New River Smallmouth Rods: A Guide’s Real-World ALX Rods Setup

When you spend day after day guiding clients for smallmouth bass on a river like the New River, opinions about gear get practical fast. There’s no room for hype. Fishing rods either work—or they don’t.

That’s what makes input from professional guides valuable.

At the Raleigh Fishing Show, we talked with New River Outdoor Co, fishing guide Ethan Stone about the ALX Rods that consistently earn a spot in the hands of his guide clients. These are not theoretical recommendations. These are rods that get handed to real clients, in real conditions, all season long.

Spring Smallmouth Bass: ZOLO Toadface

Spring on the New River means current, shallow targets, and aggressive smallmouth bass. According to Ethan, one rod dominates that window.

“You can’t get the ZOLO Toadface out of my clients’ hands.”

The ZOLO Toadface excels because it’s easy to fish and forgiving, especially for anglers who may not fish rivers every week. It handles moving baits and shallow presentations well, making it a reliable choice during peak spring bass fishing conditions.

For a guide, simplicity matters. A rod that performs consistently across different skill levels keeps clients fishing—and catching.

Big Profiles, Big Water: Mag Draft Rod

Throwing a large mag draft bait exposes weaknesses in both rods and technique. Balance, loading, and fatigue all come into play.

Ethan is direct about his choice here.

“It’s the best mag draft rod I’ve found.”

This rod handles larger baits without feeling cumbersome, allowing anglers to fish longer and more effectively. For river systems where bigger profile baits trigger quality smallmouth, that balance is critical.

The All-Year Workhorse Spinning Rod: OXIM Tremor

If one rod stays in rotation year-round, it’s the OXIM Tremor.

Tube jigs, senkos, flukes—this rod covers a wide range of soft-plastic bass fishing techniques. What sets it apart is the balance between sensitivity and power.

You can feel subtle bites, but still have the backbone to pull fish out of rock piles and ledges where New River smallmouth live.

That combination matters in river fishing. Too soft and you lose control. Too stiff and you miss bites. The Tremor lands squarely in the middle.

Why Guide Rod Choices Matter

Professional fishing guides don’t rotate gear for fun. Their fishing rods are used daily, often by different anglers, in changing conditions. When a rod survives a full guiding season, it’s proven itself.

These aren’t off-the-shelf impulse buys. They’re custom quality fishing rods chosen because they perform specific jobs reliably, day after day, on real water.

For anglers serious about bass fishing—especially river smallmouth—those details matter.