Northwest Fishing Reports

I'm getting ready to get into steelhead fishing and would like some suggestions on rod sizes and reels types. I already have a 6'6" fiberglass fitted with a shakespeare spin cast lined with 6lbs test that I use for normal trout fishing that my wife and kids got me for Father's Day. I personally would like to have a seperate rig for steelhead but before the bank keeper will allow me to spend the money she wants to know if that I'm able to use the same rod and reel that I get for steelhead fishing for normal trout fishing also.

Only if the steelhead is small. Kidding aside, it would be helpful to give us a budget. There is ultra-cheap to sky's the limit and everything in between.

Reel type is personal preference. If I am river fishing, I prefer casting rigs when possible, but I won't limit myself to it exclusively. The lure type/weight heavily influence my choice for reel/rod type.

The budget thing is where I'm stuck with the wife, she wants info before we will even begin to think of a budget range. I'm personally thinking between 200 and 300.

I fished a ugly stick for a year....to be honest if you are looking for a cheap rod and reel set up that is the way to go. now if 300 is the top end of your budget I would still look into a little cheaper rod that way when you start buying all the line and tackle that can add really quick.

I love my lami rod and have a g-loomis rod that has only ben used once. Both are great rods I just prefer the lami over the loomis.

That can buy a lot of steelhead rod and reel. A decent spinning reels and rods can be had for $80.00 and up.

Casting rods also from $80.00 up but I would spend less than $100 for a casting reel, acutally a Shimano Citica E. As Hulk Hogan and Charles Barkley used to say, anything less would be uncivlized. Exception Abu G C3s and C4s.

It would now help to know if you're going casting or spinning and what techniques you wish to employ.

go to ebay and get a new or near-new baitcast reel for about 30 bucks (such as an ambassadeur 5500c3).

Rods for steelhead range from 25 bucks or less on sale, up to hundreds of dollars. My favorite steelie rod is an 8.5 ft Okuma Celilo that I got on sale at outdoor emporium for about 19 bucks.

I've never been really good at spinning, I grew up bait casting and spincasting. Now that I've gotten older I find that I prefer bait casting. Whats a good length for steelhead rod, or is it more going to be based off how comfortable I feel with it? I'll mostly be fishing the Nisqually (Mounts road to the Yelm stretch), Deschutes and Cowlitz (Barrier Dam to just below the Mossyrock Dam).

If it helps, my combo is a 9'6" medium light Berkley IM8 with a Pfluger reel. Depending on sales and such you can get this combo for about $140. This combo works great for bobbers, drift rigs, spoons and small plugs

davidhood wrote: she wants to know if that I'm able to use the same rod and reel that I get for steelhead fishing for normal trout fishing also.

you could, but the poor little planters would be no match for a steelhead rig, they're too small (the typical 8-12")

David,
I guess I'll throw in my ideas here too. I am sort of in the same situation you are. My wife thinks one fishing pole/reel should do it all. I get the "You've got a fishing pole, why do you need another one?" response when I talk about getting more gear. I've been using the same rod and reel that I got for my birthday when I was 10.....and I'm 34 now. However, it's been a great all-around setup. I have an old Shimano 300 reel and a 6' graphite rod (at least it used to be 6' until I broke the tip off last year and just glued a new eye on as it was - 6" shorter). I have run both 8 and 10# test on that rod and have fished everything from trout to salmon with it. I've caught some huge catfish and it had no problems when fishing for pinks. It really has been a good setup for all the types of fishing I've done, but there are certainly situations that call for more control (i.e. longer pole, more sensitive pole, braided line). (yeah, I've got a couple of other items now, but it's been freebee stuff that I've collected over the years, nothing specialized) I think if you went with 7-8' rod with a good middle of the line reel spooled with 20# braid, you'd be just fine fishing for both Steelhead and trout, but you'd not really be content fishing for either one as you'd always wish for just a little bit different setup for each.
Therefore, I certainly suggest investing in one of the setups that the other guys here recommend that can be used for Steelhead, salmon, and even some good bass fishing and keep your trout gear separate.
After all, you don't cut down a tree with a pocket knife, it takes a chainsaw. Fishing is like any other job or sport, you need the right tools for the job. One of these days I'll convince MY wife of that! lol. JM2C.

My first Salmon/Steelhead rod last season was a 9'6 Okuma Celilo for $40.00 and a cheap Quantam spinning reel I bought on E-bay for $19.00. I caught a good amount of Salmon with it and some pushed over 25lbs. My son uses this set up now with an upgrade on the reel, but he strictly uses it for float fishing.

I have a 10 foot 6 inch spinning rod rated for 2-8 pound text (5 dollars a garage sale) and a trout sized okuma spinning real that was about 40 bucks spooled with 10lb mono. Its heavy enough to catch steelhead and salmon and light enough for 8 inch trout. My dad uses a 11'6' loomis spinning rod thats rated 1-4 lb test i believe and hes landed 30 pound plus kings on it before so i wouldnt worry to much about getting to light of a rod