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View Full Version : Lining up for coastal steelhead



sfspey
01-07-2006, 09:54 PM
Hello,
I'm new to the board and want to thank all of you for the info you have provide me over the years, so I thought it was about time for me to join in.
My question revolves around the set up you would use on your spey rod for fishing some of our coastal rivers? I've used a single hand rod for the last 7 years and have done quite well on the "G" rivers and the Russian. However, I have fallen in love with my spey rod and want to use it this season. The two lines I currently own are the airflo delta 8/9 w/ tips and the airflo skagit head w/ tips. I'm also curious to know what kind of leaders could be used.
I know this may be a broad topic but I have only so many days to fish this season and I want to use my spey rod. If I had the time for trial and error i would just experiment. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks.

Rick J
01-08-2006, 01:12 PM
Both lines should serve you well. The Delta will allow more traditional fishing with smaller flies and clear water conditions (if you can find it!!) and the Skagit line will let you fish larger, heavier flies and tips more easily. Some of the smaller coastal streams have smaller pocket type water or slots that do not always allow traditional swing techniques - here shorter tips made out of T-14 sometimes work better than traditional 15 foot tips or shooting heads. You can cast slightly upstream and mend and allow quick decent of your fly into these slots.

For winter fishing I usually use a very short butt section with a loop tied to the tip of my sinking tip (whichever I choose to best cover the water). I will then loop a short tippet section - usually not more than 3 feet of maxima green - usually 10 or 12#. I accomplish this by using a spider hitch followed by a double surgeons loop in the tippet.