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
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