[Sandy Nelson]

Here's the rub.

Next year i fancy trying my hand at Salmon fly fishing.........  again

Now i have a good selection of reels to take lines from 7-9wt due to the saltwater fishing i've been doing.
so i'd rather keep the rod in this range of line sizes, to my mind an 8 sounds like a good size.

The rod is likely to be used on the Don and Ythan (probably mostly the Ythan cos no-one fly fishes it ), with perhaps the odd trip to the Dee,Spey, so i don't see much need for anything too heavy, i did figure on using my saltwater 9ft rods as single handed salmon rods, but i quite fancy learning to use a double hander properly. I will be getting a couple of lessons to brush up on the techniques but it will be trying to remain focussed that will be the problem. I think if i do it with flies that i like ie, Spey style and small hairwing doubles then i will perhaps stick it out a bit longer. Mind you i suppose most of the salmon fishing will be done early/late season when i'm not chasing gold so may need sinking lines ......... lots to think about:X1

What do most of you use on the Don? and does any-one fly fish the Ythan for salmon?

Being me, a double handed 12ft6" 6wt sounds like a real plan but perhaps the same length with an 8wt would be more suitable for bigger flees

Help............................please

Sandy

[Irvine Ross]

Sandy

If you want to try my 13' #8/9 built on a CTS blank then you are welcome. That might narrow down your search a bit.

Cheers
Irvine

[Alex Burnett]

Sandy

I have a Bruce & Walker 9-11 Expert 14ft if you want to chuck that around a bit.

Alex

[Dave Mundie]

What do most of you use on the Don? and does any-one fly fish the Ythan for salmon?


Sandy

This has been my first year fishing for salmon/sea trout with the fly on the Ythan as I'm also new to it I just used my Single handed Shakespeare Odyssey 9'4" (2.85m) #7/8 with a WF7F.

Dave

[Ben Dixon]

Being me, a double handed 12ft6" 6wt sounds like a real plan

 

Hi Sandy,

No better way to get pissed off with salmon fishing than to go out under gunned.  I've try a few 6wt 'Spey' rods, they've all been very pleasant to play with but utter garbage and a total waste of space in real world terms, nice toys but that is exactly what they are IMO.  A niche rod for very particular fishing situations.  You should go for something that casts a line heavy enough to deal with tubes & tips when required which really, is most of the time.

On the lower & Middle Don I use a 15' in the Spring or in big water or cold water at any time of year.  In summer or during warm weather / low water I use a 13' on middle & lower river.  Once above Alford I only ever use a 13' in cold or big conditions and a switch rod or single hander in summer.

If you are getting just one rod then don't go any lighter than an 8/9 weight.  Length should be decided by thinking about where you are going to fish most often and how much of your fishing will involve wading deeper than your knees.  Get a rod that will suit that situation and then, if necessary, get another rod for smaller or bigger waters.  Advantages of a longer rod are mainly in deep wading situations, line control when playing a fish and line control on the water although this is less of an issue if fishing shooting heads.  Disadvantages are that they are cumbersome to fish really close up and if fishing alone with high banks and deep water, it can be a real pain landing a fish on a long rod.

If you are set on a shorter lighter rod that comes in flat pack form the Irvines suggestion takes some beating.  If you want to go buy one ready made then the MacKenzie DTX 13' shooting head rod takes some beating.

Getting the right lines for the job will make a big difference.  I'd go for shooting heads, they make life easy.

I'll bring a 13'er over to Haddo tomorrow.

CHeers

Ben

[Graham Ritchie]

Although the Ythan is a narrow river, it has large stretches with weed extending well out from the bank and is too deep to wade (you would be walking through the lies anyway), so a long rod is a distinct advantage. The few times I have fished it in recent seasons, always late in the season, I have fished with 14 or 15ft rods. For an allrounder, I would opt for a 14ft 9/10, this will handle the heavier tubes/tips or sinking lines, while still being light enough for summer work with smaller flies on a floating line.

[Hamish Young]

Something between 13' and 15' would be my choice, and most suitable for 99% of the conditions you're likely to be fishing in. Ben and Graham make all the necessary observations, no point in my elaborating on what they've said already.
As you have a penchant for building, I'd look at the following:
http://www.davidnorwich.com/Salmondoublehandspeyrods.htm and most probably the 13'6" 9/10.
or
http://www.guidesnblanks.com/product/445/category/218 which would be in keeping with your Sage addiction
Go straight to shooting heads, it's just sooooo much easier

H 

[Sandy Nelson]

What sage addiction they are all for SWFF
All my FW rods are Scott cept the boo 

So there

[Matt Henderson]

I may be slightly biased but I really enjoy my 13ft 8/9 CTX rod.  A pleasure to fish and sometimes I can get it to put out a nice line. Welcome to have a shot if you promise not to critique the rod building.

cheers

matt

[Hamish Young]

What sage addiction they are all for SWFF
All my FW rods are Scott cept the boo 

So there

Apologies, my hazy memory of forum posts recalls a thread of Sages being built, a blank being offered for sale, Sage in pictures and so on. I assumed you had developed (or were disposing of) a Sage addiction from that evidence but - quite clearly - I am mistaken.
How foolish of me 

H 

[Hamish Young]

PS - by the way that Sage salmon blank is a goody 

H 

[Ben Dixon]

Sandy,

That DTX 13' you were throwing today will cope with a 38g head which will carry all but the nastiest of tubes but you'll not get a blank.  The CTS that Matt & Irvine built are sweet sticks and fairly close in action and stiffness, maybe a bit less stiff but has about the same action.

The ZA 9143 is very average for the price but will chuck heavier lines & gear, this is the "ladies" rod used to great defect in the brilliant "How to Spey Cast" by Mike Daunt   

Ben

[Sandy Nelson]

Sages being built, a blank being offered for sale, Sage in pictures and so on.

Nothing other than boredom and the readily available blanks And you may also recall they have always been sold,
although i may still have 5 or 6 they are all for SWFF honest

Rather liked todays oversize stick, although it was easier to cast with with my left hand who knows........................??
I enjoyed the impromtu lesson as well, even if i couldn't hold the rod in quite as elegant and effeete a way.

I did have much more fun finding a new line for my wee Boo though, funny how i always seem to gravitate back to the DT4

Methinks prospecting for gold will always give me more of a rush than searching for silver, unless its tinted with lavender
But it could be a good way to keep warm in March, without being behind the vice.

Sandy

[Iain Goolager]

Gent's,

I can't offer the same insight as some of the previous posters but I do have one query/question/thought/ observation........

Is there any reason to go longer than 13' and heavier than 8/9? (using SH systems). I've fished but a fraction of the overall Don but have fished it where it was possibly as wide as it gets while still freshwater & have never felt handicapped by the outfit - by the terrain & my vorsprung teknik, yes.

C'mon Feb 11th       :z19

Iain

[Sandy Nelson]

Cheers to everyone who has offered me the chance to try something, its much appreciated .
as is all the advice, i still think the whole idea is quite off putting, but i will probably give it a go

I've all winter to think about it and maybe i'll drop some of you a PM and see what we can do as regards getting the odd cast here and there. Our flexible friend gave me loads of good tips yesterday, it just needs practice and smoothing out.
Was a pleasure watching him so there is lots to learn and most likely a useful addition to the armoury

Much fun yet to come

Sandy