If you want to catch more fish and learn to be efficient, simplifying your rod selection and lure choices is what to do.

There’s nothing wrong with overpacking for a trip and overloading the deck with rods, but if you’ve fished long enough you will develop an accurate understanding of what you will need and what you won’t need, season-by-season.

In spring, you should only need a suspending jerkbait and fluke minnow. Maybe a paddletail for honorable mention. Summer, nothing but tube jigs and neds, and a topwater. Fall, heavy jigs to crawl the bottom with, and a live bait rig.

Wow, do I wish I adhered to only this guideline.

With lure styles, rigging methods, and baits abound, the problem with fishing today is that one single rod cannot suffice for them all. However, if you put forth focus on identifying multi-purpose setups and prioritizing only those few, you’ll be on your way to becoming an effective, efficient angler.

A problem I see in today’s smallmouth world is the prioritization of technique-specific rods that are marketed for exclusively those methods. If only anglers looked at a rod and all of its functions and abilities beyond its label and specs, they’ll quickly learn how applicable the rod could be for the delivery of a number of additional tactics that it isn’t being marketed for. Then if everyone did that, others wouldn’t have the same extensive rod collection like I do.

 

St. Croix Rods prides itself on its rod component and design innovations, and extensive lineup of freshwater rods. They make a model for everything, and at almost every price-point. Also to be appreciated is the historic brand’s dedication and continued commitment to maintaining high standards with multi-purpose rods that all began with their Premier and Avid Series nearly 3 decades ago.

Today, these two rod models, with the addition of the Victory and the Legend Elite, are heavily utilized in my boat. Look no further than any of these four models if searching for multi-purpose spinning or casting rods for smallmouths.

 

 

If one was to use only two or three rods, intend on needing only a casting rod or two, and a spinning setup (or vice-versa). Every angler needs a Swiss-army rod or two, or three. Most smallmouth fisheries you’ll visit will call for only medium extra-fast to medium heavy-fast actions.

Too many smallmouth anglers fish with equipment that is too light and whippy to handle large fish and diverse strategies. Light rods are unable to deliver powerful hook sets needed from afar and down deep. If you’re a river angler too, under-powered rods will prevent you from being able to work baits through current, and fight hooked smallmouths through current. One other issue they run into is the rod’s inability to handle heavier lures and hard baits.

For these reasons, most experienced anglers opt for casting gear, braided line, and medium to medium heavy-fast rods up to 7-foot length. For those who fish braided line, medium-fast power is the positive reaction of the rod when retrieving anything with a treble hook. Just enough taper and flex, yet not too stiff to rip baits out from mouths.

My favorite cranking rod and all-purpose casting set-up suitable for all hard baits is a Mojo Bass Trigon Casting, All-In (JOC71MHF). New for 2024, this specific model has just the right ingredients to handle everything, providing an aggressive flex for shock absorption and hook-sets, to backbone and strength for hauling them in. It handles beautifully for crankbaits and topwaters especially. It also does more, like launching swim jigs, paddletails, and spinnerbaits to cover water. This rod will give every smallmouth angler a lot more, for less. I have it paired together with a SEVIIN Reels GF series in a 7.3:1 ratio spooled with 20-pound Cortland Masterbraid. All total, this complete all-purpose setup runs less than $350.  

In 2023, after a brief 3-year retirement, St. Croix re-released the Avid series casting due in large part to angler demand. While it hasn’t come back fully – Avid was previously available in several spinning and casting models – the Avid stayed true to its multi-species mission while improving performance starting with lighter, stronger SCIII+ hybrid carbon fiber blank designs that combine premium SCIII carbon and exotic SCVI carbon materials. To keep it stupid simple, the current Avid is only available in 2 models, a 70MF and 70MHF, which I got to fish with and test throughout 2023. Both are awesome all-around smallmouth rods and maintain the same beautiful cork handles.

Something else unique about St. Croix Rods is their product diversity and price points. Some anglers like to spend lots too, especially if it’s going to be one of the few rods they own, or they intend on keeping it for a long time. The Legend Elite fits the criteria of a premium, high-end rod if you chose to fish one, and is a luxury in the hands of all smallmouth anglers that own one. The Legend Elite EC70MF rounds out the final consideration for a great all-around casting rod.

Out of the hundreds of St. Croix Rods I’ve tinkered with, the two rods I most frequently turn to are the St. Croix Victory Max Finesse VTS71MF and St. Croix Legend Elite ES70MHF.

These two spinning rods, and any actions comparable to them, should be the two most prioritized set-ups for smallmouth anglers for their casting and jigging abilities.

First, lets discuss the Victory Max Finesse – It might be the best ever rod created for handing ned rigs, tubes, wacky worms, and jig worms. It can also handle a few casting applications too, with finesse swimbaits, fluke minnows, and X-Raps (08).

I have been fishing the Victory Max Finesse since it was released in 2021, and it’s one of the finest and most powerful spinning rods I’ve ever put in my hands. I’ve had the opportunity to try other rods for my ned rig systems and other finesse plastics, but they just don’t compare to this beautiful heavy-duty stick. Lightweight, sensitive, and well-balanced, it’s well-suited to casting and jigging applications. It can also do more such as handle the drop shot rig, damiki rig, or live bait rig too. The rod has plenty of backbone for handling 4-and 5-pound smallmouths.

Speaking of trophy smallmouths, every big bass hunter should have at least one MHF spinning rod too. River anglers especially do! For all jigging and bottom fishing applications, my favorite rod of all time is the St. Croix Legend Elite (ES70MHF). This specific rod has hauled in several fish for me in recent seasons, and is atop the boat’s front deck each day I smallmouth fish. It’s a beauty for tube and hula grub fishing.

Last but not least, everyone needs a MacGyver rod. The Swiss Army Knife of a rod. The St. Croix Avid spinning (ASF70MHF) lets you get away with anything that can be handled by spinning set-up. If reluctant to fish with a caster, or if I need a single rod to accomplish several potential daily strategies, this is my do-it-all smallmouth rod for most things casting. Whether I need to catch smallmouths with a topwater, crankbait, paddletail, swimming grub, fluke minnow, or inline spinner, the MacGyver rod gets the job done. 

 

Many, if not most of my clients use this same rod too – for tubes, worms, topwaters, paddletails, and jerkbaits. The Avid spinning is one of the best all-around rods for anglers who cannot afford several rods, or simply don’t want the same problems as I do having specific rods for specific tactics.

Important to each setup, line lines provide stealth but they are too delicate and prone to break-offs. Most line failure is a result of a poorly-tied leader knot. For multi-application main lines, I strongly advise on using 15-pound Cortland Masterbraid for all jigging and casting applications (black or moss green). A lighter size 10-pound (high vis yellow) is better suitable for finesse fishing. Monofilament lines are still applicable in today’s smallmouth game, especially if looking at low-stretch 10 and 12-pound sizes that can handle the aforementioned baits. Unfortunately, fluorocarbon line is too highly specialized and does not adhere well to this simplified system. For leader knot attachments, I rely on the RP (Royal Polaris) knot. This is the quickest and cleanest knot to tie – your rod’s micro guides will thank you for tying it.

 

Minimalist Smallmouths

One rod, two rods, maybe three at most. Each one mentioned qualifies.

Consolidate your few hardbaits and plastics together in a single stowaway. Remember to keep Z-Man ElaZtech products in their original packaging and separated from the rest. You’ll be set for an entire year’s worth of successful smallmouth fishing on lakes and rivers under simplified, minimalist (for me, anyways!) means.

To be an effective and efficient angler, you should rather go light and be willing to occasionally come up short than be cluttered and overcomplicate things. There’s also a learning aspect and benefit from experiencing fishing shortfalls, like not having the hot bait needed, than complicating your strategies and overwhelming yourself by dozens of rods onboard.

A reduction in rods, reels, and lure choices will greatly develop your skills, and do so quickly. Work on technique, lure delivery, application and presentation instead of being fixated on specific baits that won’t cater to the fishery or that technique-specific rod you’ve been eager to buy.   

Less is more – that’s minimalist smallmouths fishing.

 

 

Andrew Ragas splits time between the Chicago area and Wisconsin’s Northwoods. Based in Minocqua, WI, he specializes in trophy bass fishing and offers guided trips from May thru October. While big bass is the passion, he dabbles in multi-species as well. He may be visited online at www.northwoodsbass.com