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[dave c]

Thinking about getting a fly rod for pinks.  What weight is best?

[Hike_and_fish]

6.

[FlyFishin Magician]

I would recommend a 7 or 8 wt fly rod. If you want to use it for other salmon, go with an 8 wt. Although a 6 is probably fine for pinks, I prefer to have a bit of a stronger rod to turn the fish and land them quickly. Better for C&R, plus I find that pinks have a soft mouth so playing them out for a longer period of time often results in lost fish. Of course this doesn’t mean you need to horse them in too quickly.

With today’s fly rod technology, an 8 wt will not be heavy at all and will give you a bit of extra power if needed.

My 50 cents worth. Good luck and have fun!

[cdjk123]

I use a 4 wt, but I'm also a masochist

[243Pete]

6wt is fun but with crowds, play time and the likely hood that a released fish will die of exhaustion. Casting into strong headwinds at time can be a real pain as some 6wt rods and lines don't have the real punch like a line on an 8wt does but that goes without saying with the proper line and rod you can still do it.

7wt is the magical number but like the 6wt try not to over play them to death unless keeping it.

8wt Sage One is my favorite rod in this category, still has a nice bend, casts far and quickly especially if you spot rising fish and need to make a good 70 foot cast in short time and most C&R fish take off when you pull the hook-out.

Lots of options and opinions out there.

[ByteMe]

6wt for beaches, 7 or 8 for rivers

[RalphH]

specifically for pinks I don't think it matters much. I own both and use both. A 6 will not be too light for pinks. For some places where the fish average under 4lbs, an 8 will be a bit much. A 7 or 8 wt will be easier on your wrists & forearm if you are hooking large numbers of fish.

If like most folks here, you will mostly be fishing the Vedder or the Fraser go with a 7 or an 8. The fish are bigger, as is the water and the current faster than some other places. If the runs return to previous abundance, you could be playing lots of fish.

[Knnn]

I would recommend a 7 or 8 weight single (or possibly a 6 double, which can be used single handed)  in a medium fast to fast action over-lined by 1 weight on the fly line. 

[chironomidking]

Also depends on the make of the rod and length.  For all salmon species in rivers i use 8 wt 10 foot Sage
and G Loomis.  I find my Sage XP 6 wt rods too light for the moving water so they are exclusively for stillwtaer.

[fishmonk]

I would go with a 6 wt, way more fun!

[obie1fish]

In my opinion, the strength of the current in which you will be fishing is a major factor. Frog water and estuary merits a 5 or 6 weight, 7 or 8 in faster water. Adjust line weights depending on distance and wind needs. My go to is a 6 weight rod with a 6 weight floating line. I cut 10 feet off, make a tip out of it, and buy a few different heads to match different depths.

Hope this helps. But don't worry- I think Santa knows what you need.

[John Revolver]

Assuming you are wanting a single hander :


A 10ft. 7wt is your absolute perfect sweet-spot do it all fly rod for PNW rivers and pink salmon.

7wt will provide enough backbone if you get into a larger salmon species or steelhead.

One with a fighting butt, or removable fighting butt, gives the perfect amount of needed leverage. 10ft. length will help mend line and give some needed cushion if you hit a chum or a chinook.

10 ft.  7 wt.  = have fun!

[4x4]

I used to fish with a 9'6 fly rod for all salmon species years ago. Now I'm using 10' 8wts or my 8wt switch. The 6 is ok for Pinks and Ho's and you certainly can land Chum and Springs with it but it's to much work for the fisher and harder on the fish.

If people want more of a fight try a floating line with the 8wt instead of the sinking or tipped lines. It makes a difference on the fight for sure. It's a lot of fun and you can bring in the bigger incidental catches easier. Go with a longer leader (9ft is plenty) and a weighted fly for med to slower flows. If your fishing slower flows in 4/5 ft depth you can also go with an unweighted fly.

If your fishing faster flowing water (above walking speed) stick with weighted lines.

I've been using an 8wt floating line on the sloughs, parts of the Fraser..... for about 5 years and my success has not changed at all for catch rate. My body also holds up better when casting a floating line for long periods.

Also don't be afraid of trying smaller flies for Salmon. If visibility is decent I find 10/12's to be every bit if not more effective than larger flies.

Good luck with your new outfit,

[sbc hris]

I’ve used various 6,7,8, and 9 wt. rods over the years for pinks, coho, and chum. I settled on a med-fast 10’ 7wt as my rod of choice, and am very happy with it. I also have a 9’ 9 wt. for when I expect to encounter lots of chum, and I intend to steelhead fish with it one day. For strictly pinks, a 6 wt would be fine, but the 7 wt gives you a more versatile overall rod.

[Fish or cut bait.]

A 9'6" to 10'  7 or 8 # would be a better overall purchase  in my humble opinion.
If you plan on beach fishing or working in the wind the 8 will cut through better and also handle the incedental bigger chum or steel or...
For a first fly rod purchase a 7 or 8 will cover more territory.
You can always buy another rod