[Mean Mr Mustard]

[Warning: The following deals, in part, with “ethics” issues and may not be suitable for the young or fainthearted.]

Saved from the immediacy of purchasing a new spey line, I can now spend the $160 - with a little help from like friends - on a “light” spey rod. (According to most indices, I may well be alone in my efforts to spur the American economy with deep pocket spending.) Anyway, much as I would like one, do I really have a need?

In particular, I have been hot for a certain 6/7 wt. that is realistically priced and affordable. I have a spare reel. So, for less than $350 out of pocket for the rod and line, I could be swinging away, but…

Is it ethical for the waters I fish? Clearly the sentiment of my fellow fly-fishers in the PNW is that this rod would be too light for steelheading. In general I agree, though I am not totally convinced when the fish are of hatchery origin. (I am, or was, totally devoted to C&R until I was convinced of the need to remove these brats from the run by any means legal to minimize interbreeding with wild fish.) So what would one do? Not fish at all or fish for the Sea Run Cutthroat and Dollies using light tippets, sans fluorocarbon line, and purposefully breaking the big ones off, possibly one of those brats? Remember – An ethical person tries to do what’s right and, if that is not possible, to at least do no wrong.

Further, thinking more in the 6 wt. category, is there any place for lake fishing nymphs for large trout with such a rod? And what would be the technique, shoot & strip overhand style?

You guys willing to talk about it?

mmm

 

[BobK]

Takes some thought...

Obvious answer: EVERY fly fisherman needs another new rod!

Hi. I too had the same dilemma. The 6-weight that I ended up with has good backbone so I can "put the wood" to steelies up to ten (or so) pounds. As the Great Lakes trib locally run 6 - 10 lb. steelies, it works great. I did catch a 20-lb. lake-run brown on this rod, and got him in quickly (only about 10 minutes - it seemed like 2 lifetimes!). He recovered very quickly, and seemed to take off none the worse for wear.

The old rule of "a minute a pound" to bring 'em in is a good one. So, my answer is it depends on the rod and how much backbone it can take. And, to be sporting, you can always "break 'em off" if it is taking too long so you don't overly stress them.

Yeah, with a "short" spey rod, you can overhead cast nicely. (Mine is 11"3") - for my fishing methods and smaller streams, it works very well.

BobK

 

[sinktip]

MMM,

Good question and I comend you for asking it. Based on what I know of your wishlist and the areas you fish, I would think you are probally safe in pumping that tax refund right bloody hell back into the economy. GW would be proud of you

All jokes aside, I spent some time on the phone the other night with the North American distributor for a new speyrod line. I was asking him his thoughts on their base level 6/7 spey and its usefulness for trout. He confirmed my suspicion that this model might be a bit much for 14"-18" trout but would be a fantastic rod for up to average sized PNW hatchery summer runs. These are the 6-10# fish Bob mentions above.

As long as you are not chasing Sauk/Skagit Spring nates or Thompson or Skeena summer runs, you should be fine.

st

 

[Just me]

You know I was thinking along those same lines. Do I really need another rod. I have 6 rods now and one more wouldn't be such a big deal. But I ask myself do I really need one.I'm kind of thinking along them lines of getting a Spey rod. One of them new ones CnD I think is what it's called. But,But Is it going to be a rod that I will get alot of use out of or is it going to just sit there and collect dust like a few of my others do. I don't fish many big rivers and most of what I do I can reach with a single hander. Like my 8wt which I only fishin the winter. And I prefer to use a 5 wt in the Spring and summer. I guess I need some one else to make up my mind for me.

 

[juro]

(Tounge in cheek)
Even if you are a minimalist angler, you must have a summer greaseliner that can handle light tips and an authoritative winter rod for big rivers, flies and fish. Even within these you have the long belly broad coverage scenarios and the crisp summer tribs, two rods in summer at least. Then in winter, the economy of effort and effectiveness of Skagit style casting hardly warrants a big rod, but there are those rivers that beg for 15, 15.5 or 16' 7" of aerospace graphite to reach the seam. An efficient structure seeker rod and a big game spey machine are in order for winter.

Now that would imply 4 spey rods, but one could choose a rod that bridges the two worlds. But then he or she would have to live without that feather light and snappy summer dry line gem or the sweet flexing high-powered weapon that rules the glacial green currents in winter to do it.

So there is an opportunity to have less than four Spey rods, as long as you have at least three :devil:

 

[sinktip]

And you are only talking Spey rods right? Otherwise I am in deep doo doo. Four, no make that 5, speys and 7 sinngle handers. I need help!

 

[Mean Mr Mustard]

Geesh, you running for office, or what? And you moved to New England, to test the early primaries?:razz:

Well I've pretty much got the winter wood covered, albeit without a dredger; but snappy? I like that! I gotta get the snappy. Could be a couple snappies if a certain company brings on a really lightweight model; anytime soon? And I have a deal on an 8-wt. in transit.

mmm

 

[speybum]

YES

You do need another Speyrod.

The more the Merrier.
Look at Fred Evans he had to have an new house just to keep the rods in.

Wille Gunn has quite a group also; just one more !




:devil:

 

[Steelheader69]

You've got to be kidding me????

Do you need another rod???? Do you need another fish??? Do you need another breath of air??? If you can't answer yes to all these questions, something ain't quite right. :hehe:

I am currently down to only 3 fly rods (and am buying a fourth as we speak). When I'm done, 2 speys and 2 single handers. Had almost 20 different fly rods at one time. But started selling some off. Most were ones I could either replace, or didn't have sentimental value. And NO, I didn't WANT to sell them, but being hurt and on L&I I had to sell when I was having a dispute and wasn't getting paid. Had to feed the family. But, getting paid now, and eventually will rebuy up some of my rods. I'm getting a 13'6 7wt for my summer runs. You should be fine. Winterruns, I'd leave it at home. But, I've caught summers in the 14-18# range. But none of the OP brutes I catch in the winter.

Now, I need to rebuy a couple of my one handers. Sold my 9/10 wt for my tip fishing for big salmon out of the boat (not a spey, single hander) and maybe a couple other rods.

But NEVER ask this question again. Makes my stomach churn.

 

[Speynut]

Of course you need another rod...

Mean Mr. Mustard, that sir must be a rhetorical question. Get the rod and enjoy fishing it. Though I may have missed this point it in skimming over the others' replies if mentioned, a six weight with a decent back bone will easily allow you to quickly land a wild steelie of some size. Keep in mind it's not just about the rod.

Steelhead aren't all that leader shy, 0x-2x it's quite strong, and to accomodate a spey line and sufficient backing you're going to be using a larger salt water style reel. A this means you've got serious drag power on your side.

Over the past few years I've had the good fortune of hooking and landing steelies in the low double digits quickly on a Sage 6126 coupled with a Redington AL 9/10.

A very pleasurable experience and by no means an abuse of mother nature's blessed fish. The obvious limitation with this sort of set up is fishing big weighted flies and longer sink tips is not exactly a smooth or easy proposition, it isn't pretty or a pleasure, though if there's a will... Ignore the naysayers and jump at the chance to go light. These rods are great tools for long line nymphing and working pocket water for trout too.
John :smokin:

 

[ChromeFever]

Confused and Amused

This was a rhetorical question right? Of course you need a new rod. There is no such thing as too many rods. Its like woman and shoes. Why do they have 10 different types of black pumps, for different occasions of course. Why do we need 5-10 rods or 30-40. Well for all the different conditions we may come up against.

Boy its a good thing my wife doesnt know about this page and who ChromeFever is! :smokin:

 

[juro]

shoes analogy

I can't get over how many shoes my wife and older daughter have... the bowling alley has nothing on them. Let's not even get into dresses... there should be a worn once dress rental business, because 99% of all dresses in America have only been worn once! And it's not like we are wealthy or anything, in fact I am scratchin' lately.

But actually, I am glad. Because of their own need for more stuff I feel quite comfortable taking a little out of the family budget for fishing stuff now and again. The peace that the river, lake or sea brings is deep and lasting.

And yes, you always need another rod!