Smallmouth fishermen: Recommend me a casting rod

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My current casting setup is a little stiff and can overpower some of the smallies and redeye that I fish for. I'm looking for a baitcasting rod that has an action with a good bit of flex. What brand and model are ya'll using?

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What are you fishing for them with? In general a Medium or Med-Light power rod is more than sufficient for those small river bass, but the action (fast, moderate-fast or moderate) is dictated by the lures you're using. If fishing with plastics, small jigs, buzzbaits or spinnerbaits I would want a fast action rod. If throwing rooster tails, topwater, or crankbaits I would use a moderate action rod.

I recently got a Shimano Crucial 6'8" Med/X-Fast for plastics and jigs in small rivers:

Shimano Crucial Split Grip Casting Rods

ETA: My favorite rod for those rivers is a 6'6" MedLight/X-fast older Shimano rod. I spooled it with braid and throw everything from shaky heads to buzz baits and spinnerbaits on it. It's a blast to catch fish on.

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I am primarily fishing with crankbaits.

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For $100, this Falcon BuCoo 6'6" Medium/Moderate is a slam dunk small crankbait rod IMHO:

Falcon BuCoo Casting Rods - $99.99

They also make a nearly identical rod in 7' if you prefer the longer rod. Both would be great for the square bills and shallow running cranks that you throw in those small rivers.

Awesome. Thanks man.

I don't have a recommendation, but I can't wait to catch some smallies this summer : orko :

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Falcon

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can't go wrong there.