[BEK]

I'm looking for a decent starter spey setup for swinging flies on Airflo Polyleaders on Lake Michigan tribs. The St. Croix 13' 7/8 is a contender right now. Any other comparable rods out there? Also, would a Redington AS or AL reel work well? What size and large arbor or standard? A few people have recommended the Rio Windcutter 8/9/10 for this setup. Is that the way to go for a new speycaster with this setup or are there other lines to consider as well? Any advice offered is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[nbrandon]

I have the 13' 7/8. It's a great rod for a dry line, but doesn't want to handle tips or polyleaders well.

My suggestion would be to get the 14' 8/9 and then get a multi-tip windcutter.

Neil

 

[ChromeFever]

Rods

I am not sure what rivers you are going to be fishing but a great all around starter rod would be the Sage 9140. Works great, casts well and you can put just about any line on it from a WC to a Grandspey and she will sing. If you are looking for a similar rod minus some of the cost you may want to look at the LOOP rods. They also make a 9140 along with an 8124 (I thinkl) that would also be
great starter rods, especially here in the GL region. I would start out with a line that has a shorter belly as a beginner. The RIO WC and or the midspey would be great lines to start with. Good Luck and TIght Lines!

 

[dansteelieman]

for the same $

For just about the same money as the Croix you can pick up a Redington Redfly. They have a 12' 6" 7/8 wt which is a nice rod and casts tips pretty well. Bumping up to the 13' 8/9 in this series would allow you to do more and has a little more power. Rods are light, the 7/8 is 7.3 oz I believe, and the 8/9 isn' t that much heavier. Once drawback with the croix's are that they are heavy.

Also, Redington's are nice reels to balance them out, but some expirence problems.

Send me a PM if you would like. Where do you reside?

 

[pmflyfisher]

I have the St Croix 13 ' 7/8 using tips and poly leaders with casting problems to date, don't understand why people have an issue with this but I have been overloading fly rods with heavier tips for 20 years so I guess I am just used to casting them.

In the GL rivers you donot need to throw a long line but perhaps on a few rivers.

PM Out

 

[flytyer]

Troutmadness,

The 13' St. Croix is a fairly nice summer rod. It is really overloaded quited badly with the 8/9/10 Windcutter though. this is the rod I bought for my 15 years old's 15th birthday last May. I set it up with the 6/7/8 Windcutter and he has had no probem casting it, including casting 6 weight tips in type 3 and type 6. It will cast the heavy 8/9/10 Windcutter if you really slow your casting stroke down and you don't try to cast over about 70 feet.

If you want to slow the rod or use a bit heavier line for the faster sink rate and larger flies it can toss, use the 7/8/9 Windcutter. And this rod is not heavy at all. It compares very favorably to more expensive 7 weight 2-handers in weight. Keep in mind that the light 2-handers like this are not designed to cast large, heavily weighted flies or heavy lines. Just like a 5 or 6 weight single-hander is not designed to cast #2 weighted woolly buggers or Teeny T400 lines, these light line 2-handers are for smaller flies.

 

[SSPey]

I had a chance to cast that st croix with a floating line and thought that it was a tremedous stick. Really smooth. No idea about sinking lines, but I'd imagine that it can handle light tips - and sinking leaders for sure.

 

[Barry]

It WILL handle tips and throw far.

I have the St. Croix 1308 and I love the rod. It is a superb dry line rod and will also handle tips. I have used lines as heavy as a WC 9/10/11 on the rod without problems. I now use an 8/9/10 and have thrown it to the backing knot. Granted that is not typical here in the great lakes, but in the hands of a competent caster, I have seen this rod do some amazing things.

I agree with the others that the Loop's are worth a look. I love the little Yellow Line 12'6". That will most likely be my next rod. IMHO that would be a great rod on my home waters (Sheboygan).
Perhaps someone will have one to play with at the clave this fall?????????????????


Barry