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Author Topic: 9wt too big for Steelhead?  (Read 4662 times)

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9wt too big for Steelhead?
« on: December 19, 2013, 11:57:28 AM »
I am going to do some fishing over the holidays including attempting to land a Steelhead or two on the Vedder. I don't have a Centre pin or Baitcaster for float fishing quite yet so may take out my fly rod (as well as my trusty spinning rod for backup).

Question is, I have only a 9wt fly rod and am wondering if it is just too big to be targeting these fish with. Any hook on a line is capable of catching fish - I just wonder if there is any harm being done to these fish with such a large rod. I hear they are legendary fighters so I assume it may be a perfect rod (I'm pretty large so the extra weight of the rod is not an issue) - just wondering what everyone else is finding optimal/overkill.
A bit green to River fishing with the fly (other than slaying pinks with it in Squamish) so I'll sift through threads here and see what lines, leaders, etc everyone is using before I ask and get blasted for not using the search function.

Been seeing lots of nice flies tied here and gleaning some good info. That leads to the next thread I'm about to start...

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typhoon

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Re: 9wt too big for Steelhead?
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2013, 01:08:13 PM »
Not too heavy. Enjoy.
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roseph

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Re: 9wt too big for Steelhead?
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2013, 02:30:13 PM »
IMO there's more chance of hurting the fish by undergunning than there is by overgunning.  I assume you're talking about a single-hand rod which I don't think a 9wt is overkill at all.  A good, fresh fish will still bend most 9wts pretty far into the blank if you're pressuring it like you should.
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HOOK

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Re: 9wt too big for Steelhead?
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2013, 05:29:46 PM »
on the river I have seen guys using 7-9wt single hand rods for steelhead. for two handers I have seen anywhere from 5-9wt

If I was tossing a single hander it would be an 8wt for sure. I also use a 7/8wt spey. Last thing I want is to be the guy that babies his fish in only to watch them float belly up after releasing them  :'(
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Ian Forbes

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Re: 9wt too big for Steelhead?
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2013, 11:34:51 PM »
I regularly use a 10 wt for steelhead or salmon. It all has to do with the lines needed getting the fly to the fish. I don't want to artificially increase the playing time by using a light rod. I want to force every fish I hook into fighting as hard as it can. It's easy enough to land any fish if you are just playing it off the reel with a strong leader and no support from the rod, but why bother? In those cases a 6 weight rod is no different than a 0 weight rod. Lee Wulff used to regularly land 20 pound Atlantic salmon with just the tip section of a 3 piece fly rod. In my experience that is just an exercise in silliness.
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