Great question and you will get as many answers as there are stars in the sky but the first question you should ask is what type and size rivers are you fishing, what are the average size of the fish you will be catching, how much do I want to spend and do I want to use a bait casting or spinning set up? On most of the rivers I fish from fall through early spring my basic set up is a 10'6" Cabela's Fish Eagle II it is rated as medium action and 8-14lb line. I match it with an ancient Penn Spinfisher Z. I have 2 identical set ups one spooled with 20 lb power pro the other with 30 lb power pro (mostly for spring and fall kings and high water fishing for late spring natives). I can easily throw 1/4-1/2 oz. jig/float combos with the 20 and from 3/8-3/4 oz jig/float combos with the 30. However, when it's freezing I use my old Mitchell 300's spooled with 15 lb. mono since it doesn't freeze to the spool but it does cut down on the length of drift I am able to effectively control since it sinks. But as spring greenery begins to bloom and the rivers drop I start running out of casting room so I commonly go to rods as short as 7' just to fit the conditions I face. As for bobber stops I've beenl using the same spool of 30 lb. dacron for more years than I can remember. Carefully tie a 9 turn Uni-knot so it seats evenly and leave about 1/2 inch tag on each end so you can tighten it when necessary and it slides through my guides easily.
steelhead fishing rod and float set up
I am new to fishing, I started this year with just casting spoons but now I wanted to get a float rod for winter and spring steelhead. I have a couple of question about the set up tho:
1. What are some good float rods. I have been looking at the Okuma SST 9'6" or 10'6", how important are the size of the rod guides for bobber stops and ice build up?
2. Is the bobber stop suppose to through the rods guides? Whats better the pre tied bobber stops or rubber ones? Do they all fit thought the rod guides? What brand bobber stops do you use? How does that effect casting?
I fishing Michigan rivers like the Au Sable.
Edit:
Has anyone use one of these rods: it would be paired with a pflueger presidential spinning
1. Okuma Celilo Salmon & Steelhead Spinning Rod 9'6 med light
2. Okuma SST Salmon & Steelhead Spinning Rod 9'6 or 10'6 med light
3. Okuma Aveon Steelhead Spinning Combo 9'6 med light
How important is the size of a rods guides for float fishing, particularly in the winter with ice build up and when casting with a bobber stop?
1. What are some good float rods. I have been looking at the Okuma SST 9'6" or 10'6", how important are the size of the rod guides for bobber stops and ice build up?
2. Is the bobber stop suppose to through the rods guides? Whats better the pre tied bobber stops or rubber ones? Do they all fit thought the rod guides? What brand bobber stops do you use? How does that effect casting?
I fishing Michigan rivers like the Au Sable.
Edit:
Has anyone use one of these rods: it would be paired with a pflueger presidential spinning
1. Okuma Celilo Salmon & Steelhead Spinning Rod 9'6 med light
2. Okuma SST Salmon & Steelhead Spinning Rod 9'6 or 10'6 med light
3. Okuma Aveon Steelhead Spinning Combo 9'6 med light
How important is the size of a rods guides for float fishing, particularly in the winter with ice build up and when casting with a bobber stop?
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
I actually just put this list together for a coworker who wanted to start chasing steel.
Rods- You will want a rod around 9'6", medium power, moderate-fast or fast action. Here are a few options from different companies.
Okuma:
SST-S-962ML
SST-S-902M
GSP-S-992ML
GSP-S-992M
Lamiglas:
LX 96 MSGH
LX 96 MS
HS 94 MS
HS 911 MS
Shimano:
SMS96M2B
CSS96M2D
Reels:
Either a 2500 or 3000 size spinning reel. Shimano Nasci, Sahara or Sedona. Pflueger President in either a size 25 or 30. Okuma Ceymar C30. I know people love their Penns too.
Rods- You will want a rod around 9'6", medium power, moderate-fast or fast action. Here are a few options from different companies.
Okuma:
SST-S-962ML
SST-S-902M
GSP-S-992ML
GSP-S-992M
Lamiglas:
LX 96 MSGH
LX 96 MS
HS 94 MS
HS 911 MS
Shimano:
SMS96M2B
CSS96M2D
Reels:
Either a 2500 or 3000 size spinning reel. Shimano Nasci, Sahara or Sedona. Pflueger President in either a size 25 or 30. Okuma Ceymar C30. I know people love their Penns too.
For float fishing extra length is important, sensitivity is not. I typically use a 10'-6" loomis IMX for float fishing but the reality is there is no need to use a high end rod for that technique so something like the 10'-6" okuma you mention would probably be a good choice.
Yes, the stops are supposed to go though the guides except when fishing shallower water where they don't need to. I pretty much always use the pre-tied stops that come with aero-floats (haven't found another float I like) which have always worked fine for me.
Yes, the stops are supposed to go though the guides except when fishing shallower water where they don't need to. I pretty much always use the pre-tied stops that come with aero-floats (haven't found another float I like) which have always worked fine for me.
I would like to point out that the OP is fishing great lakes steelhead and the conditions are a bit different, so I would go for a light or medium-light setup. The fish generally aren't as big, the water is much colder (sub-freezing air temps are possible and water temps are almost freezing), flows aren't as heavy, and people usually use much lighter setups. I would go with a light or medium light float rod, something that is at least 9 and a half feet, the longer the better.
Things could have changed, but when I lived in the midwest anything above 6lb leaders were "heavy duty" stuff for king salmon.
Things could have changed, but when I lived in the midwest anything above 6lb leaders were "heavy duty" stuff for king salmon.
thanks for the adviceI would like to point out that the OP is fishing great lakes steelhead and the conditions are a bit different, so I would go for a light or medium-light setup. The fish generally aren't as big, the water is much colder (sub-freezing air temps are possible and water temps are almost freezing), flows aren't as heavy, and people usually use much lighter setups. I would go with a light or medium light float rod, something that is at least 9 and a half feet, the longer the better.
Things could have changed, but when I lived in the midwest anything above 6lb leaders were "heavy duty" stuff for king salmon.
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
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