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Prefered single hander for Gaspe in June - 8wt or 9wt?

4K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  peter-s-c 
#1 ·
Thinking about building a new rod (Winston BIIX) for an early/mid June trip that I have booked on the York and Dartmouth.
Last fall my favourite 8wt bit the dust. It was fine for handling fall fish up to around 20lbs, didn't hook anything larger.
I'm wondering if bright, big (20-30lbs) June fish might warrant a 9wt, or if an 8wt will suffice. I already have a 2 hander for an 8/9 line, so just I'll just be building one more.

Thanks!
Troy

PS Pretty quiet on here lately!
 
#3 ·
do you prefer blonds or brunettes? It really is a preference thing rather than what you need. Lee Wulff showed you can land large salmon with no reel, and landed big salmon on trout gear and small flies. The difference in playing a big early fish with either an 8 or 9 wt will probably not matter.

Thus it comes down to what you like and can handle well. Early in the year you will likely face big water and bigger flies, so if you can throw that well with an 8 wt, no problem. There is not too much difference with the 9 wt single, although it might be fun to bring a two handed rig with you since this will make some situations considerable easier.

I'm fishing the Restigouche the third week of June and will bring an 8 wt single and a 10 wt 15 foot TCR two hander for fun.

Tight Lines,

JIm Y
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the photos Ann!

Ahhh, June seems so far away...

To everyone else, thanks for the rod input. I was thinking that the 9wt would have just a bit more backbone than an 8wt if it is necessary to put some serious pressure on a big fish (say to try and keep it from heading too far down river). I'd prefer the 8wt since it is easier to cast all day than a 9wt, so if I can get away with it, that's what I'll use.

Cheers,
Troy

PS Since Ann has started posting some water pictures, I'll put up a very pretty hen that I landed last fall on the York. :)
 

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#11 ·
Many years ago I considered a 10 wieght mandatory for salmon fishing. As the years went on, I started matching the rod with the river and not the fish. This led me to fish a five wieght on several of the branches of the Midfiordera in the early 80s. I did take a twenty pounder on it which did take some time, but otherwise, I dont recall having to much difficultly. I do recall how pleasurable it was to cast and swing a wet on a five wieght.

Since then, I fished a nine wieght on the Kharlofka which was too small a rod for that river......but I was able to handle any fish that took. It was the river that was tough on that small a rod.

My question to this board is "what length" of one handed rod do we prefer. I like the 10 footers over the nine footers for wet fly fishing as the extra length gives you more line control for mending. This past year I found that these 10 footers were quite slow on the strike when fishing dries, thus I think I missed a lot of fish. I have a #6 and #8, both 10 footers. Wonder if I should break down and get a 9 footer for both dries and wets. Looking for some input
 
#12 ·
All good points! I say a nine-foot, nine-weight. You have more power to land and release fish quickly without trouble and more weight above the handle to beat the wind! Extra length for mending is important, but not at the cost of missing the rare strike. Just my opinion. (The rod fits in the car more easily as well)


Oh , And s Ann says, keep a few dries handy (a few dozen anyway) :cool:
 
#13 · (Edited)
Many years ago I considered a 10 wieght mandatory for salmon fishing. As the years went on, I started matching the rod with the river and not the fish. venture 02/03/07
I couldn't agree more, the tool should always match the job at hand.

Its my general understanding that longer rods of the same line class will have more flex in the upper portion/s of the blank?

Have a couple differant 10' sixes but considering another rod. Leaning towards a med fast 9'6" for an eight. Doubtfull i will make any june fishing... things are just to good locally during that time frame to give up. July or possible late fall, If the waters rippin an 11.5' DBL hand for the heavy work.

New to Salar.. but firmly HOOKED. appreciate the accumulated wisdom of this boards members.

SG

Edit: Venture, consider trying several differant rods within the lengths that you prefer, one may far outshine the rest for you. good luck.
 
#14 ·
I think I may break down and get a 9 foot 8 wieght for all around dry and wets as it matches most of the rivers I fish quite well. I will start there. I just love fishing those 10 footers, but as I said, they are quite slow on the strike when fishing drys.
 
#15 ·
Venture said:
I just love fishing those 10 footers, but as I said, they are quite slow on the strike when fishing drys.
"Slow on the strike" seems the ultimate oxymoron with dries for Atlantic salmon. I've never experienced the problem with Atlantic salmon. Years ago, my missed strikes with Salar were solved by slowing down . . . me, not the rod. My 1008 sage RPLs will continue to be my favorite single handers for salmon and steelhead. Plus, I've never considered them slow.
Bill
 
#16 ·
Bill,

My usual reaction to a dry take is to let the fish take it down and then set. Last year though, I had many difficulties with that technique until I finally wacked one with a quick strike right simultaniously with the take. Got that one. But regardless of your timing, that extra foot and the slight extra softness in my opinion is not as efficient as a slightly stiffer 9 footer when setting hooks with drys.....regardless of when you strike.
 
#18 ·
And what about reels & backing?

Just recycling this thread as I'm embarrassed to admit that with all of the two-handed fishing I've been doing, I haven't landed a really big salmonid on a single hander in four or five years. I think the last time a big salmonid took me into my backing on a single hander was in '99 on the Mo'.

Thinking back, a general rule was, "smaller rivers need less reel" simply because the fish ran less with less room. Most were reluctant to leave the pool. For the Gaspé, I'm looking at 100 yards of 30 lb. as judging by the pictures of the rivers, if a fish ever got 100 yards downstream of me, it's into the third or fourth pool by then and it's definitely a gonner. Given what I can see of the rivers, backing is more for filling up the reel.

Right? Wrong? I'll be using a stiff 8 wt. 9 footer -- when I'm not using two hands.
 
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