I just recently started smallmouth fishing this last year and the setup I have now isn't really meant for smallmouth, it's an ugly stick spinning with a mitchell reel. The reel I would like to get is a Quantum Smoke spinning, but the rods are bugging me, I'm interested in G. Loomis or St. Croix but I am open to any ideas for both rod and reel.

Good reel choice in the Smoke. I would recommend a ST Croix (Avid), Falcon (Cara), to name a couple of US made rods. There are so many nice rods even under $100, it's hard to say what to buy. You really need to try them out with a reel on them.

Alright thanks for your help. Looks like its a trip to try out rods...darn lol

Go buy the $40 shimano zuraca combo from dick's. Load it with 30lb 8lb diameter Spiderwire Stealth braid with a 4ft 8lb mono leader. The rod and reel doesn't make the fisherman...

If you have the budget for a St. Croix or Loomis then take a look at a Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth, these are very good rods for the price.

If you want to spend a little money take a look at Dobyns or Phenix Ultra MBX series. If you want to spend a little less then I would highly recommend the Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth rods.

only one choice, St. Croix Legend Elite. LES63MXF best all round Smallmouth rod at any price, and double duties as a light line finesse rod for large mouth, and great Walleye rod. But hands down the very finest rod I have ever used for Smallmouth!!! With a 1000 size Stradic or Sustain, it weighs less than 11 oz. and is the most sensative outfit I have owned in 58 years.

When choosing a rod/reel I prefer to consider the bait I'll be presenting with the combo before I worry about what species I'm targeting.

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I am a St Croix fan, my 7' ML power, fast action Avid spinning rod has been a great dropshot rod, which is how I fish for smallmouth alot. The 6'8" M/XF St rods are also great all purpose rods, that can do every thing from dropshotting, tubes/grubs/jigs, unweighted soft plastics like flukes and senkos, small crank/spinner/jerkbait's. And that rod come in just about every series to fit your budget, for the $100 Mojo to the $400 Legend Extreme. I have the Mojo, paired with braided line and a good fluorocarbon leader sensitivity is fine, the rod is lightweight, and balances very well with a 2500 size Shimano spinning reel.

Another St Croix Fan here. In my opinion you can't go wrong with an SC Avid 6-3-6'8 in ML or M for Smallmouth.

My Favorite outfit for River Smallmouth which is practically all I Fish for is a SC Avid 6'3 MLXF with a Shimano Stradic 1000.

I also have a 6' ML Avid and looking around for a 6'3 MXF to complete the Arsenal.

I am also using a 6'3 MXF Shimano Crucial 2011 Model that is also a Darn good Rod, almost on par with the Avids.

Avid AVS 66MLF/ Stradic CI4 1000F/ Yo-Zuri Hybrid #6