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[180gall]

Hello everyone

So I was at cabelas on the weekend and looking at
prices of spey rods as I would like to get a setup.
After looking at a couple of rods I came across
a echo solo. It was discounted $130 so naturally
I couldn't just leave it there. My question is what line
Works best with these rods. After doing some
research I am thinking a rio skagit in a 450gr. The
Rod is the echo solo 12'6" 6w. Thanks in advance.

[Stratocaster]

According to the Rio site, the recommended Skagit Flight grain wt. is between 400 to 450.  The type of line you get depends on what you intend to do.  If you are fishing runs which require a more delicate presentation, then a Scandi line is preferable.  I gather you probably won't be using your 6wt on chums or springs and it might be a bit light for winter steelhead.  I have a Rio Scandi AFS shooting head on my 6110 z-axis switch rod.  I plan to use it mainly for pinks, coho and summer runs which don't require big flies and in areas that don't require heavy tips to get down deep and fast.

[HOOK]

loads of guys fish with 5 & 6 wt spey rods on the Vedder. Strat is in the grain window but i would be sure to look around at other line makers, I like Airflo and Scientific lines over Rio. the flight lines are nice but take a peek at the Airflo compacts or SA extreme shooting heads and then pair it up with a decent running line (i prefer the SA .021 running line)

have you picked up a reel for it yet ?

I suggest taking the rod with you when you do so you can test the balance of the rod/reel with the reel empty. you dont want your rod tip heavy or you will be fighting the tip off the water all day long taking away from the enjoyment of swinging flies. I personally like mine a little butt heavy so when the line is under tension (swinging) the rod lays perfectly level with the water in my loosely cradled fingers 

being a 6wt and 12.6" i would bet your going to want a reel in the 8-9oz range. I have a 9oz reel on my 12'7" spey and its perfect

[Matt]

loads of guys fish with 5 & 6 wt spey rods on the Vedder. Strat is in the grain window but i would be sure to look around at other line makers, I like Airflo and Scientific lines over Rio. the flight lines are nice but take a peek at the Airflo compacts or SA extreme shooting heads and then pair it up with a decent running line (i prefer the SA .021 running line)

have you picked up a reel for it yet ?

I suggest taking the rod with you when you do so you can test the balance of the rod/reel with the reel empty. you dont want your rod tip heavy or you will be fighting the tip off the water all day long taking away from the enjoyment of swinging flies. I personally like mine a little butt heavy so when the line is under tension (swinging) the rod lays perfectly level with the water in my loosely cradled fingers 

being a 6wt and 12.6" i would bet your going to want a reel in the 8-9oz range. I have a 9oz reel on my 12'7" spey and its perfect

I know no one who fishes a 5 or 6wt on the Vedder.  A 6wt is appropriate for pinks, bull trout and summer run systems with small fish (where 12'6" rod is going to be annoyingly long), little else locally.  Winter steelhead, most summer runs, chum, springs, sockeye... all too powerful for a 6wt.  Fishing spey rods are a poor choice of tools for coho, so cross those of the list as well. 

A 13'-13'6" 8wt is a much better all-round rod for BC.

[HOOK]

I could name a few guys right now that i have fished along side that do fish 5 and 6 wt speys on the Cheddar for steel. I wont name them publicly for several reasons but im sure you know most if not all of them Matt 

I have cast a few of their rods while they tried out my 7/8wt and im not illiterate and can read a rod blank 

the one i did enjoy the most though was a guys Z-axis 5126 

[adriaticum]

I could name a few guys right now that i have fished along side that do fish 5 and 6 wt speys on the Cheddar for steel. I wont name them publicly for several reasons but im sure you know most if not all of them Matt 

I have cast a few of their rods while they tried out my 7/8wt and im not illiterate and can read a rod blank 

the one i did enjoy the most though was a guys Z-axis 5126 

Let's rephrase Matt's question. Have you seen anyone catch any steelhead on 5/6 wt spey rods and land them successfully?

[nickredway]

I use a 5/6 Loomis spey and a 6wt Amundson switch for summer Steelhead and you can land smaller fish 4-10lbs quickly and efficiently with them.  I would not want to use either of them in heavy flows, for turning over heavier winter tips and flies or if the fish targeted were likely to be much over that size range and they would not be my choice for the Vedder in the winter. On the other hand you will probably not be doing a whole lot of catching with the spey in the winter so fill your boots and fish whatever you want but if you hook a bigger fish you could either get owned or end up playing the poor thing to death....

[nickredway]

Let's rephrase Matt's question. Have you seen anyone catch any steelhead on 5/6 wt spey rods and land them successfully?

FYI a 6 weight spey has just as much backbone as a lot of the noodley pin rods people fish for steelies.

[HOOK]

Yes i have seen fish landed on 5 & 6wt spey rods efficiently and quickly. If you know how to fight a fish properly you can do it of course if your in heavier current then your less likely to land the fish or play it to the point of almost killing it however even with a 7/8wt this is tough to do in heavy water..........do you see fly guys fish heavy water often ?? doubtful 

[tnt]

I fish a dec hogan 5122 and loomis 5126 for ate
Steelhead and have no problem on the vedder landing multiple fish to 15 lbs. at least it seems fun vs. the 8-10 wt clan with 800 grain heads

[HOOK]

Thanks for the reply Thomas, glad to see someone isnt afriad of possibly getting grilled by the crowd by using light rods. I myself use a 12'7" 7/8wt, no heaving 800 grain heads for me 

[Blackgivesway2blue]

13'3 7wt Echo Dec hogan for me, my all round spey, everything from the vedder to the thompson. cheers, austyn

[180gall]

Thanks for all of the replys guys.
I ended up with an airflo running line/450g airflo compact skagit and
the ehco ion (8/9).
As for all the guys cutting down lighter rods I go fishing for
the challenge and don't  feel the need to over power my pray.

[HOOK]

450 grain on an 8/9wt 

that sounds way light in regards to your rod weight. you should be up more near the 600-650 grain window.

i fish a 510skagit on a 7/8 and to that i will add sink tips which ups the grain weight even further. I know i used to have a 650 on my 9140 Echo Classic and i had a few people tell me i should have tried closer to 700 !!

have you cast your setup yet ?  have you had someone that knows what they are doing try it out ?

[TayC]

450 grain on an 8/9wt  

that sounds way light in regards to your rod weight. you should be up more near the 600-650 grain window.

i fish a 510skagit on a 7/8 and to that i will add sink tips which ups the grain weight even further. I know i used to have a 650 on my 9140 Echo Classic and i had a few people tell me i should have tried closer to 700 !!

have you cast your setup yet ?  have you had someone that knows what they are doing try it out ?

I think the op was referring the echo ion 8/9 reel to go with the 6126 echo solo rod...
And in op, they mentioned a 450 grain head for the 6wt spey