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[vancook]

I do love to fish my pin and other gear set ups, but I would like to start tossing feathers as well.
Mainly there are some steelie systems out there I'd like to fish but are not for us gear folks.

What do you guys recommend? Look into a fly rod set up or right into a Spey set up?
I intend to fish salmon season and steel. Unlikely I'll be targeting interior lake trout species.

What am I looking at dollar wise for a decent  starter set up? Not crap but definitely not high end as a beginner.
Recommend lessons? Always find it difficult as I work out of province and classes never seem to match up with my time off.
Thanks in advance

[Ssypark]

i would say, 7-9wt spey/switch rod for most salmon and steelhead. You can always look around like i did for a higher end model (Loop Opti Switch Rod 10'6 8wt). I bought it used on the classifieds section on Speypages for about the same price as buying a lower end model for brand new (St.Croix Imperial). Not too sure about spey rods, but for switchrods, You can always slap on your pin for more gear friendly water aswell!

[HOOK]

for salmon a single hander is way better. most salmon you would target with the fly take a stripped fly over a swung fly (coho, pink, chum) Chinook are pretty tough going on a fly because of the deeper water they sit in. glo bug style is effective however your gear rod would be easier to use.

spey rod is better for steelhead for ease of use however a single hander is very doable and on smaller flows probably even better

salmon I would stick to 7-8wt single hander. something 9'6"-10' in length to make casting sink tips easier. a fast action rod will also make it easier

spey for steelhead anything 6-8wt is good and 12-14' There is no reason to break the bank. A well matched setup (rod/reel/line) will cast just as well. only difference is some of the higher end rods may weigh less or have a slightly crisper feel to them

lessons will of course ease the learning curve and you may not pick up bad habits if taught properly right off the bat

price wise you could honestly spend whatever you want by shopping around. my dads entire spey setup cost him around $500 (Amundson 8wt spey, Pfleuger President reel, backing, slickshooter and an SA extreme 520 shooting head)

think about your reel and what you want in regards to click/pawl or disc drag.


where are you located Vancook ?

[Howlongsyourleader]

I got a dragonfly 7wt switch rod for steelhead last winter and fished salmon with it most recently. Has been great fun on the Wack, got a few hatchery coho in the past two days. Am really liking the switch rod because I can single hand cast or chuck it two handed if I want some more sauce.

[vancook]

for salmon a single hander is way better. most salmon you would target with the fly take a stripped fly over a swung fly (coho, pink, chum) Chinook are pretty tough going on a fly because of the deeper water they sit in. glo bug style is effective however your gear rod would be easier to use.

spey rod is better for steelhead for ease of use however a single hander is very doable and on smaller flows probably even better

salmon I would stick to 7-8wt single hander. something 9'6"-10' in length to make casting sink tips easier. a fast action rod will also make it easier

spey for steelhead anything 6-8wt is good and 12-14' There is no reason to break the bank. A well matched setup (rod/reel/line) will cast just as well. only difference is some of the higher end rods may weigh less or have a slightly crisper feel to them

lessons will of course ease the learning curve and you may not pick up bad habits if taught properly right off the bat

price wise you could honestly spend whatever you want by shopping around. my dads entire spey setup cost him around $500 (Amundson 8wt spey, Pfleuger President reel, backing, slickshooter and an SA extreme 520 shooting head)

think about your reel and what you want in regards to click/pawl or disc drag.


where are you located Vancook ?

Thanks for the response, very informative. Sounds like buying two different set ups would be the way to go. Definitely a single hander as I do fish some smaller flows at times. Definitely would like a Spey for trips outside of the lower mainland.
Will have do some shopping around, can get pricey to buy both.
Probably best to go with a single hander first?

HOOK, I work in Alberta but when on days off I'm in Vancouver