[speyflyman]

Hello! This is my first entry. Good site and I like this very much. Want to get into the Spey Rod Discipline. Been Steelheading with my 10' Orvis TLS 8 wt. Rods for many years in SW MI Rivers. Want to get set up for the Muskegon and Big Manistee Rivers with Spey Outfit. Appreciate any/all counsel. Am sure most of you have forgotten more than I'll ever know. Have been advised that a Burkheimer Rod in 14' 6" 9wt. would be a good Rod of choice to begin my endeavor. Any input? I need a lot of counsel. Thanks, folks and very best to all. Tight lines, speyflyman

 

[Carl]

Welcome!

A 14-15' rod for 9wt is right for the waters you describe. I'd recommend either a matching Rio Mid-Spey or Airflo Long Delta for a line to start with. Before buying any spey rod, I'd encourage you to cast some and to try a number of different rods if you can. There is a small but growing number of us speyfishinfolk in West Mi. Whereabouts do you live? I'm in Grand Haven.
Carl

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Speyclave and lessons

You have a speyclave coming up in your area. If you can get there, you will be able to cast a number of rods and lines to find out what works best for you. I would recommend that you begin with lessons. That will shorten your learning curve to becoming proficient. It will also give you a chance to try a number of rods and lines as part of the lessons.

Do those two and you will be able to make a more informed decision when you are ready to purchase a rod.

I have a CND 13'8" for a nine wt that should work well for what you are doing. Also, just received a Meiser 13'6"FES7/8/9 that whould be ideal for those waters. Picking rods and lines for them is a very individual thing. Getting the mechanics down and finding out what feels best for you will save money in the long run. I have several rods looking for good homes right now, as I do not use them anymore.

 

[Carl]

spey clave

I don't think there is a clave planned in West Michigan anymore. There were apparently issues with the organizer of the one last spring. I don't have time these days to put one together, but may set up something less formal in the spring to get people together. The spey virus is definitely on the loose!

 

[Grampa Spey]

Meiser 13'6"FES7/8/9

Is this Bob's new ocean rod or what?

 

[Dr. Swing]

Well now that you have caught this bug, make sure you don't think you can escape with just one rod and reel. A 14-15 foot 9 weight is pretty much ideal. If you want to wrestle with kings as well (yuck ) you might look at a 10 weight. If you are getting the rod to swing and only swing, an eight weight might be okay and a little less tiring. But just plan on getting a 14-9 and a 13-8 and probably a 7 and a 10 to boot. If you are gonna do the dude bobber and shot thing, stick with a nine, they lob weight a little better than an 8 wt. Carl's line choices seem about right, but if you need to throw big boy tips in the 300-400 grain weights you might look at the windcutter, especially if you are fishing from a boat most of the time. Whatever line you get, it would be best (in my sometimes educated view) to get the multi tip version. Well, welcome Speyflyman, hopefully some of this is useful to you.

 

[Hammer]

wrestle with Kings

yes,,that'll put your skill, patience,tackle to a real test,face it ;they're mean hombre's,,,better get a BAD stick,,like a 12 wt.16 ft.,,with a big nutcap,,for leverage,,,:hehe: :hehe: :hehe:

 

[Dr. Swing]

Hammer, fishing for kings in Michigan is a little different from out on the West Coast. The fish are usually in crappy condition by the time the fishing for them is at all reliable, the fish are not at all grabby, they fight like logs, there are people everywhere tossing all manner of crap at them, 1/2 the fish are flossed, and bst of all there are usually enough early chromer steelhead somewhere around to make fishing for moldy kings a waste of time. I know I will probably take some flack for this so have at it. But in the time I was living in Michigan I saw enough of them to never want to see another one. Now I will preempt a few of you by saying that on occasion some chromer kings can be found and stuck and make for a short time of good sport. But this is a very short period of time percentage wise of the entire salmon season. And please, this is all just my own opinion, and if someone out there loves sticking kings, have at it, and enjoy the fact that one less person will be in your way.

Oh, Speyflyman, about the Berkie, I have no experience with one so I kept my earlier comments more general.. There are a few Burkie junkies who post, hopefully they can give you a little more insight.

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Grandpa

S2H1367/8/9 is the rod Fred Evans likes so much. It may even be listed without the 9 on Bob's web site, but it is on my rod. It is a spey rod that apparently likes the long delta 7/8. I suspect that it would also work well with a Skagit style head. I will find out with time and report back to the board.

 

[Grampa Spey]

Meiser's new FES rod,aka the Fred Evans Special Rod.

Thanks, I checked Bob's new site this morning and found "The FES special rod, that Bob dedicated to Fred A Evans.

S2H1367/8/9 is the rod Fred Evans likes so much. It may even be listed without the 9 on Bob's web site, but it is on my rod. It is a spey rod that apparently likes the long delta 7/8. I suspect that it would also work well with a Skagit style head. I will find out with time and report back to the board.

 

[Brian Simonseth]

Brokehimer

Ive seen to many Brokehimer:razz:

 

[fredaevans]

Minor blessing.

The clave is still on, look for more info in the claves section in a couple of days.

The "FES" stands for Fred Evans Special ... a very cool 'light' (read that lower water) spey rod Of the Gods!

For lower water conditions, summer or winter, you couldn't ask for a better rod. Only thing that's a close match is the Burkie 7-8-9 13-6. Both wonderful rods; and great equipment for 'newbies.'

Both very forgiving rods that will cast a 'country mile.'

A good thing!:smokin:

 

[roballen2]

Brokheimer?