Just curious, was wondering since I want to go light, if you could only take one fly rod with you in late June, what would it be and what would you use to fish for what? Thanks for your kind input.

Rob,

I believe your best setup would be a 7-weight rod with some type of floating line. This rod should give you enough backbone to throw your fly a good distance, even in a moderate wind condition. If you go any lighter than 7 you'll be limited to when and where you can fish.
You could go with a basic double tapered fly line or better yet throw a shooting tip or weight forward line to help propel your wind resistant flies a few more feet into the strike zone. I find sinking line difficult to use and probably unnecessary for the depths you’ll be fishing that time of year. I would bring some colorful poppers and large dry flies for the topwater smallies. I would also include some streamers of various colors, flash and size. Be sure to bring plenty of weight. Either splitshot or the new moldable lead stuff, that works quite well. I found the new fluorocarbon leaders and tippet to be of superior strength and durability when compared to conventional mono. Good luck.

Fazzy, just what I was thinking in the way of a rod, in fact I'm getting ready to build a 9' 7wt that I thought would make for a nice compromise. I'll probably carry one spool of floating weight forward and maybe a sink tip for the other or an 8 wt wf that might handle the larger streamers I intend to throw for the pike. I appreciate all the info you can pass on. Did you get the smallies taking surface bugs or did you have to go deeper for them? Again thanks

Rob, I have taken smallies on top and subsurface with a flyrod. It just depends how they are feeling. I always start on top - as it gets the blood pumping when your fly gets slammed on the surface. On top a popper will sometimes work. Otherwise you can swim a floating minnow type fly. I'm sure you've seen the balsam wood painted floaters - swim and pump them over rock outcroppings or close to shoreline cover or add some weight and work then just under the surface film. The topwater action best early, late and on overcast days. For the northern, be sure to use a steal leader and use a clip as opposed to a fly or you can't change flies. I've found it's best to rig it up at home as it's kind of hit or miss getting them to fastenup correctly.

i myself am going up in early june and will be bringing my St.croix fast action 8 weight. also i will be bringing a large arbor reel with a spool of bass taper floating and a spool of fw/s.
i find that the 8 i have is powerfull enough too put out my pike/bass flys i tie but not to stiff that i cant run some of my smaller clousers and scullpins for deeper smallies and eyes. but the best thing about it is the backbone it has for the bigger pike. hell i even use it down here in minneapolis for carp in the mississippi.

flyangler, what do you get those carp to hit on. I have only had very limited success with carp taking a fly but we have so many of those midwestern bonefish around here, that I would love to hook more of em.

8 wt. 81/2 ft Sage GraphiteII with a bass bug taper fly line. My usual intent is to catch pike and smallies. This outfit has served me well for quite awhile. The newer four peice rods look interesting. Anybody using those?

I have to go with my St. Croix 8wt as well. Having a Bass taper line as well as a sinking line pretty much takes care of it for me. While I don’t mind using something lighter than an 8wt, casting the bigger bugs is too much work with much less than an 8wt to be any fun.

That said, I tend to use a telescoping spin fishing rod in the BW. The BW is more than fishing for me and as most of my time in the stern of the canoe, I can keep the bow over the fish and help myself out a bit more with the spin fishing gear. (Man it hurts to say that thought.)

TB

for the carp i like using large nymphs (12-4), mainly beadheads with a brown plastic ribbing i use too make the thorax and some brown leech yarn for the collar. but i alos get them on brown or black buggers.
ive heard that if you tie up gold egg sack patterns they'll hit those too.