[Abraham]

Im going to be buying a new dedicated 8 weight Spey rod for winter steelheading on the Olympic Peninsula, and I need some community input on deciding what to buy. I will only be buying either a echo rod or a sage rod in an eight weight. I can buy any of the echo offerings like the Echo 3 or the Echo TR. I also have the option of maybe going up a bit a price and buying a sage rod. I could buy a sage pulse, sage mod, or a sage method. I have the pulse in a single hander, and I love the action. So my question is: out of all of these echo and sage rods, which is the best performer and bang for your buck? I will probably end up getting an echo, just because of the price, but I'm curious to know if anyone here has experience with the pulse in an eight weight and how it stacks up to the mod and method? Also and most importantly, does anyone have any experience with the echo rods, which echo is a better for skagit casting, the echo 3 or the echo TR? Thanks!

 

[Big Tuna]

My brother has a TR 7130 and loves it. He fishes it on the OP.

 

[jake-e-boy]

Cf burkheimer 8128 vintage

 

[Klickrolf]

I'd offer up an 8133-3 Burkie but I only have one so I can't.

 

[Deceased]

I'm really wanting the echo swing rod in an eight. I've moved to shorter rods for various reasons for allot of my fishing. Best is a tough one. I would say something around 12' give or take a foot is ideal for most stuff and skagit rods can be way shorter and function well. A seven wt is generally the go to weight people use. Yet as always with two handed rods one company's seven is another's eight and so on.

 

[FlyRod]

If you can find one, the Sage TCX 7128 will sufficiently handle anything the OP rivers have to offer. Even though it's called a 7 wt. it is more of an 8 (or 9?). I have one teamed up with a SGS 621 grain skagit, it throws T-11 & 14 with big flies effortlessly and you will not feel under-gunned with any fish you might get lucky enough to encounter on the OP. Or elsewhere, for that matter.

 

[Stuart_Stringer]

If you add used rods to your list you options will open up a bit more. A top of the line used sage rod will cost you about what a new echo does. Just some food for thought. Keep an eye on the classifieds and you can find some awesome deals.

How experienced of a spey caster are you? What action do you like in your spey rod? Can you test any of the mentioned rods in person? Perhaps waiting until a spey clave in your area to test out as many rods as possible. There are lots of really great rods out there, some may suit your casting well, others not so much.

For many west end rivers I like a really short rod, the Sage Method 9119, so you can tuck under overhanging alder branches. Not necessary, but it makes life a little easier. That said, I used a Beulah platinum 7132 for years out here without any real trouble. I can easily chuck 10ft of T17 and a heavily weighted fly with the 7132. The 9119 Method will throw the T20 and a dead chicken like it’s a dry fly on a 4wt, truly impressive.

I have cast the echo DH2, and it’s a great skagit rod, nice deep loading action with lots of power.

 

[Jason Chadick]

I don’t think you could go wrong with any of the echo rods, I have both the E3 (8110) and the TR (7130) and love them dearly. They’ve recently improved the looks of the TR as well, which is really the only thing I don’t like about mine.

Both rods are suited well for shooting heads, although I use my TR for throwing midbellies on the bogie, Hoh, and Queets. I use the E3 for skagit stuff on the sol duc and calawah.

 

[Merle]

Are the Echo Dec Hogan (DH) rods discontinued?

That was gonna be my recommendation if you were looking to Skagit cast and wanted an Echo rod.

But I'm looking online and not seeing any current retailers, just eBay.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nooksack Mac]

For winter steelhead, on the OP or most other rivers, you'll mostly be casting heavier flies. A seven-weight rod and line can do ok with the right line and tip choices, but why risk playing on the margins? Eight, 8/9 or 9 weights are money. Medium action rods do much better with large flies than stiff-butt, zippy tip dart throwers. Look for Echo Dec Hogan, Meiser MKS, many Burkheimers, and others. Perhaps the Sage Mod (as in: moderate action).