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View Full Version : What size rod, tippet and fly for Steelhead?



Bill Kiene semi-retired
09-07-2005, 09:40 AM
The idea is to use the lightest rod that will present your fly to the fish consistently. People use #4 to #10 weight rods for Steelhead in North America today.

Tippet size could run from size 0x to 5 x tippet. I think talking in diameter is a safer way to compare tippet as pound test is too inconsistent.

Hell flies can run from #2/0 to size 16 dropper nymphs?

Popular hook sizes for Adult Steelhead are 2 through 8 depending on water clarity.

For Halfpounders we like 8 to 12 in attractor wets then we match the hatch with smaller flies in Valley rivers at times.

Another good idea is to use the heaviest tippet that fish will tolerate so you can land then more rapidly so they are not as fatigued and so you can land the fish of a lifetime.

On the Lower Klamath River and Lower American River people use #4 to #6 rod for Halfpounders that run 12 to over 20 inches.

I think 2x is a safe size for fresh Halfpounders on the Lower Klamath.

We will use 4/5x for fishing #12/14 caddis dries to working fishing on the Lower American. Swing flies we use 2/3x depending on the size rod we are using.

If you are using a #4/5 rod you can get away with lighter tippet than if you are using a fast action #7/8 rod.

For adult Steelhead I would recommend 0x to 2x as a range depending on the fly size and water clarity.

When indicator nymphing I think many will use 3x in Valley rivers.

For big Steelhead in British Columbia they are still using lots of Maxima tippet material. Up there they use #7 to #10 weight rods for giant Steelhead. I think 0x is a good size tippet for theses giant fish running 10 to 20 pounds and larger. Many up there just use 15# Maxima which probably breaks at near 20# test with good knots.

My friend Al Perryman says it is hard to land really hot adult Steelhead on less than 2x tippet. The difference from 2x to 3x is very large in the real world of Steelheading. Mike Mercer told me this once as well.

I am constantly re-checking this info with the best Steelheaders and the top Steelhead guides.

I know many Steelheaders go by pound test especially if they are in the Maxima crowd.

We use to use 6# Maxima for lighter adult Steelheading situations and then go up till we stop breaking them off. We use to go to 8# when the fish were bigger and hotter in Nor Cal. I have been on the Trinity and Klamath some time back when 6# Maxima was not enough to hold the size and power of the fish we were into. We had fish that sheered off 6# on the strike.

Fresh tippet and good knots help here too.

Tell me what you think about this.

Darian
09-07-2005, 01:21 PM
Hi Bill,.... One of your points raised was "....get away with using a lighter tippet...." in conjunction with using a 4/5 weight rod.... I'm assumming you mean that for use when fishing for Half Pounders. 8) 8) Otherwise, it sounds in conflict with your earlier point about bringing fish in quickly to avoid excessive fatigue from a prolonged tussle..... :? :? Is my assumption correct :?: :?:

Personally, I do not target Steelhead of any size with less than a 6 weight rod proportionately rigged.... 8) I feel there's a good chance that, should I hook up on a larger fish, I have a chance of landing/releasing it without wearing out the fish. 8) 8) Of course, If I'm casting over water known to contain larger fish, I'll switch up in rod size, etc. 8) 8) 8)

Bill Kiene semi-retired
09-07-2005, 10:18 PM
Great point Darian,

I actually use a 6 weight for all my Halfpounder fishing for ever now.

I was just out casting about 6 different new 9'6" #6 rods today in the parking lot. I think I am ordering a new Sage TCR 697-4. I think it cast the furthest for me. I want it for the lower Klamath which has really big wide open water.

I have heard that some people use 4 weights in the morning for Halfpounders on the Klamath and 7 weights in the afternoon, after the wind starts blowing.

My friend Chris Pasley uses a 4 weight for Halfpounders too. Most can't cast well enough with a 4 weight for it to be effective.

Also I don't want people to feel like they have to buy a new rod/outfit just for Halfpounders. Anything they have from a 4 weight to a 7 weight would catch these fish.

I was just trying to fit in all the sizes I have seen/heard that people are using for Halfpounders.

Some use a 9' #5 trout rod with floating line and a #14 caddis dry with 4/5x in the late PM on the American. Most fish average 16 inches so it works out pretty well.

sculpin
09-08-2005, 01:32 PM
Hello all I am new to the board. I see my fishing buddy Jbird is posting here. He has been on a roll the last few trips and kicking my butt. In S Oregon we are using strait Orvis Mirage floro for a leader. Usually 2x but at times 3x to get it deep enough. The idea is the smallest diameter to lb test and floro sinks like a rock. Mirage 2x is rated 12.5 lb test and it's small profile allows it to sink quickly and has less drag in the water. Recently I have been putting on a short butt of 0x so when I break off I don't have to tie so many nail knots, loops seem to create a lot of extra drag. Also the thicker butt works better for the use of an indicator. It does create more drag but I think the trade off is worth it. The bad thing about it is the stuff is expensive. Seaguar Gmax is an egual line but it is $3 more a spool. As far as rods go I think a 10ft 7wt is the way to go for our fish. I am using a 10ft 6wt now and feel I can use a little more rod when chucking heavy bugs and landing some of the bigger fish. The 10ft rods make line mending a dream. As far as lines go I haven't found anything that works better for me than the SA Nymph line. It has a very long head which is great for mending and roll casting. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, this is just my .02$ worth.

Mark

Gregg Machel
09-08-2005, 01:56 PM
sculpin, welcome to the board here! :) Good information, thanks for posting.

Bill Kiene semi-retired
09-09-2005, 08:39 AM
Thanks 'sculpin',

We all appreciate this quality of reporting.

For deep nymph is big rivers for big trout and steelhead many use the lighest straight tippet they can use and FC is suppose to sink faster too.

Some years back I fished the Rogue River around Tuvel Park in October (top month) with Al Perryman when he was guiding a lot. That river was about 48 degrees then in the AM and reached about 50 degrees in mid-day. Al liked to fish from about 11am till 5pm when the water was warming some. When the water is very cold, colder than what the fish are confortable at, fishing real early and real late is not any advantage.

People seem to either swing very deep with Teeny type very fast sinktips or deep indicator fish in that very cold water.

Sense then I am more excited about the Klamath River again especially the lower part in September when in the AM and PM with warmer water the fish are very acive to flies in the surface.

Anyway, it is time to go steelheading now.

jbird
09-09-2005, 06:31 PM
Bill

Your previous comment about 3X being so different from 2X tippet is dead on. I am nervous as heck fishing with 3X. I have broken off ten times more fish on 3X than 2X. That may sound astounding to some folks, but its true. I also argue the logistics to fishing for adult steelhead with anything less than a good 6wt rod. Its not fair to the fish and is only a testoserone statement in my opinion. Even a 6wt is a tad light for most of the coastal river fisheries where fish are commonly over 9 lbs. ( Unless your fishing a place like Drano where your in a pram and the current is neglegable...but those fish are pretty huge) A 4 lb steelhead is a blast even on an 8 wt. I would like to see more people fishing with plenty of rod than going light and fighting the fish to death. And that flows right into tippet as well. If your fishing 5X, youll be fighting the fish for twice as long as 2X.

I also agree with Mark on the SA nymph line. It is an awesome steelhead line. I ruined mine and bought a SA steelhead taper...To put it mildly, I dont like it. Its VERY tangly, floats about as high as an intermediate line, and rollcasts and mends poorly...which I'm sure is due in part to its poor floatation and not so much the characteristic of the head. I will be buying another nymph taper for my next line.

My $.02

Jay