Rod Rating

[chiggeruk1]

Hi i was wondering if anyone can help me. I am looking to buy a new sea-trout/single handed salmon rod. My question is what line rating should i buy and what rating of line should i use with it?
Thanks in advance
Ray

[buzzerman]

hi mate you need 7/8 weight rod with the same line raing 7/8 fl ;Doating line add to that a couple of sink tips and your in buisness

[silvertourist]

As with most modern rods the action is stiffer and therefore you generally have much more playing power from the but to the mid section. I personally use a 10ft 7 wt for all my salmon fishing on both small and large rivers, they include Namsen, Gaula, Orkla (they can be BIG) and smaller rivers too, for Grilse i use a 5wt with similar setup unless the water is big and adjust to the situation again. I personally took a 23.5lb salmon on a 4wt StCroix Ultra Ledgend (Nice Rod) a few years ago while fishing for Sea Trout, remember, [/img]its fishermen that break rods, not fish. Obviously a little experience comes into it but dependent on your experience and ability anything from a 7- 8/9wt. My only criticism would be that casting with an 8/9 for some time will take its toll on your body. When it comes to lines I only fish with floating lines and use either a self made tippet rating down from .35mm to the conditions and the knowledge of what may be on offer, or a clear intermediate 8ft poly leader (airflo I find the best), but this i cut down to approx 5- 6ft and strip the coating and then attach tippet to the inner core with between 18 inches- 3ft again dependent on conditions. I very rarely use a slow sink. If you have presented and fished your fly well within the fishes window and it wants your fly it will come up and take it. Finally make sure you have a line that matches your rod well enabling all methods of casting techniques, allowing for presentation of small and large flies and will carry a poly leader without hinging. These methods have been adapted here by many and present me with cathes well over the hunderd mark in a good short season. Choose a good setup and Adapt to the conditions and situations that present themselves to you and you are practically there.


Mike

[silvertourist]

The pic below is the 23.5lb taken on the 4wt. I would have put it back but it was such a memorable catch i had to have it mounted.

[stumpyguy01]

;)Been using the Partridge Ian Gordon light spey no.8 for all my grilse and seatrout fishing on the Severn and Towy. Been using a Hardy floating no.8 and a Worcestershire no.8 slow sinker, this may sound silly but I really do prefer using the sinker with this rod as it seems effortless to cast. Found this rod has a nice tip action and a lot of back bone from the butt to the middle when it's needed, it also casts nice tight loops which is handy when having to cast under bushes etc. when seatrout fishing.
This rod comes with two changable butts, one of 2" which is a good fighting butt for seatrout and another butt of 6" which makes it into a mini double hander which is useful when a spey cast is needed in tight situations. Lovely finished rod which also comes with a protective cordura tube and at a reasonable price of about £140.00. Liked it so much that I have just bought another so I can fish both floating and sinking line without having to change it over.
Picture below of the 2 different butt configurations.

PS Silver Tourist, that mounted salmon is one of the best I've ever seen. Who did it mate??

[silvertourist]

The Salmon was mounted by a Swedish Guide, Kjell Petterson who works on Bjora, he does all the fish that people want mounting but he has a waiting list of about a year.

mike

[Paul Dunstan]

Good advice from Sewinangler and as he says, a 10ft, 7wt will cover almost every eventuality if you're looking for one rod as many modern rods in the 7wt category will comfortably fish flies from small 'traditionals' to larger 'modern' lures.

A heavier 8wt really only comes into play if you're going to be regularly fishing big flies on sinking lines. The rod length and weight of line doesn't really relate to the size of fish we're after but reflects the method we're fishing and the efficiency of achieving that method.

[DAZ]

Sound advice off the lads.

I am assuming here that you are not new to fly fishing and in all probability you will already have a 7wt in your possession?
If this is the case,I would defiantly go for a 8wt.

This is just a personal view,and one which suits the Rivers and flies I fish.So here are a few reasons as to why I choose a 8wt,over a 7wt,for 90% of my fishing.

1.Fly Size
This is probably the biggest reason I choose a 8wt.I vary rarely fish small flies,I do on occasion,but as a rule,the smallest I go is a long shank 6# I always fish a dropper and at some point during the night I will have two large flies on,possibly a 3"inch Tube on the point,and a 1.1/2" on the dropper? When conditions dictate (heavy water) these are substituted with Waddingtons,Copper Tubes etc!!(Obviously not as large has 3"inch,thats just silly ;D)
I fish large flies in the lowest of summer lows so dropping to a lighter rod doesn't really bring me any benefits because...I can easily fish "SMALL FLIES" as well has the large flies on my 8wt,but the same can't be said for the lighter rod.It's a bloody struggle fishing flies as large has I do on a 7wt.

2.
I like the little extra backbone that the 8wt has in bringing fish to the net.(I don't normally use a net,preferring to unhook them in the water,unless it's a specimen.)I am quite hard on the fish during the fight,and like to get them to hand as quickly has I possibly can with the least amount of fuss,or undue stress put on them,so they can be released safely,with still a little fight left in them.

3.
Theres allot of talk about presentation.IMHO,seatrout are not that spooky in the dead of night and a delicate presentation is not required.If you were targeting them during the day in clear water,then I would defiantly take it into consideration.

Sorry I am rambling on a bit here ::)and I could go on,but I would just bore you ;D I would not dismiss a 7wt in any way,and use one myself in some awkward situations coupled with a 8wt line, and it is a joy to use in tight spots when I need the rod to load quick,and shoot line,it's great.It's also great for roll casting.

That is the other thing,allot of modern 7wt's these days will handle a 8wt line no problem,but will they handle large flies as well???

DAZ.

[peterross]

Stumpy, How exactly do you fish with a double hander at night?

[stumpyguy01]

:-/sorry about confusion,only use rod with double hander set up in the day for grilse fishing if i need a spey cast in tight areas.im dangerous enough at night with a normal overhead cast mate.

[DAZ]

sewinangler said:

3.
Theres allot of talk about presentation.IMHO,seatrout are not that spooky in the dead of night and a delicate presentation is not required.If you were targeting them during the day in clear water,then I would defiantly take it into consideration.

When I refer to presentation, I'm not talking about how delicate you cast the fly and how it lands on the water. I'm referring to the size of fly fished coupled with the size of fish found and the sport to be had.

?

I agree with you Al.
But I was not talking about the size of fly etc!! in that statement.I was just making the point that seatrout are not super spooky in the night(As is believed by most,especially newcomers to the sport that they are)and a sloppy cast which crashes down on the water will not put the fish down and running/swimming for cover for the rest of the night,because it won't.
So for those that believe the lighter line approach would pay off in the night,by using a 6wt,or a 7wt,as opposed to a 8wt!! I will argue that it won't.

Don't get me wrong here,and I know it may seem I am contradicting my self,but I do try to be as stealthy,and as quite has I can,and I also try to lay my line down with the minimum disturbance

If you fish a small fly (size 6 to 8 trout single) with 10lb tippet and an 8wt on a small river:

1. The fly doesn't swim right because of the thickness of the monofil (although modern materials like flurocarbon are thinner).

I totally agree again.But a lighter tippet is easily attached to a 8wt ;D

Although because Salmon were also mentioned initially, stumpyguy's solution appears to be ideal and worth considering.

Defiantly agree with this one,that is a lovely looking piece of kit for the money.

DAZ.

[chiggeruk1]

Thanks lads i didnt think i would get so many responses and you have all been a great help.

[chiggeruk1]

In reply to Sewinanglers question i fish mainly the Ribble and Lune

[chiggeruk1]

I have a couple of 7 wts so i think i might go for the IAn Gordon rod as suggested by Stumpy
Thanks alot

[stumpyguy01]

;)won't go wrong with the ian gordan,it really is a nice rod and very nicely finished.retailed at over £200 i think,but they have come down in price a bit,one of my best friends owns a tackle shop,so i get a good discount off my tackle,if you carnt get a deal let me no and i can ask my friend for you and put you in touch with him,that goes for anyone on the forum,if you are interested in any tackle,drop me a pm and see what i can sort with him and then let you sort the money side out yourselves..hope hoppy didnt mind me posting this..

stumpy...

[DAZ]

sewinangler said:

.

In essence, what I'm suggesting is that an angler matches his equipment to the venue.

I agree Al.Thats why I said this below.

This is just a personal view,and one which suits the Rivers and flies I fish.So here are a few reasons as to why I choose a 8wt,over a 7wt,for 90% of my fishing.