Way back when we had some great discussion on our blog when we asked folks what their favorite rods were to use when fly fishing for trout and bonefish (err, not at the same time, of course). In fact we felt like we learned enough that we should write up some conclusions for each, which we did for trout here and for bonefish here.
Today we’re asking the same question, but we’re talking about fly fishing for steelhead.
What’s your favorite steelhead rod?
Yes, we know that sometimes you fish dry lines and sometimes you fish heavy tips, sometimes you fish single-handed rods and sometimes you fish double-handed rods, and sometimes you fish the Kispiox and sometimes you fish the Klamath. You might have 9 rods for 13 different fisheries, and that’s all good and well. We just want you to pick one – what’s your favorite?
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So, what’s your favorite steelhead rod? Why?
I would hate to give up any of the spey rods that I have. I have 6 Sage rods, 1 Burkhiemer, 1 Mieser, 2 Winstons.
All have landed thier share of Steelhead.
If only allowed 1, It would probably be my 13′ 3″ B2X.
It cast every thing I need for most winter and summer fish in Southern Oregon.
I have a lot of rods in my arsenal and over the years I have used them all, a lot! I love my spey rods and use them any chance I get, but I think my favorite rod is my faithful Sage 796 RPL. It long ago lost its new rod luster and the cork has seen better days, but the memories are all still vivid. The rod is durable so when I’m carelessly crashing through the brush to get to the water I never really worry about it. Its not the best casting rod compared to all the choices we now have, but its forgiving and can huck some serious big flies for a 7wt. And my wife landed her first steelhead on this rod.
Scott ARC G1007-4 – 10′ 7wt 4pc
Back in the day when I was a Steelhead bum, I too used different rods. All of them served me well. I started at a young age using 10ft. 6, 7 & 8 wt. rods my dad had made up. They were Loomis IM6 blanks. In 1994 I believe it was, I was working at a lodge where I met Ed Ward, Jerry French, Dec Hogan and Scott O’Donnell. After watching these guys cast the two-hander, I decided I needed to give it a try. I bought two Sage 9146’s, one for my dad and one for myself. We used these for winter fish. Soon my dad bought us the Sage 7136 which we used for summer fish using floating lines and light sink tips. I’ve caught a lot of Steelhead, Kvichak Rainbows as well as Kings on the 9146 but I prefer the Sage 7136.
I want a 7136 Z Axis
I hesitate to go here on this site filled with the praises of Sage and GLoomis, but I have to admit that my favorite Steelhead rod is a Cabelas FT 9′ 7wt matched to a Ross 3x reel. I have caught my share of steelhead from the Rogue, Cowlitz, Klamath, Eel and Russian Rivers with this rod using the full spectrum of terminal offerings with nary a hic-up. While price is always a consideration, the bangs and bruises of hiking the banks and glanging around the drift boats takes it toll on all equipment. My FT has seen it all and keeps coming back for more.
I love my Z Axis 7136- it’s my only Spey rod, and really my only steelhead rod. Spey casting is enjoyable for the sake of casting, and since steelhead rarely play nicely, if I’m going to make 1000 casts between fish, I want those casts to be with a two hander. I really like my Sage XP 8100 for the occasion when I do use a single hander.
Sage Z-Axis, weight/length dependent on where you’re fishing. Most complete rod lineup I can think of. All the rods from 3 weight to 10 weight speys are perfection, not a single bad rod..
I prefer two-handed rods for big river fishing. I have 2 Sages, 2 Meisers and 2 CND rods. My favorite steelhead rod is a CND Northfork 13′ 3″ matched with a Saracione MK IV reel. My favorite “trouter” is a Meiser Highlander 4/5/6.
Without a doubt it is my #9, 13′ Greys Greyflex Spey, followed by a Sage 9140 and 8110.
No question. Hands down it’s the Sage Z-Axis 7136-4 w/ a 525 grain Skagit Flight (winter, for tips) or a AFS 460 grain (summer for surface or subsurface)and Varivas Airs Shooting line. Best all around Pacific Northwest rod. . . in my humble opinion.
Sage Z-axis 8129-4.
-sean
Sage XP 896-4
I really enjoy this one. I have used it a lot for Michigan steelhead.
Echo DH 7130. slow, powerful, and cheap enough to get two and run different sinktip/fly combos so you’re not switching out tips when you could be fishing.
Easy Answer ………… Burky 8139-3 with a Hardy Marquis Salmon 2 (English Version), lined with an Airflo Compact Skagit 600 grains …….. Just add T 14 and some water …… and it’s a PARTY! Dave
TFO Pro 8126-4 mated to an Orvis Mach VI, 625 Skagit Flight w/ SGS ELF .043″ running line; various tips from floating to Z-14. This rod is an unassuming cannon! 5-6″ bunnies and intruder patterns launch with ease.
I’m primarily a small coastal stream kind of guy and the love of my life is a Winston BL-5 8wt. I also have a 6 and a 10. Fantastic rods, though I foresee a switch rod in my future. A 9wt would be awesome, best all’round for winter steelhead, spring & fall chinook… Leaning towards Beulah.
My local steelhead flows are small to mid-sized so the 7110 Z-Axis is more than enough for my game. Great all-around stick and a nice combo of feel with just enough power. Can’t wait to try it out this year with a loud Hardy Salmon 1.
My favorite is an 8 wt fly logic Dec Hogan. It is fine all around rod . I have fished the sage 9140 many times and it is a fine rod but by far I will stick with the fly logic spey.
Burkie 8139-3, Arflow NW Skagit or Skagit Compact (600 gr), and a Delta Long 8/9…
As versatile as they come, looking forward to playing with scandi’s this summer!
then there’s the Burkie 7133-3……. that’ll eventually make the list…….
13ft 2 behula platnium 7wt
After fishing spey rods for a few years I thought I’d give the Sage 8129 Z-Axis a try.WOW, what a cannon! It handles all my sink tips and heavy flies beutifully. Perfect for fishing the Smith river here in California. I’d like to thank Ed Ward for his great dvd Skagit Master. It has made skagit casting very easy to learn.
For winter and summer tip work I love my Winston B2X 7133, for summer floating line my Gary Anderson 6129 is awesome. If I’m fishing from the drift boat it’s my 796 Z-Axis.
Burkhiemer without a doubt.
Sage VT2 7130-4
Totally, under-rated rod, imo.
I would have to say my 7wt cpx switch rod for chuck & duck or using my 425 grain skagit line. Ive owned a few 8wt rods an my 7wt cpx rod is a beast compared to them. I heard that redington is using the old xp blanks from sage for there cpx series. Its a true warrior on the river. I’ve had pencil sinkers shoot back an hit my rod blank, left a lil mark but still super soild. this is a durable rod. I bought the 12″9 7wt cpx spey for winter fishing and I also equally feel impressed with it. I just bought a 8wt 13″4 z axis on ebay for $400, so Im lookin forward to using it this weekend for steelies.
that would be easy ?? to awswer since i just picked up the death star in january what a blast with fresh chrome hen about 10 pounds
I dont know who named the rod the death star but that is the worst name of a rod ever !
Original custom tied 9140. Big water, big fish.
Hardy Bougle 7″, GLX 13’9″ dregder, 560 compact skagit, whatever tip, and a fly. Gets um.
Sage Z Axis 8129-4 !!!!!
Favorite steelhead rod, the one that goes on every trip-
Sage 7136 Z Axis
Say guys, why don’t you use your influence, and have a rod designed that I could greatly enjoy, and catch more steelhead with?!! A single handed, 9 1/2 fter that you could insert in an extended butt piece when you need it..or to a single hander around that length. I swing flies damp, on a dryline a lot, and enjoy, at times “Snap T’in the line, and spey casting it back out. I’m not a longer Spey rodder, not finding that necessary, but sure do like the concept on my single handers, at times, and a removable extension would greatly enhance my use of the single hander for that purpose. I use my 9 1/2 ft. Sage XP in a 7 wt. a lot.
And, I might add, I luv snap T’n using 5, and 6 wt. longer, single handers fishing soft hackles, swinging them for trout. I fish a big river often, the SF of the Snake, and the extension butt can really enhance my soft hackle swinging as well. I have a method of tying soft hackles, and the use of longer hackles found on other wild birds other than a partridge, and tie them from small #18’s to soft hackles as large as steelhead flies. Fun stuff, and the extension would make for a great, all-purpose rod.
Like many, I own some old Sages, home rolled, Miezer, and Burkie. The only reason that one of them goes with me is as a backup or if and only if My Burkie 7125-3 can’t do the job, and that is seldom where I fish. Airflo 6/7 standard Delta. If you can’t cast this combo … find a hobby rather than a passion. Airflo Compact or Rio Skagit 420-480 10-12′ tips up to T-11 and big flys.
Loop, Goran Andersson rod, 12’6 9 wt. is my favorite with a Skagit Flight 550. It also works great for king salmon, and atlantic salmon. It is light weight, the cork is a good fit, and the rod fits my casting style.
Z-Axis 8129’ll do it all. 600 grains of skagit throws a wide variety of tips and whatever fly you want to get out there. No shortage of power in the butt, could fight a small whale to the beach. Also gets it done with a 789 Delta and a dry,purple peril, gbs, whatever…Can’t wait to strap on my new Dingley Perfect …
I’ve owned both single hand and two handed rods and I would have to say, without a doubt, my St. Croix Imperial 7 wt. Switch rod is the most versatile, sensitive but powerful, steelhead rod for the NW rivers I fish. I can cast a skagit head with 15 ft. of T14 sink tip and a big weighted fly over 130 ft. Or I can throw my airflo 40+ with 2 nymphs, split shot and an indicator with precision through boulder runs and pocket water, mending effortlessly. In the summer, I can take the weight off the same line and throw a freight train on the Deschutes and cover as much water as I need. One rod, for the best fish on the planet, getting it done however, and whenever it needs to.
The one rod I always take along, whether it’s to the Dean or the Deschutes, is a Gary Anderson (ACR) 13’9″ for a 7wt.
Everybody loves Sage or Burkies. I, however, LOVE the feel of a Meiser! My 13ft 6wt “S” rod is my favorite summer stick. Wonderful casting, but really let’s you feel your swing. I may change my mind though, I have a 12’6″ 7/8 MKS on the way for winter fishing.
The MKS may be the rod to do it all. I can literally pitch a bomb with my back against a mud bank (yeah did it and landed a chromer).
Where’s the Meiser love? Keep buying sages (good rods, just not impressed), lets me get my Meisers sooner!
For all around, tough call between the Z-axis 7136 and the Meiser Highlander S 13o7. For BC, the Z-axis 8129. But give me a year, and the TCX 8119 may be at the top.
I have tried a couple of Winstons, a couple of Sages, a Meiser and several different Burkies, but I believe the Burkheimer 8128-4 is the best of the bunch. It is a very special rod when coupled with an Airflo 540 Skagit Compact and an appropriate tip or an Airflo 480 or 510 Scandi Compact and 10′ or 14′ of Airflo Polyleader. It is very light in the hand, but has plenty of reserve power for casting and fighting large steelhead.
I love the RedTruck diesel 13’6″ 7wt.I had a FFF certified spey casting instructor have me cast both the 13′ 6″ Diesel and the sage 7136 z Axis.I could not believe that I liked this rod better than the sage .He then said to me that this might possibly be one of the top 3 spey rods on the market.All the while this rod only cost’s $350.00.It is a tremendous value.This rod is great for the average steelheader that can’t afford the ultra expensive Sage ,GLoomis,Etc. Rods.These rods are real workhorses.They cast 540 grain skagits with 15 feet of T-14 with no problem.Give them a try!
Pieroway Metal Detector 510
If I had to choose just one rod it would be my 11′ 7wt Winston with a Tibor Everglades reel. I’ve used a lot of others over the years but this would be my pick for one all around rod. I also like the Orvis 10′ 7wt Helios for low water conditions.
Just -back from my first outing on the North Umpqua. Had my new Gary Anderson “Skandit” 7W along. Can’t say enough about how well the rod performed. Fished the Scandi-tip, (one of two that comes with this rod, the other, a Skagit tip). Threw a 7/8 Ballistic Vector with dry fly set-up. Turned-over the 15′ leader beautifully. Even made friends with the pm breeze. Still looking for my first hook-up, but, River and Rod surpassed high expectations. Looking forward to seeing how the Skagit set-up does. Cheers! Ed
I have 2 I use, one is an ECHO ION 10′ 6wt and the other is G LOOMIS GLX3 9’9″ 7wt, depends on where I am fishing and what season……..
Love the newsletter!!!!!!!
i have two awesome rods st.croix avid,, echo switch..