Spey Rod Recommendations?

3562 Views 21 Replies 14 Participants Last post by speyfisher, Nov 4, 2016

svinyard

Discussion Starter · Nov 2, 2016

Not the worlds best Spey fisherman but put enough time to get a good line out once in a while, caught some Steel etc. I have a Winston 13' 8/9wt BiiX spey right now. I don't entirely love it. I think its probably a bit heavy for nearly everything I do...but maybe its just me. I fish the Deschutes, Klick, Hood, White Salmon primarily. I do some Salmon fishing on the swing when they are in but don't do much "catching"

. Any recommendations? Here is what I've cast, which is a small list:

1- My Winston B2x Spey 13' 8/9 - seems like too much rod for the fish I catch and isn't a joy to cast...again maybe its me...but when I pick up that Chromer rod I'm hitting the opposite bank with ease. I do like the Winstons smooth feel when I do get a nice cast (570grain Skagit).

2- Reddington Chromer Spey 7wt 13'6"- good buddy has this. I can cast it a mile it seems. Very little feel or feedback though. Not in love with hardware but cool to see the line just shoot and shoot.

3- CF Burkie Spey - 7wt - I didn't cast this a ton but it had a smooth feel like the Winston and certainly could throw. Didn't immediately hit the bank like the Chromer did but that's probably because I'm a weak caster.

4- Echo Glass 7wt Switch - might be the most amazing casting rod on the planet. Insanely fun. Feels like a noodle but then it effortlessly bombed out a medium spey cast with T-14 tip like it was a trebuchet. Not super versatile but seriously cool. Buddy just rarely fishes his Burkie anymore and fishes that instead. Hilarious.

So that's about it. Part of me wants a Spey 7wt (which one?) for versatility and bigger water and then that Echo for smaller water summer fish. I really don't understand the Spey rod market very well...and then I hear about local builders doing custom stuff and that adds another layer.

Any advice?

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shotgunner

· #2 · Nov 2, 2016

Try some rods, local event if possible.

Sounds like you'd enjoy a deeper loading fast recovering style blank.

Reactions: 1

Manwell Lotion

· #3 · Nov 2, 2016

Don't ask us. Go to your local fly shop or multiple, and start throwing line. Picking a spey rod is like buying golf clubs. I would not buy after first initial cast/swing. If you like that rod, come back a couple days later, and if you like it again its a done deal. The purchase of my investment spey rod was a 3 week process. The Avid Angler was super cool about it too.

Reactions: 2

svinyard

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 3, 2016 (Edited)

Sometimes there is a killer rod or two that can be had used! I'm just interested in seeing what other people have liked/recommended and how it would compare to what I've cast so far. I'm hoping to put together a short list and then get my hands on some of them to cast.

phuck this

· #5 · Nov 3, 2016

Look at the CND GT series very light and crisp casting with a deep load and fast recovery.

Reactions: 1

almostacatch

· #6 · Nov 3, 2016

The other day when I was unloading my truck from a trip to the Clearwater I laughed that all the rods I took in the house were in their respective G Loomis tubes. There were 5 in all 2 Greased Line, 3 Dredgers none duplicates and I'm on the quest for one more. What is more humerus is that I only fished 1 the 15' 9/10 Greased Line. Given the opportunity I would've fished others if we had went to the Ronde or Snake. On the way home my traveling partner asked my what a complete rod catalog looked like. He is on the pro staff of a very fine rod manufacturer, and wanted my input on where they were short for what is was worth. He told me many quivers (kind way of saying rod addictions) start with a 13' 7wt. That was my gateway drug after an epic switch rod failure. Now I look at my rod corner with amazement thinking that if I had the opportunity to land one fish per rod each year I would never have a complaint as a steelheader. I started to pull the collection apart and removed the rods that didn't fish as much first. Number one was the 13' 7wt followed by it's little sister the 12'6" 6wt. Then I removed the 11'9" 6wt and the 12'6' 7 wt. Then I was on to the 13'4" 5/6. At the end I was pulling apart the Loomis rods. The last rod to get picked up was the 13'4" 7/8 Dredger. What a gem, she will do light mid belly work, and sink tip work handles big and small fish equally effectively. My wife asked "what are you doing?" I told her I was thinking about downsizing. She retorted "good."

Anyway, the moral of the story is if you are married you have already settled once. Spey rods don't ask for monogamy.................... So cast them all, a lot!!!!

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Klickrolf

· #7 · Nov 3, 2016 (Edited)

Trade your 13' rod for a 12'er in 8/9, then it'll be easier to drop your fly under the trees instead of in them. Some rods are better than others but if you're using short shooting heads it won't matter. Just go fishing!

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svinyard

Discussion Starter · #8 · Nov 3, 2016

Ha, thanks Almostacatch. I have settled down with a nice lady...time to expand the rod collection a bit more

. I've heard great things about the Dredger you mentioned from another guy.

Klick, is a shorter rod the way to go? What are the pros and cons with them?

Darthmonkey

· #9 · Nov 3, 2016

Test casting rods as a beginner is kind of pointless because you really don't get a whole lot from the process other than, "I still suck." To me it sounds like you want a 6 weight that can throw sink tips. When I hear sink tips & six weight, I think Burkheimer 6128. This is not a rod for fishing the coast, rather a rod to fish Columbia tribs with, which is what sounds like you'll be doing most of your fishing.

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Klickrolf

· #10 · Nov 3, 2016

svinyard said:
Klick, is a shorter rod the way to go? What are the pros and cons with them?

Depends on how far you intend to cast. You stated you were hitting the trees so I assumed you were trying to cast too far. There is a ton more involved here. Shorter rods don't tend to cast as far but they do tend to help if have a spot you want to drop your fly. Spey casting is a game of line speed, the more speed you can generate the more accurate you can be. Simple really but 6 weight speys aren't as good as 8's for doing what needs to be done.

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Jim Darden

· #11 · Nov 3, 2016

I have a 7 wt of the same rod and it is nirvana. Before you dump the Winston, try a scandi on it. Stop by the Des Chutes Angler next time you are in Maupin and see what they recommend, I throw a 420 gr on my 7 wt. I throw the same Skagit Head you do with my 7 wt but it is an ugly line to cast unless you are throwing big weighted flies. Sounds like you would be happier throwing a dry line and lighter flies. I fish the same water you do and don't use the Skagit line till winter (November and later). As time goes on, I find myself fishing a dry line longer and longer into the winter. Sounds like you may be in a rut with the Skagit lines, borrow a scandi and see if you feel better.........Just to confuse you, I have an 11' orvis that throws a 390 gr scandi, and it is tons of fun to fish, but it is not the rod for big water....

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Ppppp

· #12 · Nov 3, 2016

You didn't have this one listed. Do yourself a favor and ad Bulah Platinum 7132. This rod is a great PNW 7 weight

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Ernie Adams

· #13 · Nov 3, 2016

What Phil said.

Cnd, Burke, meiser, sage etc. All have a 7 wt. Daily driver. I own the Beulah. I really enjoy it.

Go sox,
Cds

Reactions: 1

svinyard

Discussion Starter · #14 · Nov 3, 2016

Klick, White Salmon and Hood really don't require me to cast far; Deschutes does. Thanks for the advice so far. Sounds like I can't go wrong with some of these. I don't know much about Cnd or Meiser...sound interesting. I wonder if the Sage X is really all its cracked up to be in the 2H. A buddy casted the new Loomis Asquiththehrhe spey rod and said it was insane. So is the pricing though.

gormaci

· #15 · Nov 3, 2016

I would stick to green color still: B3x or even B2x (3X nicer!) 13'3" 7/8

svinyard

Discussion Starter · #16 · Nov 3, 2016

gormaci said:
I would stick to green color still: B3x or even B2x (3X nicer!) 13'3" 7/8

Being a Winston guy, that is what I really want and should have bought. I've heard some couple of other people speak highly of them. What are they like to cast? are you throwing a Skagit too?

theTastyPlecopteran

· #17 · Nov 3, 2016

If you like winston the BIIIxTH in the 7133 is pretty money.

If you like a fast rod the T3H Scott is a cannon of all cannons.

If you like Sage, Ive heard the X is pretty dialed in but they also have the new Sage Pulse series for $650 that is pretty nice.

If you like CFB go for the 7127 or the 7134 if you like a longer stick.

Ive heard those CND rods cast like dreams as well.

I have not cast any G loomis.

My buddy also swears by the loop Cross SX and says it's one of the nicest blanks he's ever cast. And this guy definitely does some casting...

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svinyard

Discussion Starter · #18 · Nov 3, 2016

theTastyPlecopteran said:
If you like winston the BIIIxTH in the 7133 is pretty money.

If you like a fast rod the T3H Scott is a cannon of all cannons.

If you like Sage, Ive heard the X is pretty dialed in but they also have the new Sage Pulse series for $650 that is pretty nice.

If you like CFB go for the 7127 or the 7134 if you like a longer stick.

Ive heard those CND rods cast like dreams as well.

I have not cast any G loomis.

My buddy also swears by the loop Cross SX and says it's one of the nicest blanks he's ever cast. And this guy definitely does some casting...

Good info! I do like Winston trout rods a LOT. Though I'm not sure everything I like about a trout rod is really necessary or transfers to Spey fishing. There is no delicate "presentation" when throwing a green butt skunk etc. What do you prefer personally? Is a faster rod the way to go typically? (thanks!)

gt

· #19 · Nov 4, 2016

when you fish, your cast should be to where you think the fish might be hiding, not how far you can cast. i have a bunch of spey rods and some classics as well including one of the first 12 spey blanks that Sage first produced, it sees little action as i don't appreciate this rod at all.

probably the easiest casting rod in my arsenal is an old Sage 7136. you can still find them occasionally but they are getting harder to find. but Burkheimer built be a 7wt with an 8wt upper section that is also a dream to cast. i also have some other real brutes, including a Sage 8123-4 which really requires a 10 wt to load, they don't see the light of day very often. giving rods a try is a good idea but a spey rod really requires some water to get the true feel.

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phuck this

· #20 · Nov 4, 2016

svinyard said:
Good info! I do like Winston trout rods a LOT. Though I'm not sure everything I like about a trout rod is really necessary or transfers to Spey fishing. There is no delicate "presentation" when throwing a green butt skunk etc. What do you prefer personally? Is a faster rod the way to go typically? (thanks!)

A faster rod will require better timing and is not as forgiving (not always the case) a more moderate flexing rod will be better to learn on. Everyone has the preferred style of rod, you just need to cast a bunch and find out what you like.

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