I searched the forum, however I couldn't locate any information to this particular question. When building a steelhead rod for fly fishing are the same blanks used that are used when building a spinning steelhead rods....

If anyone has additional information on building steelhead rods I would appreciate it. My brother up north wants one.

Thanks in advance!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/29/2006 01:18PM by Jeffrey Wolfanger.

just use what ever rated fly blank he wants. i use either a 6 or 7 wt for great lakes steelhead, on the left coast, i think an 8wt is more appropriate. i like a rod in the 9.5 -10.5 ft range. this helps with mending and also to help land the fish on light tippet. some guys build steelhead fly rods on noodle blanks, i have one, but i now prefer a traditional fly blank.

hope this helps

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information,which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance--that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
- Herbert Spencer

A noodle rod is just alight action fly blank, which can be very long 13'. The fly rods feel so good because they have parabolic action bending well down into the reel seat on some light blanks just like a noodle to rod. I like longer rods 10 foot minimum especially if your chuck and duck fishing, but additional length allows you to get more line out of the water so there is less bow from the current. I like a rod with a michigan/eastern (st croix determination) grip which has a long foregrip (up to 10" so your not on ther hook keeper when fighting a fish) and thus more business end and place to balance the outfit when drifting spawn through a run/hole, The rear grip is short 4-5 inches and I often add this on to the original rods length. If you have the moxie, you can train yourself to cast with one hand on the foregrip at all times and not switch grip positions after the cast. Watch out for high sticking with these longer rods.

For Pacific Northwest Steelhead fishing, these are not the same.

Depending on the size of flies your customer is casting, and whether he is planning to use floating, sink tip or a shooting head system, there are a number of choices to consider.

In the summer, we tend to swing flies with floating lines. Depending on the size of the river, you could use the standard one-handed rod in a 6 or 7 weight, usually 9 to 10'. Larger rivers demand longer casts when swinging flies so many of us are moving to double-handed rods in the 12' to 14' range. 7/8 wts for summer fish and 8/9 wts for winter fish.

A 13' noodle rod used to drift small baits in clear water would probably be a bit overmatched for a spey line, but it would have to be CC'd to be sure.

Check out Rainshadow's line of fly blanks in the 7 and 8 wt class. The IF9XX series comes in 7 and 8 weight in lengths of 9, 9 1/2, and 10' and is mid-range for price and action. And, the Forecast Spey blank series is a great value and a wonderful rod.

Send me a mail if you have more questions.

Terry