there are two steelhead blanks made by rainshadow that are preferred
by NW fisherman. any one know the part numbers

Vaughn,
I have built quite a few steelhead rods from Rainshadow and also their Forecast blanks. There are actually a large number of Rainshadow blanks that are used in fishing Steelhead here in the Northwest. If you mean conventional drift fishing with 8 to 12 lb. line then you are probably referring to the IST1024 at 8' 6" or IST1084 at 9', both of which I think make excellent drift rods. For bigger rivers and heavier water you probably want to consider the IST1085 at 9' and 10 to 17 lb. If you are plug fishing or bobber and jig fishing or using some other technique then there are also a number of blanks designed for those applications.
The above blanks are all two piece. They also make some one piece blanks like the IP963 and IP964 which are designed as popping blanks but can be made into excellent one peice steelhead rods.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2005 07:02PM by Emory Harry.

Vaughn, I've found that for straight steelhead blanks, I'm selling mostly IST1025's and IST1143's. The blnaks that Emory mentioned are also good steelhead blanks.

Jeff Hunter

Yes, the IST1025 is a nice 8' 6" blank for bigger rivers and heavier water. I think that the IST1143 at 9' 6" makes a very good bobber and jig rod but for those that like a longer rod it can also be a nice drift rod.

And I thought I was the only one who liked popping rods for steelhead. I find the 993's to be a ball with small spoons & spinners in the smaller coastal streams, especially if there are some sea runs in the mix.

I've built several of the IST 1143's for driftfishing and in a pinch will also use them for float fishing. But my favorite float rod is the the IST 1263, and in a pinch work great as a drift rod! Either rod will handle any hatchery steelhead or silver but I tend to use a heavier rod for native steelhead.

Spencer,
I extend the IP963's and the IP964's sometimes by 6 inches but usually by a foot to make them 9 feet and I think that they make outstanding steelhead rods. Extending them makes them somewhat faster action plus I am one who feels that a one piece rod is inherently superior to a two piece rod. It also results in a rod that does not have to compete directly with factory rods. They are not for everyone though because a one piece rod is a problem to transport for many people.

Steve,
It is interesting and has been curious to me for a long time that as you go farther and farther up the West Coast the Steelhead and Salmon rods that people prefer tend to get longer and longer. We tend to use longer rods in Oregon then are used in California, they tend to use longer rods in Washington then we do in Oregon and the rods that they tend to use in Canada are longer yet. Alaska does tend to be the exception. As you go farther and farther up the coast the rods not only tend to get longer but they also tend to use rods with slower and slower actions.

Anybody besides Spencer have any experience with the 993 for steelies......I really like lighter rods?

How does the Forecast 1024 compare with the Rainshadow 1024?

Keith

Kieth,
I have built rods from both the Rainshadow 1024 and the Forecast 1024. The Rainshadow is a 43 million modulus blank while the Forecast is a 33 million modulus blank. I think that both of them are excellent blanks for the money. If price is not an object then I would pick the Rainshadow. It is a little lighter and will be a little more sensitive. On the other hand the Forecast will be a little tougher. The actions and power are very close.

Keith,
If you've ever fished some of the Lamiglas mag taper steelhead rods, or the Bill Herzog Lami rods. Very similar actions in a shorter, lighter line weight blank. Lot's of appropriate power in the butt. I have a casting version, the son a spinning, and I've made a few others for older guys who fished the old Fenglass 8" 3" rods and the 7' 9" to 8 ft Berkeleys in the day. The rod I take to the Situk River in Alaska.

Hi Spencer...Are you referring to the 993's or the 1024's?

I e-mailed you a question lastnight specifically about the 993...but it came back as undeliverable.

I'll try again right now.

Thanks,

Keith

I changed internet provider yesterday and forgot to update my profile here. Guess I have one more thing to do when I get off a 12 hour shift. Probably wouldn't have seen it anyway since I'm at work before 6 am. Yes I was talking about the 993, I've found #3 Blue Fox spinners just slay them native steelies in Alaska ( no bait, catch and release river). The other Rainshadows are also fine blanks, have built on them all under 10 ft (my mom has a 1025 spinning).

I prefer the ist 1562 which is the 13' float rod rated for 6-10#line. It has enough backbone to handle the steelies and chinnies here in the Great Lakes and a soft enough tip to cusion the lightest leaders. For the money the rods CAN'T be beat.

Emory,

It also seems that my rods get longer each year. Just a little more comfortable or less effort as we age maybe? Combine the theories and you have a bunch of kids in CA and a bunch of old geezers in BC!

Steve,
Maybe you are right. I think that maybe I have been doing the same thing over the years.