want to build a spey rod for salt water and an occasional steelhead trip. looking at rainshadow but can't decide on wt and length. 12' 6" 6 wt seems light and 13' 7 sounds a little heavy for steelhead.
Quite frankly I just want to build one cause I dont have one and have not built a rod for a couple of months and I dont have a spey rod.any advice?

Are you thinking about building this as a fly rod?

this may interest you. nice prices on blanks kits [www.meiserflyrods.com]

Bill - willierods.com

What size of Steelies do you plan to target? What size of rivers do you fish? And what type of lines do you plan on fishing with this spey rod? And I have to ask, why would you use a spey rod for salt water fishing and in what type of application?

Lots of questions..

And no, a 7 wt spey rod is not too heavy for certain applications as well as a 6 wt is not to hlight for certain applications as well...It all depends on the river you intend to fish as well as the size of fishies that live their.

Just my .02



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2010 09:30PM by Paul Rotkis.

want the spey rod to be used for steelheads on ohio streams and maybe michigan. I also would like to use it in Fla. as I wade thebeaches and the added length would help to keep line off water and allow longer casts. I built a 10' 8 wt which I use for sea trout and reds, jacks and such.

I know the Great Lakes Steelies well and the 13' 7 would be my choice; that way it would be a great rod for Browns, and Coho's as well. However, to use it wade fishing on the beaches when the wind comes up, can and will be a nightmare due to the length of the rod. When/if the wind comes up, you be able to cast much further and with more efficiency with a shorter rod than a spey rod....

Hope this helps ya!

Paul

thanks paul will heed the advice.

Another suggestion would be Beulahs 11' surf/switch blanks. they make a great switch rod for casting overhead off the beach and double nicely as a shorter spey rod. a lot of guys on Vancouver Island use these rods (both off the beach and on the rivers), and they are starting to get a following on this side of the Rockies as a great pike/streamer rod.

Colin

I have a 10' 8wt for salt but thought it might be fun to build a 12'6" or 13' for spey and some overhead casting on beach.m ight use one for steelheads in Mich or OHIO