I cant afford another rod right now. Ill be in Ohio next week and want to fish for steelhead. The heaviest rod I have is a 5wt. It looks like the largest fish are around 10lbs 28 inches. Not that Ill get any that big, if I get any, but I can only hope.
Here is a link to a guide service with some recent pictures of the fish they have been catching. They have been fishing the Grand River and thats where I planned to go. I hope they get some rain up there. If not I may not go and wait for another time.
http://steelheadalleyoutfitters.blogspot.com/ (http://steelheadalleyoutfitters.blogspot.com/)
Yo,
It will be fine... I have landed many of steelies on a 5wt... As long as you have a good reel with an adjustable drag all is good...
Good luck my friend, give em hell....
R
I'd take an eight weight...
jis sayin'
Quote from: Woolly Bugger on November 18, 2009, 23:16:09 PM
I'd take an eight weight...
jis sayin'
jis sayin' a 5 wt will work ;).... A 7 or 8 wt is probably what you want in the future, but a 5 will do if its all you have. Don't let anyone tell you different, I have been down this road more than once. I just got back from a NY Brown and Steel trip. After the tip to my 7 wt was broke during a fight with a huge brown, I had to use my 5wt, since my six weight was sent off for repair. I landed a huge steelie on it no problem... Plus the fight was better....
I see alot of spey casters using 5wts as well..
If anything, buy a 6wt line and over weight your 5.... That will help when casting streamers. If you are like most chasing Great lakes Steel, you will be nymphing....
By the looks of those fish you will be outgunned with a 5 wt. Sure, you could do it (I know a guy who once caught a 50 lb king on a 2 wt just to see if he could do it), but it won't be any fun and it won't be good for the fish either. I could lend you a 7 or 8 if you need one.
I've handled 16" to 20" Montana bows on a 5wt with ease. Not sure how much more it would take, but the answer actually depends on how much backbone your 5wt has, and how skilled you are at managing the fish. If you can land the fish by beaching them, then you might be OK.
From the pictures Thelow has been posting on another site, though, I'd say you'll but under-gunned. Find a friend that you can borrow 7wt or an 8wt from. You'll have a better experience.
Quote from: phg on November 19, 2009, 09:18:46 AM
I've handled 16" to 20" Montana bows on a 5wt with ease. Not sure how much more it would take, but the answer actually depends on how much backbone your 5wt has, and how skilled you are at managing the fish. If you can land the fish by beaching them, then you might be OK.
From the pictures Thelow has been posting on another site, though, I'd say you'll but under-gunned. Find a friend that you can borrow 7wt or an 8wt from. You'll have a better experience.
16" -20" fish on a 5 wt!?!? :o...you are an amazing angler >:D
Agree with Flats and phg.
You are welcome to borrow my 7 wt if you have a decent reel (mine sucks). I'm just down the road on 68 (work)
How long is the 5 wt? What is the taper?
I think rod length is critical. I took two GLoomis GLX classics to Alaska's Copper River years ago for large rainbows. Both were 10 footers and I only used the 5 wt. I never had to go to the 7 wt. I was fishing thunder creek streamers since the bows were feeding on young salmon fry/smolts. I was using 2X tippet and one bow broke the tippet on the take without breaking the 5 wt rod.
I asked Gary Borger why I was able to handle the big bows with only the 5 wt. Gary said that the longer the fly rod, the thicker the butt section. A 10 ft 5 wt would have the strength of the butt section of a 9 ft 7 wt rod. Since the GLX is a fast taper rod, it has a thicker butt section to begin with and with the extra length, it is a powerful rod that is able to stand up to larger fish.
Large fish are fought with the butt section of the rod and not the tip. So if the butt section is strong enough to hold up to the steelhead, no problem. So consider the length of your fly rod and the taper in your decision.
Well my 5wt is not a very good one. It was my first fly rod, a reel and rod combo from Bass Pro. Looks like my best bet would be to borrow a 7 or 8 wt and spend a few bucks on a reel with a decent drag.
I know cheap almost never means good but Im going to ask anyway. Is there a cheap reel out there that would have a decent drag and capacity for 7 or 8 wt line?
When I go up to fish steelhead I either use my 10 ft 7wt or my 9 ft 8 wt. Depending on the stream I fish.
AT BPS in Concord they are selling Sage launch series rods on clearance ......for just under $200 you could buy a 9ft 8 wt rod. I believe Sage is discontinuing the rod. Other retailers are doing the same from what I can tell.
I have one for steelie fishing and it handles them quite well.
Quote from: rjs123 on November 19, 2009, 12:56:05 PM
Well my 5wt is not a very good one. It was my first fly rod, a reel and rod combo from Bass Pro. Looks like my best bet would be to borrow a 7 or 8 wt and spend a few bucks on a reel with a decent drag.
I know cheap almost never means good but Im going to ask anyway. Is there a cheap reel out there that would have a decent drag and capacity for 7 or 8 wt line?
Robert,
I'm serious about lending the 7 or 8 weight. Reel too. I could give them to Beetle and you could pick them up over there. You might have to pick up a line. All my lines in those weights are warm water saltwater lines. Hell, I figure anybody who carries a 5D around in the Smith probably will take care of a borrowed outfit. 0--0
Check your PM Robert...reply sent.
Beetle...are you going to work tomorrow (Friday)?
Thanks for the offers to borrow a rod and reel Flatlander and Beetle!
Problem solved. BJ has offered an 8wt and he lives really close.
Hope to meet you guys sometime. Thanks again!
Ill be in Ohio on Monday or Tuesday and be there through the weekend after Thanksgiving. Hoping for a little rain to get the fish moving. I'll post some reports next week.
Take some pictures of that trip. I hope you catch one the size of those fish on that Steelhead Alley web site that you linked to--
Good call on the 7 weight, I wouldn't fish less than a 6 wt. A 20' steelie is different than a 20' bow, stick with the bigger rods.
Can't wait to hear the report from my old home water, the Grand is the first river I ever cast a fly in. Bruce @ Grand River tackle can set you up with good flies, he's a good guy, hope they're still in business. Grand river tributaries can be good too, depending on the flow I've had good days on Payne Creek and others. Local shops can put you in the right direction on where the fish are. Keep an eye on the USGS site, best fishing is below 350 and it really picks up below 250.
Also try dinner @ Willoughby Brewing Co or Great Lakes Brewing Co. 0--0 ;D 0--0
good luck..
and be sure to check the weather forecast.. http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/cle/
Well folks I again had to cancel what was shaping up to be a really nice trip. I went to Gettysburg this past weekend to shoot portraits of people in period dress. It was a good event but no where near what I was hoping for. The economy really does suck right now. Ive seen it first hand all year. I looked at my cash flow for the next few weeks and decided it was best to head back home.
So.... thanks for all the advice. Non of it will go to waste, Im ready for the next time I head up there. Probably around Christmas.
Good thing is Ill be in town for the TU Meeting next week.
Off to fish the Smith for a little today.
damn, you filled us with antici...
pation of busted rods and monster steel....
Bummer! As for the Smith, I think your 5wt will do just fine. >:D
December, good luck man, my days of December steelheading are long gone. I'll be down here fishin the trout streams where the weather actually gets above freezing.
Quote from: rjs123 on November 24, 2009, 11:39:25 AM
Well folks I again had to cancel what was shaping up to be a really nice trip. I went to Gettysburg this past weekend to shoot portraits of people in period dress. It was a good event but no where near what I was hoping for. The economy really does suck right now. Ive seen it first hand all year. I looked at my cash flow for the next few weeks and decided it was best to head back home.
So.... thanks for all the advice. Non of it will go to waste, Im ready for the next time I head up there. Probably around Christmas.
Good thing is Ill be in town for the TU Meeting next week.
Off to fish the Smith for a little today.