’m going to specifically use this setup for finesse fishing in small rivers and creeks for smallies. Ned rigs, Texas rig and other plastic presentations. That being said of course I need a new reel!! ? so I was wondering as I’m looking would a daiwa BG be too small of for this task? Would it be too small for the rod or should I go for something more like the daiwa fuego 2500xh? Especially since they’re on sale at scheels. Thanks for the input ?

Thank you so much for the recommendation I will definitely look into it. That’s what I was hoping is people would have other rods they know and would recommend because it is hard to find any that short.

Ok cool, I got quit a few of those so I’ll make sure I’m throwing them. I’m guessing since you threw these you preferred a slower action? Medium/fast? I was wanting a fast action simply because if I’m throwing small baits like trout magnets or grubs I could get a harder hook set.

@volzfan59 I live in Blount county basically right outside the national park. The river I wade and that I’m talking about is the little river if you know which one that is. I used to travel for a company and they sent me to Arizona one time. Sierra vista, we were there outside the air force base doing some sales. I liked it most there more than all the other places I got to travel to besides Alaska. But after a while I started to miss these mountains for sure and it made me really realize this is truly my home.. kind of got homesick to be honest. Even turned down traveling to Hawaii. @Tennessee Boy since you have a lot of creek and stream experience, what baits do you think work best for those smaller areas? Little jigs and swimmers? What did you use?

@volzfan59 funny because I made this post looking for a shorter ultra light for this small stream yet last night I purchased a 6’ ultra light panfish elite. I just really loved the look of it and a 6’ rod has always felt good in my hand cause I’m a bigger guy at 6’4 240lbs. However I do still really like the idea of a shorter rod so I’m still on the lookout for a 4’6-5’ rod. Like I said I got an ugly stik but I would rather have something fast action that isn’t as flimsy and a little more stout. I also have a F&S 5’ ultra light tango model but I would rather have something a little nicer. I bought it for my son and he never uses it and I have never used it much either so maybe I should give it a try and just see how it does and maybe that would fill the need. Something about a 4’6 rod just sounds so fun though. I’ve seen the 13 defy silver in 5’ ultra light fast action and I’m kinda wondering about it. Thanks for all the input ?. And one more thing.. GO VOLS! I live in east tn right outside Knox so I’m a huge fan.

So I have this little creek that I want to fish that I haven’t been to since I was a kid. It’s about 10-15 foot wide and shallower water but it does have some good deeper holes in it. So basically it’s going to be a wade fishing situation with a lot of overhanging trees all the way down it. The creek has trout, smallmouth and different panfish in it. Currently I have a 5’ ultra light ugly stick micro, but I would like a little more tip. Also I have a 6’ light power st croix triumph, but kind of want an ultra light for the fight and maybe something a little smaller. 2 options I’m looking at are the BPS micro graphite in 4’6 ultra light for $60 and the 5’6 ultra light lews speed stick (the yellow one) which is like $32 at Walmart. I was wondering if anyone has experience with either of these rods or would recommend one over the other. I was also wondering which would be better for my scenario and why the BPS rod is double the price cause from what I can tell they’re both IM6 graphite blanks.. I’m just assuming slightly better components. But most importantly I’m wondering if what I got will work just fine in getting the job done and y’all can convince me I just got a serious addiction to buying new gear..?. Thanks for the help!

So it would be good for jerkbaits as well? Smaller topwaters? Smaller cranks? I also have 2 daiwa tatulas with one being normal and one high speed and was wondering which would pair better and what line would be best. I know fluro is best for finesse but mono is just a better all arounder?? But I mean I guess that’s only if this rod is good for any of those other things.

Thank you guys all so much for you input ?. I honestly love to fish the bottom in all ways especially casting out and drifting my bait with the current. I feel like I really have my best luck when I fish the bottom as well. Maybe it’s because the water that I fish is only 2-8 foot deep so the smallies just naturally stay low beings it never really gets drastically deeper. I throw mainly small plastics on my light powered rod with xfast action and have a lot of success with it so I have no problem devoting this rod to a bottom setup for jigs and plastics. I was just wondering if it would work in any other area. Thanks again for the input guys!

So basically I’ve used spinning rods and reels my whole life (currently 34 years old) because that’s just what I grew up using and all I knew. I have an absolute arsenal of different powers and actions and have really used them for everything even though I know a casting setup would do it better. With that being said here lately I’ve been kind of consumed with getting into casting to become a more well rounded angler and to grow my knowledge. So I bought myself a new model st croix mojo bass trigon in 6’8 medium power extra fast action. What I’m wondering is, after searching extensively and to no avail, is what lures and applications will the extra fast action best be suited for? I know in general extra fast action helps you set the hook faster and with more power. I have a st croix panfish spinning rod in extra fast action that I love to use with bottom bumping small plastics and small finesse fishing and I’ve read that extra fast action is great for jigging and worming so I feel like I apply that.. but I’m really wondering what else is a extra fast action best used for? Topwater? Swim baits? Any areas where it shines other than finesse? Because I cover a lot of my finesse stuff with my spinning gear just because I feel like it’s probably better suited for it and all that’s what I’ve read. And with all that being said is it beneficial in any aspect to fish the bottom or finesse with a casting setup? I wade fish primarily in small rivers and creeks that are about 30 yards wide with pretty quick current in a lot of places and slow downs between and primarily target smallmouth. That’s why I chose the shorter rod with a medium power. Thanks for the input y’all to someone who is fairly new to this topic. ?