Lots of Steelhead in the Lower American right now

[PaulC]

My limited experience with steelheading is I can get by with my 6 wt with fish up to 10 lbs, but the rod has some serious bend in it to get the fish in fast. Turning the fish is key when using lighter tackle. I had one this winter in the 10lb range that I thought was going to blow up the 6wt trying to land it quickly.
My 8wt is a bit overgunned except for the larger steelhead.
My friend this season brought a 7wt 9'6" winston that seemed like the happy medium between the two.
That little extra length does help with the roll casts.
Probably not as much of that on the american but lots of it on other rivers up there.
I've only fished the american a couple times, but a spey rod looks like a blast on that river.
-Paul

[Jgoding]

LOL Bill, I just thought it would be a great sign off, I pretty much just made it up as something two anglers might say as they passed each other on the way out....

I do catch fish....on occasion.... so it's not always true....

Paul, I bet you can land most fish on a 6wt... I just had my confidence shaken I guess, that's all. But people have told me that the rod I use are known to not have much of a back-bone etc... and have a tendency to break pretty easy. (Which I have done on a snag which I pulled free with my hand after the rod broke pretty easy....good thing for lifetime warranties!!) What size tippet to you go down to Paul?? I usually use down to a 5X so it's hard for me to imagine turning a 10lber with that if it wants to run in a bad way...

Jeff

[PaulC]

Hey Jeff,
I am usually using either straight 3X or 2X fluoro. I don't use tapered leaders. They don't seem to increase my takes and cost more.
I'll go all the way down to 1X if I'm throwing bigger flies. Anything lower than 3X, I find the breakoffs outweigh the increase in takes.
I think if you get a real runner in fast water, you're running after it regardless of tippet/leader.
-Paul

Here's one big fish on the 6wt from a couple weeks ago.
Man, was it cold out there. But as usual...the crappier the weather the better.

[Hairstacker]

Wow Paul, that is a very nice, powerful looking fish. Bet it was a blast!

[Jgoding]

Thanks Paul.

Thinking about it I think I did only go down to 3X or so on that shooting head. I'm just used to tying everything down to a 5X on my floater I forgot. I haven't tried flouro yet either. I want to use up my Orvis super strong first before I try anything else... Any recommendations Bill??

Jeff

[PaulC]

Hey Jeff,
I don't know if Bill stocks it, but I really like the frog hair fluoro.
The rio stuff is nice also.
The frog hair guide spools are a bit pricey, but at 100m per spool...you don't have to worry about running out any time soon.
-Paul

[Jgoding]

Thanks Paul,

I will go by Kienes and check it out. I've heard good things about the Frog Hair products and I have a gift certificate to burn up!

[jbird]

Myself and a few buddies are using the orvis mirage flourocarbon. 2X for steelhead. It is incredible tippet material. It is comparable to the best flouro you can find. The price is really great too. $9.95 for 40 meters! Most of the top end flouros are $13-$14 for 27-30 meters. I will cry if orvis ever discontinues this line of tippet. I atribute much of my success to that line.

Jay

[Hairstacker]

I use the Orvis Mirage fluorocarbon as well. It is stronger per diameter than Orvis Superstrong mono, which is one of the strongest monos out there. I agree, good stuff at a comparatively very reasonable price.