[David Blades]

Never used salmon gear before. I'm a very keen trout fisherman but I've only ever caught salmon while fishing for trout with trout gear.

This year I have a week booked on the Deveron and have joined the ADAA so some new water is available to me.

Just wondered if anyone could suggest a balanced set up for a salmon newbie, rod, reel and line.

For trout I currently use Loop AEG or Yellow Line rods with Loop Opti reels..... not too concerned with the money side of things, would rather get the right gear.

Thanks in advance

[Graham Ritchie]

For the Don and Deveron, in my opinion a 14ft rod will be the best all-rounder. Probably one of the best 14ft rods available at the moment is the Mackenzie DTX. I would use this with a short head line, these rivers are not particularly wide and on some of the slower stretches you will need to handline to keep the fly fishing attractively. I personally favour the Airflo Delta Spey lines, which have a 55ft head in the 9/10 size, which will balance the 14ft DTX. Ideally you would need both the full floating line, with a selection of 5ft and 10ft polyleaders for fishing higher in the water during the summer and low water conditions, plus the multi-tip version for the spring/autumn and high water. For reels, if money does not come into it, the Danielson reels are hard to beat.

[Ben Dixon]

For the Don and Deveron, in my opinion a 14ft rod will be the best all-rounder. Probably one of the best 14ft rods available at the moment is the Mackenzie DTX. I would use this with a short head line, these rivers are not particularly wide and on some of the slower stretches you will need to handline to keep the fly fishing attractively. I personally favour the Airflo Delta Spey lines, which have a 55ft head in the 9/10 size, which will balance the 14ft DTX. Ideally you would need both the full floating line, with a selection of 5ft and 10ft polyleaders for fishing higher in the water during the summer and low water conditions, plus the multi-tip version for the spring/autumn and high water. For reels, if money does not come into it, the Danielson reels are hard to beat.

Agree with that, 14' would be the best all round option, DTX 14'er is a sweet rod and will cast more or less any line you could ever want to use.  I'd go with the Rio AFS or AFS outbound as a line personally, just that bit shorter in the head and very easy to cast, probably the easiest casting line I have come across, I use these for teaching beginners as it gets them up and running fast.

Cheers

Ben

[Hamish Young]

I tried to post earlier..... but somehow my session timed out  perhaps I spent too much time typing

Now that I've had a coffee or three to improve my mood I see some sound advice has been posted I would expect nothing less

I'd agree with the rod suggestion, the DTX range is sweet
I'm also with Ben on line choice, my spey casting is hardly elegant (functional ) but the AFS heads are simply the very best investment I have made in salmon fishing equipment - period. They are the ideal thing on the Don, awkward banks and tricky wading often mean it's difficult to make a decent D loop with a full head spey line, the AFS heads make life soooo much easier
An additional purchase of polyleaders makes the floating and slow sink AFS heads a very flexible outfit.

If we've 'sorted' rod and lines only reel choice is left. Now I am a self confessed tackle tart, amongst others I have reels from Orvis, Lamson and Abel in Salmon sizes..... but what you maybe need to consider is not going too light. IMHO the reel should balance the rod nicely. That's why I sold my newer and lighter Lamson reels, just too light for my Orvis Shooting Star 14' rod (which is a belting rod for the money by the way).
So long as the reel balances the rod and can hold the line and plenty of backing with a half decent drag system then you're sorted. It's the tackle tart in us all that makes some reel choices a very personal preference.

Once you've got the gear spend the money left over on some tuition if you haven't used the kit before.
Like time spent in reconnaissance, money spent on decent tuition is seldom wasted and will let you fish more than learn as you go along

H 

[David Blades]

Thank you guys..... I'm grateful for the advice. I do like the Mackenzie rods so these will be on the consideration list.

I have used Lamson reels and although I like them, I now prefer Loop.

Line wise, would a 9/10 weight be the best all round starter point??

I do intend to get a few lessons re casting with a salmon rod.

Like you Hamish and to use your phrase..... I too am a self confessed 'tackle tart' (and whisky collector, not drinker  )

Again, many thanks for he tips.

[Matt Henderson]

I too am an AFS fan.  I rarely use my full length spey lines although they aren't exactly massive with a 65ft head length when fishing on the Don.  I have an on going arguement with a guy at work who considers shooting heads to be for distance only but then complains that he doesn't have room for forming the D loop on the Don.   ???

And lessons are a must!

[Ben Dixon]

I have an on going arguement with a guy at work who considers shooting heads to be for distance only but then complains that he doesn't have room for forming the D loop on the Don.   ???

And lessons are a must!

Common misconception, you will actually get more distance with a long belly if you know what you are oing and have the space.  Shooting heads are simply a short heavy piece of fly line meaning the rod will load better than at close range hence more controlled close up casts than can be easily achieved with say 1/2 the head of a mid bellied line outside of the tip.

Ben

[Hamish Young]

Line wise, would a 9/10 weight be the best all round starter point??

I'd say so, yes. A 9/10 wt rod will cover all you need to do without fuss. You might say a 9/10 weight is the journeyman of the salmon fishing world - not too light, not too heavy, just about right for everything

H 

[David Blades]

I'd say so, yes. A 9/10 wt rod will cover all you need to do without fuss. You might say a 9/10 weight is the journeyman of the salmon fishing world - not too light, not too heavy, just about right for everything

H 

Many thanks