should I get a spey rod?

[sniperfreak223]

Cabela's currently has their TLr 14' 9-weight Spey rod on sale for $99, and I'm considering popping on it. I already have a couple switch rods (both are 11', one a 6-weight the other an 8-weight), and I feel like a spey rod would round out the collection...just wondering if I could actually put it to use here in PA.

 

[bigslackwater]

That's a gigantic rod! If you have the cash for it, go for it. Maybe just having it will lead you to places that you could put it to good use.

 

[geebee]

If you like casting streamers on mid to large sized rivers for trout, musky, stripers or walleye then I'd say maybe yes.

If you want to fish the Lehigh, susky or Delware then it's probably an advantage - but that depends on the weight of the rod. If its too heavy you won't enjoy casting it all day.

Plus you'll need a Spey line and true large arbor reel for it, so it won't just be the $99 you're laying out.

 

[turkey]

That's a huge rod. Its just an opinion but I think you'd find yourself looking for reasons to use it in PA. I had a 13' 7wt and couldnt find many opportunities to fish with it. Once or twice a year for steelhead (OH and NY) maybe. I reluctantly sold it.

 

[PennKev]

sniperfreak223 wrote:
...just wondering if I could actually put it to use here in PA.

No it almost useless in PA.

Solution: Buy it and fish Ohio and NY.

 

[sniperfreak223]

Well, with a Cabela's Prestige Premier IV LA reel, AirFlo Delta Spey line, and 400 yards of 30# backing, it's still under $300...which is still less cash than pretty much any other spey rod alone...plus I have $150 in Cabela's gift cards...I'm probably gonna end up buying it. Heck, at least it'll give me an excuse to travel.

 

[PatrickC]

I'm not a huge fan of purchasing spey rods until you spend some time reading/watching DVDs and maybe even having a lesson from someone so you can cast some different set-ups and different action rods. There is a lot to learn about how to get the correct set-up together that will work for what YOU want to do. Making an impulse purchase on this type of set-up because it's a good price most often results in something you will ultimately not like or use. Just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth ($0.02 and maybe a cup of coffee ;-) )

It takes a while to get into spey casting because there is much to learn and mechanics are kind of the opposite of what you've done with other casting. Once you learn some basic casts and then how to fish with it….it is a lot of fun. Just understand, it's not really cheap and it is quite time consuming to get from point A to point B, but hey, that in and of it's self is part of why you do it.

 

[PAFLYBOY]

For just a bit more you might find the Cabelas Lsi 12'6" 7wt to be a bit more useful in our general area(OH, PA, NY). I haven't tried it but I have heard good things about it. We have an Lsi 10'6" 5wt and 11'6" 8wt and I feel that they are good rods for the money. Also, the 12'6" 7wt will take a significantly smaller reel to balance it properly(around 8.5oz?). In my experience, a 14' 9wt is a lot of rod...

 

[FGSIII]

14'-0" 9wt is definitely overkill for PA waters and even a lot of great lakes steelhead water. I would go with the rod that PAFLYBOY recommended.

 

[Blake]

A 14' 9wt is meant for biiiiiiig west coast waters and chinook or big Atlantic salmon rivers and 20+ lb fish. A 12'6" or 13' 7wt will serve you well in all spey conditions, east or west coast. And your most likely going to wanna stay away from delta spey line as a starter. Keep the head and tip length around 3x the rod. The long head of the delta will make it a nightmare to learn with and you won't enjoy it.

 

[sniperfreak223]

I'm already familiar with the basics of spey casting, and have been using switch rods for about three years now, so I'd consider myself "intermediate" in spey skills, not a beginner...might just go for the 12'6" 7 then.

 

[PatrickC]

The 7wt is nice for this region. It will handle the steelhead (even a little overkill) and salmon just fine.

I actually have an Echo DHII 6.5wt that was developed for west coast steelhead.

In the end, I suspect you'll still use the switch most of the time. It has certainly become my favorite rod for steelhead and salmon in the Great Lakes Region.

 

[Chaz]

Really you only need a spey rod for fishing very large rivers where you are casting large flies to big fish and letting them drift in the current till the line is straight.
You won't find more than 3 or 4 rivers in PA that fit the bill, the D, the Yough, the Susg, and the Lehigh. And most of the Lehigh is borderline.

 

[turkey]

Chaz wrote:
You won't find more than 3 or 4 rivers in PA that fit the bill, the D, the Yough, the Susg, and the Lehigh. And most of the Lehigh is borderline.

That rod is too big even for the Yough. Aside from Muskie there arent any fish in those rivers that would even necessitate a 9wt 2 hander.

I bet it would be fun to cast though. Probably bang out 100' consistently.