Just my two cents on the Avid, I have a 7wt. that has landed many steelhead, kings and bass, L/M and S/M. It has plenty of backbone for fighting and landing big fish but does not cast big heavy flies very well. I have experimented with different line weights and tapers and have had limited success finding a way to chuck a big clouser or magnum bunny fly that is wet. I am currently building a nice 8wt. with a big fighting butt to do battle with the northerns come ice out.

JA