The Best Fly Rod For Steelhead

Steelhead put up a good fight no matter what fly fishing rod an angler chooses to use.  There are many different tactics that one may choose to use in order to hook into one of these magnificent sea faring trout, which in turn requires different rods to get the job done in the most efficient matter.  Let’s take a look at the main methods for steelhead fly fishing and talk about the best steelhead fly rods that you may want to make a part of your fly fishing gear arsenal.

Two Types of Rods

There are two different types of rods that a steelhead fly fisherman has to choose from.  There is the traditional single handed rods that use an overhead cast to get the fly to the fish.  A traditional rod is what most people think of when they think of fly fishing.  This is where most beginners will want to start, especially if they have not had other fly fishing experiences in the past.  
Spey Rods are longer, two handed steelhead and salmon fly rods that can be used with an overhead cast, but are most often used with a certain type of roll casting.  This is more for advanced fly anglers, as the casts must be very precise.  Spey casting has gained a lot of popularity in the last decade or two.  This is mainly because a good spey caster can cast a fly much farther than with a traditional steelhead fly rod and with much less energy being used.  Spey Rods are great for large rivers where a lot of water needs to be covered.  They are typically the second step, and I do not suggest you start with this method.

Rod Size

Steelhead vary in size from river to river.  In my home area of the Snake River Drainage, we have the Clearwater River where a 25 pound steelhead is not out of the question.  Only a short drive away is the Grande Ronde where an average steelhead is 6 pounds with 10 pounds being big.  For this reason a Steelhead fly fisherman needs to take into account the size of rod weight he or she will want to purchase.  For a smaller weighing run, a 7wt might be perfect, whereas a river that tends to hold larger fish you would be better off with a 9 or 10wt.  If I had to buy one rod for all rivers, I think a guy would not regret an 8wt or 9wt.  

Budget

Rod price will also affect which rod you will purchase.  With quality comes price.  I would stay away from rods that do not offer an unconditional lifetime warranty, as we all break rods sooner or later.  The value priced rods will start at around $300 and go up from there.  High end rods will offer a better feel and comfortability, but are definitely not required to catch fish and will most likely not catch you more fish.  A good rule of thumb is to go with the best steelhead fly rod you can afford.

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect fly rod for Steelhead, or any other fish is not a simple decision.  There are numerous brands, sizes and styles  to choose form. The next step in this process is picking out a make and model of rod, and then a reel and line. To further narrow you search for the best fly rod for steelhead, go to The OnlineFlyFishingGuide.com . Choose which weight rod will best be  suited for you and we will show you the exact rod we feel is the best bet for a  wide range of budgets.  Click Here: www.OnlineFlyFishingGuide.com

 

By Chris Jackson -
About the Author:

Chris Jackson is an avid outdoorsman living in the Northwest in the state of Idaho.  He spends as much time with his wife, daughter, and friends in the outdoors as he can.  Fly Fishing and archery are his passions, as well as anything else he can do to get outside and experience all that the Northwest has to offer.