2 questions.
1) Is the flesh of steelhead "salmon" red like say Pacific salmon or white such as fresh water rainbows??
2) 9 ft-3 piece- 8 weight saltwater rod(s) All 3 have MUCHO backbone and butt lifting power. Good enough for steelhead?
Steelhead..!
2 questions.
1) Is the flesh of steelhead "salmon" red like say Pacific salmon or white such as fresh water rainbows??
2) 9 ft-3 piece- 8 weight saltwater rod(s) All 3 have MUCHO backbone and butt lifting power. Good enough for steelhead?
1. White like rainbow trout...they ARE rainbow trout, after all.
2. 8wt will work fine for steelhead. Might even be slight overkill, but yes, you can handle steelhead on 8wt, and you can chuck a pretty large fly with those rods, too.
(Disclaimer: I'm no expert, I've only ever caught 1 steelhead (12-pounder), and that was back before I really started fly-fishing.)
David Merical
St. Louis, MO
Steelhead of the Pacific Coast have reddish flesh. Perhaps a result of going to the salt.
"The reason you have a good vision is you're standing on the shoulders of giants." ~ Andy Batcho
The steelhead I catch here in Idaho have both. In the fall they are red to pink depending on when you catch them. In the spring they have replaced the oil with water and are white fleshed.
As far as a 8 weight here in Idaho a lot of the guys use a 8 weight. I use a 8 weight. The steelhead here run from 25 inches to 37 inches. I have got them to 34 inches and would not use anything lighter then a 8 weight. I fish a lot of fast water which is why a 8 weight. Big fish in whitewater spells desaster unless you are equipted right. Just my 2 cents though.
I think that might be the reason Kerry. The steelhead I have seen guys catch "here" ( landlocked of course) are white fleshed but I had seen pics of guys cleaning them and the fish had reddish flesh.Originally Posted by Kerry Stratton
LORD! If I hooked onto even a 27 incher Id have to call a time out at a certain point and pour a stiff drink before I went back to continue the battle....lol
The ones that are reddish don't compare to the red of a good spring chinook....nor do they compare in taste...IMHO
I would use an 8wt...especially now that rods are overall lighter.
Ahhhh! Thats the kind of thing that a total newbie to steelhead wouldnt have the foggiest clue about. Thanks.
I have 2010 to do some planning on finding the right guide..etc..etc for some steelhead fishing for the wife and I...and also a guide and such for light saltwater out of the Sarasota FL area
ducksterman you are so right.
Sully if you had to have a drink everytime you got into a fish 25 or above. you would be drunk first hour out LOL. This last trip we lost 15 fish. Most in the 30 inch range that we saw. I hooked one steelhead on a fly rod. It was a 6 weight. I knew in the first minute I was under gunned. Most of my steelheading is done with casting rods. I travel 256 miles and pay a guide $400 to take me down the river. I want to get something for that money. Not to take away from the original post I am building a drift boat this spring. MOre time for fly fishing that way and $400 less per trip.
Careful Harley.., I know some guys that got into guiding that way.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
