# Your preference of Rod WT, Length



## flyrod4steelhead

Bored, so I thought I would ask you all a simple question. What is you prefered Rod WT and length for Trout, Steelhead and Salmon? Don't matter what kind of rod, fly rod, or spinning rod.

Some people think that I am crazy because for Salmon, I use a 9' 7wt and a 6/7wt, Steelhead a 9' 6/7wt, 6wt, and for trout a 5wt 9' and a 6'6" UL spinning Rod.

I myself, I prefer the lighter rod's, more of a challenge  (IMO)


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## riverman

just the opposite for me, I like to stand my ground and "put the screws to em" on steel and salmon. Give me a 8'9 for steel and a 9'9 for salmon. Riverman


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## Mike

Trout: 4wt. 7'-6" dries and nymphs
6wt. 9'-0" streamers

Steelhead/Salmon: 9wt 9'-0"


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## Jackster1

>>What is you prefered Rod WT and length for Trout, Steelhead and Salmon<<

Trout: 2,3,4 or 5 weight. Lengths 6' 6" to 10'. Depends on the water.
Steelhead: 7 weight. Length 9', 9'6" or 10'
Salmon: 9 weight. 9'


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## Beaglernr

wow, that is like asking, what do you like for dinner?
For general trout fishing, 7ft 6 inch 5wt warra tapper also works great for smallmouths or 7ft 5wt payne 98 
For small water/midge fishing..6ft 3 inch 4 wt ( PY midge)
Deep water nymphing...9ft 5wt softer action, light line
Steelhead/salmon...9ft 9wt
tricos..the midge or light light line 8ft 3 inch 3wt.


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## SALMONATOR

trout- 8'6" 5wt
steelhead- 9' 7wt, 9' 8wt
salmon- 9' 8wt, 9' 9wt

Al


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## troutbum64

Trout 6' 3wt or 9' 5wt
Salmon & Steelies 9' 8wt


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## flyingcrayfish

trout: 6' 3wt
8.6" 5wt

Salmon: 9' 9wt


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## Todder

Trout: 8.5' 5wt.
Steelhead: 10' 7wt.
Salmon: 9.5' 8wt. although I wish I had a 9 wt.


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## YPSIFLY

I own two fly rods:

9' 6wt and a 9' 8wt. Last Fall, I came to the conclusion that the 8wt is too light for Kings. I now want a 9wt, eventually I might get a 10. 

The 6wt works just fine for trout, but is a bit long for narrow streams. I'm in the process of putting together a shorter 3wt outfit.


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## unregistered55

These are what I use for trout:
8.5 foot 5wt rod
7 foot 4 wt for small streams.
I think the 5wt is very versatile. It covers just about any casting situation I come across. the 7 footer come into play when I'm on a a little creek thats tight & brushy but it casts nicely and I can even use it on bigger water. Both are St Croix rods. I like your choices. I bet you're comfortable with them and that is what matters.
The late Lee Wulff often used light a 6ft bamboo rod while fishing for Atlantic Salmon-not a recomended rod but it worked for him. 
EDW.


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## subocto

I use one rod for trout, have yet to catch any steel or salmon. and it works well for bass as well. a 8.5' 6wt. i havent tried many other flyrod weights/lengths, maybe someday. During my fruitless pursuit of the steelhead ive stuck to the spinning gear, my bass rod, a 7' med action spinning rod, maybe too light for the kings?. Breaking it on a big king this fall would be a good enough reason to buy two more new ones, i can only hope.


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## TODDFATHER

Small streams: 6' 2 wt. very slow lazy action
Large streams: 8' 4 wt. Med fast Hi Modulus Graphite
Steelhead: An Old shakespear Ugly Stick that's always been laying around!




Toddfather


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## Old Steelhead Dude

7 1/2 - 8 foot Med. action 4 weight For Dry fly fishing
8 1/2 - 9 foot Med/fast action 5/6 weight for Nymphing and Wets
9 - 91/2 Foot Fast action 8 weight for steelhead.

I like the long Rods for High sticken.

OSD.


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## flyrod4steelhead

> a 7' med action spinning rod, maybe too light for the kings?.


A little on the short and weight side. But I have seen smaller rod's used for salmon, lol.


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## harleyflyfisher

I use a 7' 4 wt for brookies on the small streams here in the UP.


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## willmullis

I use a 5wt. 8'6" set-up for trout/smallmouth


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## fishinlk

These are the rods that get the most use.

For trout
7' 3wt 
8'6" 5wt med action

Steelhead
9'6" 8 wt.


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## Silverexpress

Trout
7'6" 2 wt 2 piece for Tiny Drys, Nymphs, and Midges in Brooks, Streams, and 
Ponds
8' 2 wt 3 piece for Tiny Drys, Nymphs, and Midges on bigger streams/rivers 
8'6" 4 wt 4 piece Drys, Nymphs, and Small Streamers (size 12-16)
9' 6 wt 4 piece Big Drys, Streamers, and Big Nymphs

Steelhead:
????? Still working towards getting into this type of fishing...

I travel a lot for business so I tend to opt for "travel" type rods.


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## BeanOFish

For Trout:
8'6 5wt
9' 6wt with a sink tip for streamers

Steelhead:
9'6 7wt

Salmon:
9' 9wt for early in the season, when I'm primarily dealing with fresh fish
9' 8wt once the fish are moving towards the gravel.

Working on getting a 3wt for tiny dries.


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## steelie

Good Day,

All fly rods;

Trout 6' 3wt
Steelie 9' 7wt
Salmon 9' 9wt

Steelie


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## ESOX

8 1/2' mid flex 4wt for small dries and nymphs. (I suck at this type of fishing, too passive for me, but it is nice for gill poppers too)

9' tip flex 6wt for stripping streamers. - How I do 98% of my trout fishing.

9 1/2' mid flex 7 wt for steelies.

9' tip flex 9wt for salmon- I grabbed it accidently instead of my 9' mid flex 10, it worked great, I could work streamers easlier with the tip flex. I figured eventually I'd notice more mreak offs but didn't. Someone else made the same observation with his 9wt tip flex.


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## brookid

depends on what kind of mood i'm in, where i'm fishing and the conditions. I've used the bigger rods on the smaller streams and vice versa. Having said that, under most circumstances...

TROUT:

creeks/small streams:

Ideally - 6'6 3wt cane rod
If not - 6'6 4wt

small/medium river:

Ideally - 8'6 5wt
if not - 9' 6wt

Large river:

Ideally - 9' 6wt
if not - 8'6 5wt



STEELHEAD-(admitted fair weather fisherman)

Ideally - 8'6 7/8 wt
if not - 9' 6 wt


SALMON:

no rod for lack of interest...


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## Frogpoopin

trout..fish the bamboo.. 7 1/2 granger 3/4
steelhead 10 1/2 6 wt and a 9 1/2 5 wt
salmon get slammed with my 9 1/2 9 wt


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## Silverexpress

Frogpoopin said:


> trout..fish the bamboo.. 7 1/2 granger 3/4
> steelhead 10 1/2 6 wt and a 9 1/2 5 wt
> salmon get slammed with my 9 1/2 9 wt


What's it like to catch a steelhead on a 5 wt? Sounds like a hoot! You must have one heck of a 5 wt reel with real good brakes, mind me asking what brand and why you chose it?


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## Bulletproof

Trout-My Sage 9 for a 5 SLT. Slower action, she's a charmer. If i'm in a younger mood and the time calls for it, my old 4 weight legend ultra has been a good stick, 8'6".

Steelhead-Gotta go with length here. I have had plenty of rods in my hands, I like the 11 for a 6 Sage XP, the 9'9" GL3 7 weight and the older Loomis trilogy 11fter was sweet.

Salmon- I like a heavy action Falcon casting rod. I've been wanting to try their peacock bass series--they look sweet.


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## JWF

Trout 9' 5wt

Steelhead 9' 6wt and 10' 8wt. I used the 6wt exclusively last spring and had a better landed-to-hook-up ratio than with the 8 wt last year. I plan on using the 8 wt this fall.

Salmon 9' 9wt. I have used a 10 wt Lamiglas before that I liked to refer to as the "pool cue." Didn't tangle with anything that big on the 10 wt, but I prefer the 9 wt/


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## tjfishinboy

for michigan fish,

trout= nine foot 5 weight. cabelas
salmon= nine foot eight weight. scott
steelies= nine foot 7 or 8. thomas & thomas, scott.


now when i went to alaska it was a tottaly different story i broke a 9 foot ten weight on a 25 pound king.


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## raisinrat

custom made 8'6" 5wt mabe by BJ tackle on the west side.


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## plugger

Trout generaly a 4 or 5 wt except sometimes during the hex hatch when I expect mostly large fish and want to release them before there totaly exhausted. 

Steel head 7wt 

Salmon who cares


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## HoytRLWinstonGuy

Trout

8'6" 5wt
8'6" 4wt


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## Jackster1

Hoyt, the 8' 6" 4 weight and 9' 5 weights I use are the BIIx series. 
Being a Winston guy, I wnder if you've tried them.


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## Silverexpress

Jackster1 said:


> Hoyt, the 8' 6" 4 weight and 9' 5 weights I use are the BIIx series. Being a Winston guy, I wnder if you've tried them.


Hello Jackester and Hoyt,

Curious to know what reels and lines you've matched to your BIIx rods.

I'm planning on replacing my T3 6 weight with the BIIx 9' 6wt. The T3 feels like a super stiff club when I compared it to the BIIx.

One of my requirments is to lessen fatigue.


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## Jackster1

On the 6 weight I use an older Ross Vision reel.
On the 5 weight a Charlton 8340C which I might swap out with an older Hardy L.R.H. Lightweight I just picked up for a song. I'll put the Charlton up on blocks for later.
On the 4 weight I picked up a limited run Ross Evolution in Winston green It sure does look great and it purrs like a kitten!).
If I had to buy a new reel presently produced I think the Ross Evo or Hardy Lightweights are just about perfect.
With such a light rod too much reel weight seems just wrong somehow.


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## james gentz

Trout--9ft 3wt (custom built by me) or 5wt depending on river or 9ft ultralight with 4lb test

Steelhead--9ft 7wt (another custom rod I built) and at times a 5wt or 8wt for chuck and duck or 10ft noodle with 8lb and sometimes 10lb test depending on the river.

Salmon--9ft 8wt. (Although I was told that salmon would break the rod, in three years and close to 400 (396 to be exact) landed salmon on the same fly rod, 7 over 30 lbs and one this year at 29, well they were wrong!)

I like to go light with my tackle as well. Hey, anyone can land a fish using a rod like a broom stick, tow rope, and a saltwater super duty hook. (I hope I do not offend anyone with that comment.) We all have our own preferences, and if it works for you, well keep dong it.


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## ESOX

Silverexpress said:


> I'm planning on replacing my T3 6 weight with the BIIx 9' 6wt. The T3 feels like a super stiff club when I compared it to the BIIx.


Whats the flex on that T3? You might not have to look too far to unload it.

I have a Zero-G 10.5 flex 6 wt. it is a very high flex, and I love it for open water wind cheating and streamer stripping, but almost all my rods 6 wt and heavier are 9.5 or higher flex. Makes it rough for ocassional fly fishers on the boat when I hand them a rod, tips are tough to time if you don't fly fish a lot.


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## catch&release

Dries - 8'6" 4 weight unless it's for brookies then a 7'6" 2 wt

Streamers for Bass/Trout- 9' 6 wt

Salmon?saltwater - 9 foot 8 wt. Prefer a fast action like a Sage XP

Steelhead/Coho 10' 7 wt with fast action like Sage XP.


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