What are you using for steelhead fishing – primarily swinging and indicator as opossed to 'chuck & duck".
Varies depending on the river, fish, and conditions, so range is from a 6-weight to an 8-weight usually, 9’-11’. Usually lighter weights and shortish rods, because the fish are not that large, and the waters are relatively small. Larger rods and heavier weights are for when I head further north.
I have a 10’ TFO Professional 9 wt. I got it specifically for Great Lakes steelhead.
I would recommend a 9’ 7wt for that, but I have used everything from a 7’ 1wt to a 9’6" 8wt. Many steelheaders prefer longer rods than 9’ but the 9 footers work fine for me.
When I fish for steelies or salmon my number one choice is a Sage 9 foot 9 weight RPLXi. A fantastic rod.
Larry —sagefisher—
And mine is…Sage Xi3 9’ 8wt. A fantastic rod. Got a great deal on it.
I use a 9’ 6" 7 wt for Great Lakes Steelhead. I built it on a blank from Hook and Hackle that I purchased on a close out years ago. It is a medium-fast action. It has served me well, and the 7 wt is more than enough rod for fish to 32".
Brad
Ten foot Boron II, 7 weight. It was a gift :D. I use a 5 weight Skagit line,(line shoots like a rocket) a strike indicator and usually an egg pattern, although last spring smelt style clousers and black woolly bugger tube flies were the key.
Sage 8124; the best 2 handed steelhead rod made to date.
10’ 6" bamboo two-handed rod with a 520 grain Rio AFS scandi line or my new 9’, 9 weight Extreme Super Hollow bamboo rod. Both rods were designed with the Pere Marquette River in mind.
Depends on conditions and what I expect to catch. Usually, either an older Xi2 9 ft. 7 wt or I have a 10ft. 6 wt Hardy Demon that I like to use.
11 ft, TFO Deer Creek Switch Rod with grain appropriate floating line
Summer Steelhead: Swinging small wets, skating dries & bobicating: Sage 697 - 4 XP
Light Steelhead and small coastal streams: Swinging wets, etc. : Scott S3s 907-4
Medium Steelhead: Swinging wets: Scott S3s 908-4, G. Loomis 1088-4 GLX
Large Steelhead: Swinging wets, etc.: Powell Tiboron 909 - 4.
I have always liked a 9 1/2 foot 7 wt. I have used a 9 foot 8 wt but it gets a little heavy by the end of the day. Steelhead on the Per Marquette run 7 to 12 #. I use a Billy Pate anti reverse so I can chase them down stream over rocks and such if I have to. That reel is kinda heavy so the lighter rod is good for all day.
Bob
smaller streams - 9’ 8wt Redington RS2.
anything bigger - TFO 6wt DC switch or TFO 12’6" DC 5/6 spey.
Inland rivers, medium to large size fish, 13’ to 15’ 7/8wt two-handed rods, for swinging flies. Coastal rivers, 9’ to 9.5’ 7wt-8wt and 9wt glass and graphite single handed rods, shooting heads, weight forward and DT lines. If the water is big enough my first choice is the two-handed rods. wcglass
For Great Lakes steelheading I use 2 rods depending on stream size:
- Sage Z-Axis Switch 11ft for 7 WT
- Winston Spey 12ft for 7 WT
For bigger steelhead like in upper BC I use a Sage Spey 14ft for 9WT.