OK. The fish are small but what's the stream like? What do YOU consider a small stream? Is it a small open stream? Is it brushy? Pocket water? Long runs?
For small open streams I like a longer rod, so that I can cast over stream side brush. A light action 8ft rod that's relaxing to cast and easy on the fish. On tight streams I like something that will roll cast with a flick of the wrist and that will bow and arrow cast well. Say a 7ft - 7ft 3in. light action rod that with a positive set. On brushy streams, I like a very short rod, less than 6ft 5in.. I need to be able to feel the line through the entire casting stroke. It needs to bow and arrow cast well and set up on fish very quickly. This generally means a faster rod. For small pocket water, 7ft to 8ft medium to medium fast with good tip recovery and a postive set.
I'd fish each of these with different rods but for pure fun, I always pick a Payne 97. If I only had one rod small stream rod, it would be the Cattanach 7ft 4wt (not the sir d version). It does everything above, better than good but is a little fast for my taste.
Small Open Stream:
Small Tight Stream:
Small Brushy Stream.
For small open streams I like a longer rod, so that I can cast over stream side brush. A light action 8ft rod that's relaxing to cast and easy on the fish. On tight streams I like something that will roll cast with a flick of the wrist and that will bow and arrow cast well. Say a 7ft - 7ft 3in. light action rod that with a positive set. On brushy streams, I like a very short rod, less than 6ft 5in.. I need to be able to feel the line through the entire casting stroke. It needs to bow and arrow cast well and set up on fish very quickly. This generally means a faster rod. For small pocket water, 7ft to 8ft medium to medium fast with good tip recovery and a postive set.
I'd fish each of these with different rods but for pure fun, I always pick a Payne 97. If I only had one rod small stream rod, it would be the Cattanach 7ft 4wt (not the sir d version). It does everything above, better than good but is a little fast for my taste.
Small Open Stream:
Small Tight Stream:
Small Brushy Stream.
floods keep most of my GSMNP streams so open that rod
length is seldom an issue, although I usually have to deal with more vegetation when I'm "hunkered". In fact, that's one of my main
considerations for a small stream rod: does it respond to those funky, short-stroke casts you often have to make, of the sort that would make Art Flick
weep...
