Thinking about another rod.

[Hortuna]

Here's the deal. As I've stated in other posts, I'm new. I currently throwing a 7wt switch rod. I plan on fishing N. Cal Salmon and Steelhead. (klamath / Trinity maybe Washington State a few times) I was thinking of purchasing a 9 wt Spey, Is this needed or will my switch handle most of the applications? What will I gain with a Spey Rod?

Thank you in advance.

[shawn kempkes]

Here's the deal. As I've stated in other posts, I'm new. I currently throwing a 7wt switch rod. I plan on fishing N. Cal Salmon and Steelhead. (klamath / Trinity maybe Washington State a few times) I was thinking of purchasing a 9 wt Spey, Is this needed or will my switch handle most of the applications? What will I gain with a Spey Rod?

Thank you in advance.

a 9 wt is a meat stick way to big for most steelhead. my goto rods are a 7133 vxp sage and a 6126 zaxis in the summer time. I have a 9140 that never leaves the closet.

[SFMike]

I think Shawn is right that a 6 or 7 weight spey is perfect for California steelhead. But if you want to target Kings, I think you'll want an 8 or 9-weight. If you really wanted just one rod to try to do both, I'd get a 7/8 weight. If you want rod recs too, I really love my Meiser MSK 13'6 7/8. It's fun fishing a floating line and tips too.

As for the benefits of a spey rod, people can throw out a lot of them like better line control, easier casting, more time with your fly in the water, easy to throw sink tips... But I just think it's way more fun swinging flies with a spey rod.

Let us know what you decide to get!
Mike

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Most 7 weight Switch rods throw around 400 grains and are nice for light to medium weight Steelhead flies.


Maybe get a 13' #7 Spey rod for your bigger stick....?

It will throw around 500+ grains and will throw pretty big tips and heavy flies.


An 8 weight Spey rod will throw around 600+ grains and will be good for serious big Steelheading most anywhere.

[Idaho steel]

Well I guess I'll be the dissenting/inflammatory voice here when I suggest that if you are going to buy your first spey rod, buy something useful... like a 9140. Truthfully, a fourteen foot nine weight is kind of like the .30-06 of the spey world. This size will handle virtually any line type you care to cast, and you can go to any river in North America with it and fish with confidence. When I head for a new steelhead river, there is always a 9140 behind the seat, and it's fascinating how often I end up fishing with it.

So I guess I've never understood the concept of being "over gunned," at least in the context of steelhead fishing. The ability to play a fish with authority, and land it quickly is not a drawback in my mind. I feel that we have an obligation to land and release fish as quickly as possible once they are hooked. A five pound steelhead is still a five pound steelhead regardless of what you catch it on, but if you are fortunate enough to connect with a twenty pounder you'll be happy to have a rod with some grit. (For that matter, the ability to buck some serious wind, handle bigger flies if I want them, and lay out some distance if I need to is the reason I jettisoned any spey rod smaller than my 8136 years ago.)

Granted these are only my opinions, and they are probably worth about what you've paid for them. Nonethless, they are the opinions I have developled after nearly thirty years of chasing steelhead with a fly, thirteen years with a spey rod.

Indeed, let us know what you eventually decide on. Cheers--AJ

[nor cal steelie]

I use a 8 wt in Alaska for kings in the salt and its plenty (sage 8126-3 IV)
20-40# fish , I think your looking for a 7 wt.

[Rick J]

I agree with previous posts about sticking in the 7 wt or at most 8 weight range and likely in the 13 foot range. The one caveat as AJ suggested, if you want to use the longer line systems as opposed to skagit for winter fishing, I think there is some truth to a 14' 9 wt. But if you mostly plan on using a skagit system, you can turn over just about any big fly and weight system you will ever want to with a 7/8 wt system and a skagit line in the 600 grain range. And you should not have much trouble landing just about any steelehad you will likely hook. My friend Bruce landed a 20# steelhead this past spring up in the OP on his Scott 1287 without undue stress issues to the fish.