[Riveraddict]

Hmmmm... Steelheading must be over for a bit, seeing as how I'm not the only one asking questions about Speyrods in a trouting aspect.

It's been a couple of years since I have used my Sage 6126. I remember it as being a very fun rod to use on Grande Ronde steelhead (average 4-6 pounds), but I don't remember exactly how light of a rod it actually was. Anyone out there use this rod for trouting? How does it fare against 12"-16" trout? Is it too much rod? How about 16"-22" trout? Would appreciate any comments.

 

[inland]

RA,

If you are looking for a rod to swing flies, at some distance, it is passable but still over kill. Would not be my first choice if fishing small dries on medium/small rivers and relatively close. Think Silver Creek for technical aspects compared to swinging for fish on the Green or Madison).

Better even yet are the Scott Arc 1196 or the old Winston LT 12'6/7. The Winston really has a tip suited for trout.

But IMO, the Meiser's switch rods in trout size are the perfect compromise as they can be cast single/double hand and come in line weights light enough to suit the task at hand.

William

 

[jimsand]

Riveraddict,

I guess I'm sort of in the same boat. I hadn't used mine for a while either. It is a fun rod. I was up at Pyramid lake NV a couple of weeks ago and used the rod from the ladders. Turned out to be the ticket for the cutthroat trout and drifting a nymph. It wasn't overkill for the fish up there. Most were in the range of 18" to 24". I also use it on a couple of the local rivers for streamer fishing. Works fine for shad also, although I haven't been yet this year.
Jims

 

[SSPey]

Hmmmm... Steelheading must be over for a bit ....

its never over in Oregon... we just continuously fill in with rod talk in between the various runs of fish

 

[speydoc]

RA
It is ok on 12"-16" trout and is an absolute blast on 16"-22" trout - I fish mainly swung flies on a 6/7 midspey and have added polyleaders if I want to get down.
By the way - it definitely is not over, the springs are starting!
Tight Lines
speydoc

 

[Riveraddict]

6126 input...

Thank you for your comments guys,
I am trying to determine the suitability of this rod for my upcoming season in Kamchatka. It seems that I will be guiding trout on a different river this year, one that does not have the large average size of rainbow trout as my former Kamchatkan "home" river, the Zhupanova did. As opposed to the average 4 1/2 to 5 pound fish of the Zhupanova, this "new" river has more rainbows, but of a smaller size - 16" to 22". It also has a bunch of Dollies averaging 12" to 16". Though this river has a reputation for good dry fly fishing, I will choose to swing wets/streamers, as that is my favorite game (usual distances of 30' to 70'). I have a Meiser 12 1/2' 7/8/9 that is a shoe-in (was my "go to" Kamchatkan trouter last season), but since we are not doing any Chinook exploratories this year I have more room to take more rods aimed specifically at targeting trout. That is why I am asking for input on the 6126, together with the fact that there isn't much opportunity for me to "test" this rod for swinging wets/streamers for 12" to 22" trout between now and my departure date of early July due to it being run-off time around here.
Anybody know of any opportunities to swing for trout in the Montana, Idaho, Washington, Lower B.C. area from mid-May to mid-June?

 

[Big K1]

RA,

Hit the Yak. What did you think of the 12'2" speytracker?

Kevin

 

[Riveraddict]

6126...

BigK1,

Thanks for the suggestion, but I am looking for something: (a) a little less "popular". (b) where the fish are a bit more in the "opportunistic" mode. (c) where wade fishing is the preferred approach (fishing from out of a boat isn't my cup of tea).

I have only cast the Speytracker on the grass, and for only a few minutes, under not-so-ideal conditions (lots o' dandelions), so I cannot give a fair assessment yet.

 

[Big K1]

RA,

Flows are pretty low right now on the Yak. I have never floated the river. I always wade.

Kevin

 

[Grampa Spey]

River Addict

I will be dusting off my Sage 7136, with the MS6/7 floating line,
for summer trout and the half pounders that stay year round in some of our rivers. with the MS6/7 floating line.

Bob Meiser's 5/6 10'6" Switch rod is my main summer trout rod with a W/C 5/6 floating line. I catch more fish with it than the 7136, and I can get them in quickly to be released. A big trout on the 7136 in my inexperienced hands requires me to back up to beach and then release the fish. Also, I can fish with 2 or more flies with Bob's switch rod and not hook myself when trying to release the fish. If I have two hooks and a big trout on the 7136, I will snag myself during the catch and release process as the rod is so limber. However, the 7136 with a dry or hackle will reach way out there past where I can cast the Meiz rod. Also, the 5/6 Switch rod works in tight quarters where the 7136 will not work.

Recently, at the Simon session on the American River, I got to cast the ARC 1287/3 with a W/C 678. It was an awesome rod with the floating line tip. Then, when tips one and two were removed, and the tip compensator was added with a sinking tip and a big shad fly, I was still able to reach way with no problem of getting way out there. It was a pleasure to cast even at the end of a long day of casting during Simon's on the water school. My 7136 in my hands will not pick up and cast a single sinking tip let alone with the tip compensator, a 15' sinking tip and a big sinking fly.

The young man, who had the rod, works with Jeff Putnam, and the ARC 1287/3 is his late spring, summer, early fall rod for N. California and S. Oregon. It was a very impressive rod, however, I can't justify the $700 dollars to buy it. Having said that. Our mutual friend Bob Meiser has a few rods that fit in that category at a better price than the ARC 1287/3.

If you haven't tried his 5/6 Switch rod, you might want to. In your hands it could be an outstanding rod. Rio now sells the W/C 5/6 with tips, and that wasn't available when I bought Meis's 5/6 switch rod.