What Rod Weight for BIG Browns

[alra195]

I'm in need of a bit of advice and I know this is the place to ask. I've got a chance coming this fall to make a trip to Western New York to fish for some of those really BIG Browns that run into the rivers in the fall. I've been told that fish to 20+ pounds are not uncommon and to expect to catch 12 - 18 pounders during the trip.

I've got several very adequate 9 1/2 and 10 foot, 7 wt rods with good reels with excellent drags, plenty of spare spools, etc. Here's my dilemma, should I be considering an 8 wt or am I just fishing for an excuse to buy another rod? My sense is a 9 wt would be too heavy but I'm concerned a 7 wt might be a bit under gunned for a 20 pound fish.

I'm not really looking for specific recommendations on brands or rods. But I'd love to hear your thoughts or experiences working fish in this class and your rod weight preferences.

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Thomas]

Hey Joe, let me get this right, you can EXPECT to catch 12 - 18 pound browns on this trip! Man you need a bazooka.
I think the rod you have will probably do the job, what sort of size is the water, how fast, how deep and what sort of fishing, Dry, light nymph, heavy nymph or streamer? I normaly fish an 8# for heavy nymphing but have found unless it is very windy a 7 will do the job just as well and is big enough if I have to resort to the sinking line and a big streamer.
Hope you get a few big ones, maybe post some pics if you do.
All the best.
Mike.

[alra195]

Mike,

That's what they tell me, and from the photo's I received from a friend of mine, I have every confidence that we can "expect" to get into some good fish.

I'm going from the photo's and second hand descriptions but my impression is they are fair size streams but not all that big? Water in the photo's looked pretty shallow, say 1' to 4'. I'd imagine some deeper pools from 6' to 11'. Nothing looked that wide. Big places didn't seem much over 100' - 120', with most water being under 90' wide.

Looked like what I'd consider fairly typical Great Lakes tributary fishing. It's going to be all nymphs, egg patterns, buggers and streamer fishing. While I don't expect to use a sinking line, if the conditions are appropriate I'm likely to use some sink tip sections from 2' - 7' for swinging streamers. More roll casting than classic dry fly, delicate presentation stuff.

We're still four or five month away from going. If it works out you can count on picture!

[DG]

Personally, I would not hesitate to use a 7wt on a 20# fish, but then again I have a bit of experience doing just that. A 9 would also work fine, but you will be disappointed with how it handles anything much smaller than your expected monsters.

So, use this as an excuse to get another rod, take everything, and catch one or more on each rod.

We want photos.

[Mike Ormsby]

Looked like what I'd consider fairly typical Great Lakes tributary fishing. It's going to be all nymphs, egg patterns, buggers and streamer fishing. While I don't expect to use a sinking line, if the conditions are appropriate I'm likely to use some sink tip sections from 2' - 7' for swinging streamers. More roll casting than classic dry fly, delicate presentation stuff.

Just based on steelheading on Great Lakes tribs up here in Ontario....and having got on some large browns coming back out of lake....I would say you are probably OK with 7wt you already own....8wt would be biggest I would go to; 9wt bit overkill in my mind....but some of those Great Lakes steelies are good size so can attest to 7wt being more than adequate

[sperzonkers2]

Joe, My friend uses a 10ft 7wt for steelhead in the lake Ontario tribs with no problems.

[wizard]

You may get SOME of 12-18#, but the average will be 5-8#. A 20# fish is possible but............ The 7 wt will be fine if you know how to handle it, if you don't, stepping up to an 8wt is not going to make a difference. Expect to lose some fish no matter which size you use unless you are an Olympic caliber sprinter....With Waders on!

[alra195]

Thanks all.

I fish the 7's for steelhead several times a year in the Ohio and PA tribs. I'm not sure if that qualifies me as a "knows how to handle it" kind of guy or not but from what I'm hearing it doesn't sound like I really need to bump up a notch on the equipment. I'll just consider it another steelhead trip with a chance at some large Browns.

Wizard - you won't see me in the Olympics anytime soon (with or without waders!). I always expect to lose a few, even though I try really hard not too!

Anything else you think would be worth knowing, don't hesitate to post.

Thanks

[Joe Valencic]

For many years I fished steel in the Chagrin and Grand, using a St. Croix 9'-0" 6wt, with my personal best being a 13# male. I then moved up to a 9'-6" 7wt which I have caught 20# steelhead on this past season. No problem at all. I have even used it for Northers with excellent results.

If you want an excuse to buy another rod, 12-18# Browns are not the excuse you're looking for. I know several guys in my neck of the woods who do the New York tribs multiple times during the season, and it's mainly to get the eggs from browns so they can use them all winter for steel. They use 6-7wt rods, then bring out the 8wt for huge steelhead.

That's my nickle's worth.

[tigfly]

Joe, I've fished up there many times, your seven wt is just fine. You'll also hook into a lot of kings up to 30#, and you should have no problem with them either.

When you go take a camera, because you WILL catch fish.