If You Use a Two Hand Rod;

[Hardyreels]

If you use a Spey rod for fishing and intend to come to Alaska you probably don't need a heavier rod. That is if your rod is at least an 8/9 for King salmon or a 6/7 for all other species. Like single hand rods the reel and its drag will be where you want to concentrate. I love my old spring and pawl reels but if you get into a 20 pound plus fish with a clicker it might not go as well as you would want. I have a 13' 8/9 and it handles everything from a small trout to a nice big king.

I just thought I'd put this out there for people who look through these threads.

Ard

[rockriver]

What weight range are the fish?

[Hardyreels]

The rod I speak of here (13' 8/9) has caught fish ranging from 11" Dolly Varden Char to King Salmon over 40 pounds. We just came back from a trip where it was used for surf / bay fishing and it landed a very nice bunch of silvers from 9 - 14 pound.

In short the rod (LL Bean Stream Light 13' 8/9) will handle anything I have so far had take a fly.

Ard

---------- Post added at 03:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:29 PM ----------

[afman87]

I'm sure its been a few years since you were a beginner to fishing with a spey rod but do you have any recommendations for some one who wants to learn? Rod weight? Length? Price range?

[Diver Dan]

Originally Posted by afman87

I'm sure its been a few years since you were a beginner to fishing with a spey rod but do you have any recommendations for some one who wants to learn? Rod weight? Length? Price range?

Price range is what you can afford, as for length and weight, where are you planning to fish most? As in size of water.

[texastroutbum]

Ard, I have been lurking at the Spey forum for a while and it appears that a large number of members suggest for a 4 wt for trout. So I am leaning toward that. But you seem to suggest that 6 or 7 weight can deal with trouts in Alaska.
I am confused. Please enlighten me. I am just guessing that the rivers in Alaska has so many species that 4 wt can be outgunned when or if you hook a king, and so it is safe to go with 6 or 7 wt. But as you can see I am in the dark.

[afman87]

i'm no expert by any means but a 4 wt seems to be pretty light for up here. While I use a 3 wt in the smaller creeks and sloughs most of the Bigger rivers IE ones better suited for a spey rod seem to be moving at a pretty good pace. Also like you said its easy to get outgunned in a hurry up here. Just the other day I was fishing for grayling with my 3 wt on a good sized river and I had kings and dogs swimming right by my fly. Luckily I didn't have any unwanted takers but I had never seen those fish that far up before. Not to mention the dollies and trout can get huge up here. I watched a guy the other day fight for his life while fishing for rainbows and hooked a 20+ dolly in some pretty fast current... he was using a 5 wt. I love the light weight fight but only for selective applications. Just my 2 cents take it for what its worth.

[Hardyreels]

Originally Posted by texastroutbum

Ard, I have been lurking at the Spey forum for a while and it appears that a large number of members suggest for a 4 wt for trout. So I am leaning toward that. But you seem to suggest that 6 or 7 weight can deal with trouts in Alaska.
I am confused. Please enlighten me. I am just guessing that the rivers in Alaska has so many species that 4 wt can be outgunned when or if you hook a king, and so it is safe to go with 6 or 7 wt. But as you can see I am in the dark.

I'm using rods in the 770 grain range (8/9/10) weight in single hand rods for almost everything. I only use my little light rods where I know there will be only small fish. With my rod, trout are fun and when I pick up a salmon there is no panic.

[Diver Dan]

Originally Posted by texastroutbum

Ard, I have been lurking at the Spey forum for a while and it appears that a large number of members suggest for a 4 wt for trout. So I am leaning toward that. But you seem to suggest that 6 or 7 weight can deal with trouts in Alaska.
I am confused. Please enlighten me. I am just guessing that the rivers in Alaska has so many species that 4 wt can be outgunned when or if you hook a king, and so it is safe to go with 6 or 7 wt. But as you can see I am in the dark.

I would not look at weight of the rod / size of fish , with spey rods. Look at the size of the water. Spey rods are a delivery system for a fly. Farther away needs longer heavier rods. The fish is not the important factor here. If you think 4 wt for Trout and can't reach them the rod is worthless. If you have a 17 ft. 11 wt with a long belly line and are fishing a spot 40' wide the rod is almost useless. Less useless than the 4 wt that can't reach the fish though.

[texastroutbum]

many thanks to informative comments.