7wt or 8wt?

[Deadeye008]

Going to pick up a new rod here shortly and am deciding between a 7wt or 8wt. Mostly going to be used to throw big streamers at big trout but I'd also like to have a rod I could use occasionally for muskie/pike and possibly steelhead. Is 7wt. too light for those? Thanks.
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[riverdog]

My 2 cents. 7 wt is too heavy for the trout and too light for others. You need a 6 wt plus a 8 or 9 wt.
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[sinergy]

7 & 8 are pretty heavy rods kinda depends on how much to trout fishing and how much you Musky / Pike fish your going to be doing. Best to get two rods one trout 4,5, or 6 wt and one 7,8, or 9 for everything bigger
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[Tarponjim]

Your question states "mostly" big streamers at big trout, and "occasionally" muskie, pike, and/or steelhead. Definitely would be a 7 over an 8 for me. The 8 is too much for trout. Muskie, pike, and steelies can all be taken comfortably on the 7. And remember, today's 7 is yesterday's 9! The modern graphite rod is a broomstick in most cases.
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[flygoddess]

Eight weight and it need not be heavy. I have a BIIx that weighs less then most four or five weights.
Myself, it would be six and eight. I do ha e a seven spey.
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[pookiebar]

I would go with a good 10 ft 7 wt. IMO it is the most versatile rod out there. Because of the length the tip is fairly soft so you can go after small trout with dries and do fine. Or because it is thick in the back end you can handle any salmon out there fine too. I have caught lots of steelhead, coho and chums on a seven wt.

It's a fun rod, and if you are looking to just get one rod to start it is a good way to go.
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[Flyfishinglover]

It all depends how far you can cast and how sensitive your fingers are when a fish pulls because i can use a 5,6,8 wts and I dont feel anything difference except that the rod is lighter. I can still catch bluegills easily with 8wt its all feels the same in my points. Its just really sensitive to the line apparently.

ya the 8wt 4 piece rod i have broke on a 20 in bow ly. oh well cableas will love to see me again at least. Lesson learned dont raise your rod tip high up with a big fish into a float tube [crazy]. Every rod you break is another lesson learn about fly fishing. Been there done that and still learning ha ha ha. Ya if you looking at rods in cabelas for any reason it breaks and you got the receipts you can exchange for new one no question asked.

GOTA LOVE MADE IN CHINA FLY RODS EHHHHHHH!!!!
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[Flyfishinglover]

ha ha ha 8wt to much for trout. Latly a 20 in bow broke my rod. Graphite fly rods dont like me at all and I dont like them either but we got to still work together somehow.
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[Tarponjim]

Improper "high sticking" will break any rod on any fish. They're not made to do that! You don't buy a fly rod based on strength, you buy it based on what fly line you want to use to deliver the fly, and how much "rod" you need to quickly land your quarry based on your fishing skills. With the right technique, you can land pretty large fish on fairly light rods in a short amount of time. I land 30 pound tarpon, which pull more and run more and jump more than any trout or salmon on the planet, in under 10 minutes with a 7 weight. I've landed tarpon over 100 pounds with an 8 weight in under 30 minutes. I've landed pike over 50 inches (30 pounds) with a 7 weight in less than 5 minutes. 20-40 pound king salmon all day with an 8-wt., all in under 10 minutes. Its all about how you pull, when you pull, and at what angle you pull. Most any large streamer can be cast effectively with a 7 or 8 weight. As you fish more and cast more, you'll see.
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[Flyfishinglover]

ya when it comes with just fly fishing for 2-3 years you always learn something new . Thats sweet that you caught salmon and tarpon on fly rod. I would love to catch a barracuda on a fly rod one day. [cool]
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[RockyRaab]

I've always believed you could cover 90%+ of all freshwater fishing with a 5-wt and a 7-wt. The five might be a bit heavy for small stream work, and the seven might be a bit light for some big water/fish situations - but not by much. And you could get away with either just fine with the right technique and line.

My only two rods? Guess.
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[STEVEF39]

I have been using a 7wt for throwing big streamers at trout all year and has done great, dont know about the pike,muskie or the steelhead but think if your mostly using it for trout go for the 7wt, just my 2 cents though.
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[Deadeye008]

Thanks for all the responses. I've got a 5wt BVK that is my go-to rod right now so I have that lower end covered(I've got a 5'9" 3wt for the really small stuff). I think I'm gonna go with the 7wt since I'll mostly be using it for trout. If I find I'm outgunned with the steelies and muskie I'll pick up a 9wt down the road haha. Thanks again!
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[flygoddess]

I do think it boils down to odd or evens[cool][blush] I am evens[laugh]
But my go to for stillwater is six, rivers a four,but again, my Helios weighs less than my four weights.
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[Browntrout]

You might ask yourself a different question:
Are you in the school of Kelly Galloup or Jeremy Hunt
when fishing streamers? Then you might be able to
more closely determine the rod wt. of choice.
Good Luck---
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[pepem7]

my buddies and i have used 7 or 8 wieght rods in lengths from 9-10 ft for steelies on the salmon river for the past several years and have been able to land fish a plenty, some 30" plus. I think it will work fine for what ever you are doing. As someone said earlier, techniques also plays a big part. One thing to look at that i may be looking into this year is smaller 10-12ft spey around the 6wt size. Had a friend i fished with last year using one of those for steelies and he made landing them look like a breeze. However a nice 7/8 wt will work fine. I use a ross fs i picked up for cheep, and works awsome.
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[kochanut]

why not both, if you can? and then, when you save a little more money, for big streamers get the Bank Robber... its $$$$ all on its own
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[riverdog]

[quote Browntrout]You might ask yourself a different question:
Are you in the school of Kelly Galloup or Jeremy Hunt
when fishing streamers? Then you might be able to
more closely determine the rod wt. of choice.
Good Luck---[/quote]

I'm not sure want you mean by this. What size rods do KG and JH use to throw big streamers for trout? I've landed tons of 20-26 inch trout in rivers on good 3 and 4 wt rods and only recall about twice loosing a fish that I thought I'd land with a bigger rod. No trout has taking me more than about 3 minutes to land ever on any rod. If I'm targeting big trout my 6 wt Helios has never met it's match. I even landed some King Salmon in the 15- 20 lb range under 5 minutes with that rod this summer when by catch when targeting big grayling and bows.
Jim mentioned today 7 is a 9 wt. I believe that's true with some of the premium rods but not usually true with lower and mid priced rods.
The drawback of using heavier wt rods is after a couple thousand casts my shoulder has had it and I don't even want to fish the next day.
The reason I suggest I heavier rod for some of the non trout is most of us aren't Tarpon Jims []. I've also been totally put in my place by fresh trophy size silvers on a 8 wt. Only took a cast or 2 for them to nail a steamer. Didn't even begin to land 1 in 10 hooked. Lost more streamers that day than the worst month of losing flies ever.
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[flygoddess]

I am going to echo the other forum suggestion on an eight weight.
But I have a hard time imagining one rod working for so many tasks (actually, that comment really works when I see a new rod...LOL)
For big river steel or salmon I think a 10' and up switch or spey, but I see an 8 weight because of current. I landed a nice 20" cutt this weekend in fast current with a 4 weight glass, but what a chore and I am sure the cutt felt that.
The length for the long casts as flies for these species need not be huge.
For bass, Carp, Musky, Pike, I like the idea of a 7'11" to a 9' max. BIG bugs like 4" to 6" flies need that strength and back bone. Again, I think eight weight.

But the rods do not need to be heavy!!!!!! Yes it will cost a little more but you can get an eight weight that weighs very in the 2 lb range. No sore shoulder, no fatigue.
I have caught 36" carp and Trout with my 6 wt. but eight is a nice secure feeling.

I would not feel over gunned fishing an eight weight Helios or BIIx on 12" trout water. The rods are that light and responsive, but they can also cast the 12" fly.[]
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[Browntrout]

KG generally uses a 6 wt. to throw streamers. JH uses a 9 wt.
450 gr. line to throw streamers on the White River. JH is going
after big browns. The purpose of the heavy line is to get down fast
into the strike zone. Therefore he needs a fast 9 wt. to throw
the 450 gr. line. JH does not speak of big streamers as the #1 priority for choosing a rod wt. but rather the line gr. matching the rod wt. Just another way to look at streamer fishing.
I started throwing RIO Lake 7 on my 6 wt.Z Axis this yr. The soul purpose was to get down faster in the deep holes. I believed this helped in many situations.
I agree---an experienced fisherman, as yourself, can catch large fish on a light rod.
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