I took lessons and enjoyed casting a few 7wt, 12' to 13' rods that load deeper in the blank, which were easier to feel the rod load (ARC, Winston, Burkheimer). I hear Beulah platinums have a similar feel. Maybe an older Loomis, GLX series? The Burkheimer felt a tad heavy, so maybe I'll pass on those. This will be for summer steelhead on the Deschutes and coastal Oregon rivers during the winter. Since this will be my first and only spey rod for a while, a 7 or 8wt 12ish long rod would be a good all around one. Trying to keep cost below $500.
