? About fly rods

I am looking to buy a steelhead rod would like a rod the gives me some fight ,what I am wondering is what weight would u guys recommend?

Any 7 wt

Beat me to it. What he said ^

Agreed I primarily use a 7wt 11'3" switch rod for steehead and bull trout. On the deschutes that's my nymph rod I will use a 13'7wt spey rod for swinging. I picked up the switch first when my home river was the alsea its a great size for any river that size or any where you need to fish fast, short, deep sections of water with no room to back cast and trees hanging over your head all the way across the river.

Thank you very much

I took on an 8 1/2lb. summer with my 9' 5" 7wt. and it was a battle I'll never forget. Three enormous runs and aerials. Rod was bent to the cork.

Did u atleast catch the fish?

Interesting to hear you folks recommending a 7# for what can often be big fish (from the photo's i've seen anyway. I won't be arriving in the US - and Oregon specifically - until at least the Summer in case many of you didn't see my "introduction" post). Here in Scotland, Salmon anglers will, apart from the ubiquitous Spey rod, generally use 8# and above, usually with quite a stiff action, although I have caught a couple of salmon in the 5lb range with my 6/7# when I wasn't actually fishing for them.

Keep in mind that not all rods are truly what they're marked especially switch rods my rod casts the same grain window as most 8 wts and can cast a 10wt single hand line with no problem, it has tamed some beasts. I have a friend who fishes a 12'6" 6wt nrx for summers on the D and it seems perfect for those size fish. It seems like the a lot of rods are under rated in terms of what weight they are my sage 9' 5wt is totally a 6 wt. Spey Pages has some really good info if your looking to get into two handed fly fishing. I just feel like a 7 Wt switch or spey rod is a good all around rod for summers and most winter fish you will encounter.

Yes, true. I've encountered the same issue with regard to ratings. My aforementioned 6/7 will cast an 8 line for instance. In fact it casts an 8 wt Double Taper line much more effectively than a 6 wt line of the same profile. As I mentioned though it's a stiff action which I think maybe helps. My smaller river rod however, which is a 3/4, has a very soft middle-tip action and I wouldn't feel comfortable using any more than a weight-forward 4 wt on it. Still, it's gratifying to know that, as you say, these beasts can be tamed with something in the region of a 7 (I think though that the first time I head for a Steelhead river - probably the Sandy - i'll be taking my 9/10 along - just in case )

Newtoflyguy said:

Did u atleast catch the fish?

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Yes I did and it was a hatchery with bright troutlike colors.

OnTheFly said:

Yes I did and it was a hatchery with bright troutlike colors.

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How did it taste?

Midgie hater I'm stoked there is a Scottsman on the forum. I have just recently discovered the sexy loops forum and am completely blown away at how far advanced you guys are with the two handed rods. I never thought I would be watching physics demos with bead chains to better understand fly fishing crazy stuff. All my recent beasts have been large bull trout on the metolious river which is an extreamly swift river especially down low on the river my biggest so far was around 30" I would guess in the 8# to 10# range they don't make long runs or jump they just bulldog and use the current to there advantage in my opinion they require a stouter rod than your average steelhead. My last two summer steelhead were a little anticlimactic and honestly could have been landed with a 5 wt no problem.

I use a 7 wt for summers and a 7 wt switch for winters and salmon.

Oh, who am I kidding...I don't fish for summer steelhead! Hah...seriously, a 7 wt in Oregon will cover a pretty wide range of fishing.

Get an 8wt if you plan on getting a single hand. Or. 7wt switch cause a 7wt in a switch is more like a line size up in a single hand. You will be glad you got the heavier rod when you hook a big pissed off wild steelhead , they will still fight like hell with the 8 but they will be more manageable. Especially when you need to keep them away from a rapid or snags. Though that envolves working the fish by changing the angles you fight the fish at the extra backbone really helps.

GungasUncle said:

How did it taste?

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Mark, I liked it better than salmon. Good stuff!

brandon4455 said:

Get an 8wt if you plan on getting a single hand. Or. 7wt switch cause a 7wt in a switch is more like a line size up in a single hand. You will be glad you got the heavier rod when you hook a big pissed off wild steelhead , they will still fight like hell with the 8 but they will be more manageable. Especially when you need to keep them away from a rapid or snags. Though that envolves working the fish by changing the angles you fight the fish at the extra backbone really helps.

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^This. In a single hander I wouldn't go lighter than an 8wt if you are going after Winter Steelhead. Trying to land a pissed off native in a full river with anything less is likely to result in damage to the fish, the rod, or to you.

I think I will get a 8w sence I like to salmon fish to, Ty all for the info