Swinging Flies for Trout

[thinhorn_AK]

What’s a good sort setup to get as my first one? I’ve done a lot of fly fishing, even some saltwater fly fishing but I want to get a sort rod for steelhead and salmon.

I’m thinking like a 7wt or go with an 8??? Reel with a full cage for sure like a Galvan swing but what rod? I do t want something cheap but I probably don’t want to spend like 1500 dollars for just the rod, wouldn’t mind 1500 for the rod/reel though.

I see Scott makes one as does sage. Are those worth the money over like a Redington claymore or an echo? I’d like something that I’ll be happy with for awhile, not something I feel I need to upgrade or have regrets about buying.

Thanks!

 

[JMasson]

What’s a good sort setup to get as my first one? I’ve done a lot of fly fishing, even some saltwater fly fishing but I want to get a sort rod for steelhead and salmon.

I’m thinking like a 7wt or go with an 8??? Reel with a full cage for sure like a Galvan swing but what rod? I do t want something cheap but I probably don’t want to spend like 1500 dollars for just the rod, wouldn’t mind 1500 for the rod/reel though.

I see Scott makes one as does sage. Are those worth the money over like a Redington claymore or an echo? I’d like something that I’ll be happy with for awhile, not something I feel I need to upgrade or have regrets about buying.

Thanks!

The Echo Full Spey. They’re all 13’ and I’d likely recommend the 8wt since you’re fishing Alaska and a monster king salmon is a real possibility. Redington Claymore is a pretty good rod for the money and they make it in a 13’6” 8wt so it also wouldn’t be a terrible choice. Are Scott, Sage, Hardy, etc worth the money? That will depend on who you ask. It isn’t worth the money in my opinion but that’s just my opinion so take it for what it’s worth….not a damn thing. The Galvan Swing is a nice reel and would work great. Personally, I’m a fan of Lamson’s stuff and they have a few models that are full frame reels and are roughly the same price as the Galvan reel.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

The Echo Full Spey. They’re all 13’ and I’d likely recommend the 8wt since you’re fishing Alaska and a monster king salmon is a real possibility. Redington Claymore is a pretty good rod for the money and they make it in a 13’6” 8wt so it also wouldn’t be a terrible choice. Are Scott, Sage, Hardy, etc worth the money? That will depend on who you ask. It isn’t worth the money in my opinion but that’s just my opinion so take it for what it’s worth….not a damn thing. The Galvan Swing is a nice reel and would work great. Personally, I’m a fan of Lamson’s stuff and they have a few models that are full frame reels and are roughly the same price as the Galvan reel.

My buddy really likes the echo stuff, I’ve used some of their standard rods in the past, nothing flashy but they were good rods and if I remember right the warranty was solid.

 

[JMasson]

My buddy really likes the echo stuff, I’ve used some of their standard rods in the past, nothing flashy but they were good rods and if I remember right the warranty was solid.

Never had to use their warranty but I like their rods. I would probably pair a 13’ 8wt Echo Full Spey with an OPST Commando 450gr head so you could fish really heavy sink tips and big flies. Running line of choice but I like to use a fluorescent Berkley 40# monofilament as running line. It floats and shoots well and you can get a whole lot more of it for the price you’d pay for a spool of dedicated running line. I’ve started to use a bimini twist in my running to head and backing to running line connections on big critter rods vs using a double or triple surgeon’s knot. It’s a smoother connection and runs through the guides easier and it’s also the only knot that is 100% the tensile strength of the line (doubles the tensile strength of the line at the knot actually). Use a minimum of 30# backing but 40# wouldn’t be the wrong answer in my opinion.

 

[MulemanMT]

I've caught Bull trout on articulated streamers