specialty taper or two handed rod?

[DEADhead]

Anybody ever fish the scientific anglers mastery series steelhead taper? They claim the head and body on this line is excellent for mending and roll casting up to 70 ft.

I'm looking for a new setup this off season. A lot of the waters I fish are wide, and the banks don't provide much room for a back cast. I find myself mainly delivering my flies via a roll cast. I am kind of topped out at about 50 feet rollcasting with a Rio coldwater clouser line. I'd like to be able to reach out at least another 20-30 feet. I'm looking to stay in a 9 or 10 wt rod, as my target quarry are buffalo, redhorse, drum, carp, etc. I think the SA steelhead line may be what I'm looking for my current setup, but I'm wondering if maybe a two handed rod is the more appropriate tool to be using in these situations. I know these rods are quite popular abroad with bank fishermen. Anybody have much experience with a two handed rod? how's your experience trying to land a fish by yourself? Maybe I should be considering one of the newer hybrid rods?

Thanks.

[DinkADunk]

I'm looking at building a somewhat shorter spey rod either a 12'6" 7/8 or 13' 8/9 based on a Batson/Rainshadow blank just for situations that prevent a back cast. Should be just the ticket for a couple of pools/runs on a little north flowing river in NW Wisconsin that supposedly has steelhead in it and a certain president use to visit

[so haaad]

Hmmm...what river could that be? Was there a president named "White"???

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

Deadhead,

Never casted the mastery steelhead line, but I run the Rio steelhead line on the Brule and can make all the roll casts I need. If you're looking for some serious extra distance, I would start shopping around for a switch rod though- you're gonna pick up a lot more that way than with a new line. There are a lot of options out there, and it really depends on the kind of money you are willing/ able to spend. Temple Fork makes a pretty nice lighter weight switch that is pretty reasonable, and all the higher end manufacturers have been coming out with spendy ones too. I had the opportunity to cast a bunch of different switch rods at the convention in denver this fall, so if you wanna shoot me an email with a little more detail in what you want to use the rod for and what price range you're looking to stay in, I could probably give you a few suggestions. When we get our spring orders in I may be able to get you out casting a couple if you're in the Duluth area. My email is giantjackpot@ gmail.com.

[DEADhead]

thanks Porter. I'm going to re-read the american angler article on switch rods (the hybrid rods I was referring to). I'll try and figure what way I want to go with this. If I need advice, I'll be sure to drop you a line. Thanks again for the offer.

[Magneto]

While I have never used a two handed rod, I do, and have used the Steelhead taper for a few years. I mainly use it on the river you speak of. For that purpose it is by far better then anything else I’ve tried. I’ve tried the nymph taper – good, but not a great roll casting line. I’ve tried GPX – can’t roll cast all the junk a guy needs up there.

A couple good points for the Steelhead taper – low or almost no memory when it’s cold,

I’ve been able to roll cast up to about 60 feet with it, with split shot, very large indicator, etc. Using a streamer, there is nothing better, except maybe a sink tip. Dry fly fishing – you can cast the entire line; it shoots line like no other.

A couple of bad points – I have a difficult time using that line in the summer while targeting smallies, it just isn’t made for that. Casting in close is not one of its strengths, Lobbing crap out there, yes – casting, no.

In regards to using a two handed rod on the river your speak, I’ve always thought that it wasn’t big enough to take advantage of a two hander, but like I said, I’ve never used one.

It really is a good line.

[Ufatz]

Using a two-handed or "spey" rod is not complicated IF you get started with the right moves and timing. If you can't get together with an instructor or friend, try to find a good instructional tape etc. Kinda hard to describe the right stroke etc. Two handed's can shoot a lot of line and are great with a short, fast taper or a shooting head,and of course a DT. I don't think you need to spend a ton of money to get into one-look used. Have you considered a floating shooting head? Use to use one all the time on some of the big waters in BC AK etc. Not much for mending, but you can roll (or spey) one out there quite a distance. Have fun.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

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thanks Porter. I'm going to re-read the american angler article on switch rods (the hybrid rods I was referring to). I'll try and figure what way I want to go with this. If I need advice, I'll be sure to drop you a line. Thanks again for the offer.

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No problem man, that article has a lot of good info in it, and solid evidence that switch rods are starting to get a lot of attention. The best thing I like about the ones I've casted is that they are plenty light enough to use one handed. I haven't tried anything over an 8 though. I typically run an 8 or maybe a 6 for steelies on that certain river you speak of but I think an eight weight switch would be too much for that size water. The nice thing about the eights though is that you could overhead cast like crazy if you got it dialed in. I'd never messed around with an overhead (2-handed) cast before, and with a good-sized shooting head I could toss up to a hundred feet with the scott t2h. In this neck of the woods that would be a great help for fishing out in the lake, but there's just too much rod there for smaller rivers. I'd go with the 6 or the 7 for fishing the brule- oops were we keeping that river a secret One of the main advantages I think would be the amount of line you could mend with an eleven or twelve footer.

As far as lines go, I'm not sure what would work best on these new rods- when I asked one of the guys who work for scott, he said to use 'big stuff.' I guess half the fun will be trying to get the new combo just right.

I hear ya with the steelhead line though- awesome for roll casting, but not the nicest for bombing line. The clouser works pretty good for that, as does the outbound.

[DEADhead]

Here's what I ended up doing today:

I purchased a Redington RS4 10' 8wt. I also purchased the SA Mastery Steelhead Taper and the Lamson Velocity Hard Alox.

Happy Birthday to me!

I looked at the switch rods and their utility, and my needs. The switch rods would fit my application, but I would need entirely new reels and lines, and the rods are somewhat more expensive than a single handed rod. Yes, I know I bought a complete new set-up, but I can interchange the line and the reel with my other rods (hard to do with Spey heads). The tradeoff for the switch rod was opting for the 10' rod for better rollcasting and mending. There's no reason that I can't still use two handed casting techniques on the new rod.

Basically I got a brand new steelhead setup that I will be using for buffalo, redhorse and carp. But I now have the option of using the rod for steelies too.

I was trying to keep my whole setup under $600. I found a sweet Scott ARC 1008/4 steelhead rod for $369, unfortunately this put me well over budget. I suppose I could have skipped out on the reel for now, but that Lamson should handle the beating my other reels recieve on the rocks.

I'll be getting some gift certifcates to bentleys for xmas, so I'll probably pickup some tungsten sink tips for the line, to add some versatility. Maybe you boys from the NE will yet make me a steelheader one of these days

[Muddog]

I was just watching "International Spey Casting". Simon Gawesworth was using Jim Vincent Versatile Versetip on his one hand rod. Or the trout rod version of the Windcutter. Give it a look.

I'm dying here. Where can a guy work on his Snake Roll. I'm dying here.

[Quickstrike]

nice purchase, I'm still looking to get a new longer stick for the spring. I just can't make up my mind if I want to get a 6 wt, which would be ideal for the steelies around here. Or an 8 wt, which would be great for hauling long casts off of river mouths and something I could use along the west coast. I still need to decide on whether I want the Scott switch or the Winston BIIX switch.

However, I have a feeling I won't find either in my stocking this year with those price tags.

[DEADhead]

I had $450 in gift cards and rebate $$ to use up at a certain retailer. If they carried Scott rods, I definitely would have bought one. QS, the Scott switch rod looks sweet, that would be my pick.

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

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I found a sweet Scott ARC 1008/4 steelhead rod for $369, unfortunately this put me well over budget.

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Wow, that would have been a nice purchase. Never casted one personally, but from what I've heard they're fantastic rods. Pretty spendy though. Now that you're set up with a nice ten foot eight you almost owe it to your equipment to get a little nutty over steelies

[DEADhead]

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Now that you're set up with a nice ten foot eight you almost owe it to your equipment to get a little nutty over steelies

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I hear ya on that one. Maybe I'll be around for a run next year, if I'm lucky enough.

BTW, nice mention in the last issue of Eastern Fly Fishing

[Muddog]

Take a look at the new In-Fisherman.

[Ice-9]

I'd love to get in a situation where the spey roll is ideal...I always seem to be double-hauling my butt off. I have used the two-handed overhead rods in the surf--awesome power of an 11' lever and both hands, and it's way easier on the bod. I'm going to use mine next season for muskies. Keep us posted on how it throws.

ice

[DEADhead]

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I found a sweet Scott ARC 1008/4 steelhead rod for $369, unfortunately this put me well over budget.

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Wow, that would have been a nice purchase. Never casted one personally, but from what I've heard they're fantastic rods. Pretty spendy though. Now that you're set up with a nice ten foot eight you almost owe it to your equipment to get a little nutty over steelies

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Here's the deal. I got my RS4 yesterday. Pretty sweet looking rod. I grabbed the rod sections out of the cloth sack and noticed that the top two sections are for a 7 wt and the bottom two pieces are for an 8 wt. great . I attached the new reel to the rod just to see what the balance was like. The reel was cherry. The rod; well let's just say that this rod is STIFF. I mean like broomstick stiff. I'm sure this rod has some power, but the action was way stiffer than I though it was going to be, and that's with the 7wt pieces on top . This rod is way too stiff for what I want to use it for.

Here's what I did: I wrapped the rod back up, packed it in the box, and dropped it off at UPS to return. I did what I should have done from the beginning, and placed the order for the Scott ARC 10' 8 wt (4-piece) rod. Hopefully it should be here next week.

[Quickstrike]

Nice....so we'll be seeing you this spring?

[I'llTakeWhatiCanGet]

I think you may have saved yourself from a couple sleepless nights, tossing and turning thinking about what could have been.    That stick should be pretty ideal for what you want, and it'll kick some a$$ on the brule 

[DEADhead]

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I think you may have saved yourself from a couple sleepless nights, tossing and turning thinking about what could have been. 

  That stick should be pretty ideal for what you want, and it'll kick some a$$ on the brule 

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I hear ya on the "could have beens...", I was already there. I'm just glad I came to my senses before it was too late.

The only problem I see now is that you and Kent will be having to deal with another tag-along on those steelhead adventures

[Quickstrike]

you're welcome anytime man!

[DEADhead]

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you're welcome anytime man!

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be careful what you ask for....