Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Chum Slayer on August 13, 2022, 06:43:32 PM
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I would like to get my father an early birthday present, I would like to get him a Spey rod however I don't usually fish a Spey rod that often. The rod and reel would be mainly used for sea run bull trout, chum salmon, and steelhead, what are your guy's recommendations? I was going to get him a 7wt 12 and a half foot sage and pair it hardy reel of some kind.
thanks for the advice in advance.
Chum slayer
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sounds like good choice given the target species. I suggest you go to Michael and Young and have a chat with the staff particularly Ryan at Surrey or Tim in the Vancouver store. They can set you up with a matching reel, lines and tips. You might think of adding a lesson or 2 to the package.
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You should give some consideration to where he will be fishing. IMHO a 12 foot Spey is bordering on too much rod for the Chilliwack/Vedder. Consider a Switch rod.
Lines and tips for Spey/Switch can be a learning exercise if you are not already familiar. I have a collection of Switch rods that I love and have been very impressed with the OPST Commando heads used with their Lazar line.
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Switch rods typically cannot handle the longer heavy tips used for winter steelhead. Any head more than t11 and 10feet or more needs a longer rod. They also have much less backbone than a longer two handed rod so better for handling chum etc. At least for Skagit heads, the length of the rod has more to do with the length of the head fished on the rod - generally the head is about 2 to 2.5 times the length of the rod so a 12 to 13 foot rod is a good length for that. Switch heads are typically from 14 to 20 feet long
Don't get me wrong I love so called 'Switches" & own more of those than longer "Spey" rods but I think the Chilliwack, particularly when it is at a good flow is better fished with a longer rod than a switch.