Quote Originally Posted by Kerry Stratton
Quote Originally Posted by vtfisher
I am going on my first Steelhead trip this april up by lake Champlain.The fish run about 20-25 inches i can't decide which rod I should use I have a 7'9 5wt , 9' 6wt, and a 9' 8wt leaning tword the 8wt but not sure any suggestions.
Kinda small steelhead. Are you sure there not over grown trout? I would use the 6 weight.
You know size isnt everything with steelhead, even on the same river. For instance, During the summer, on the feather river in the sac valley of callifornia I was dry fly fishing for spring run (chrome) 18 -22 inch steelhead with 6x tippet on a 4 weight rod and had no problems getting them in and releasing them.

Just this month my 7/8 weight spey rod was broken (by a salmon) so I had to fish with my 10 weight spey, and I caught a 26 inch 6+ pound double stripe steelhead that put a huge bend in my 10 weight spey rod (was using 1x tippet for this winter run steelhead). This guy was in deep slow moving water and he just was tugging like crazy, did not want to come in. Took me 15 minutes to get him in and this was with a 10 weight spey and 1x tippet!!

On the other hand, during the summer, on a measly 4 weight with 6x tippet and size 20 fly I can get a 22 inch steelhead in in say 5 minutes. It makes one run of say 20 feet, then it is just a matter of me walking it to the bank, pausing occassionally at a jerk from it.