Fly rod for Chinook?

Bryan · Jul 30, 2023

I'm sure this has been addressed previously, but thought I'd get an update.

What fly rods are folks recommending/using for Chinook fishing? Some recommendations I've read are for a 9wt or 10wt 9' single hand. Others, including Jay Nicholas, like using a Spey rod because of their length and stronger butts which make it better to deal with a Chinook that goes under your boat and wants to stay there.

My fishing would be mostly lower estuaries and coastal bays.

Thanks.

Cheers,

Spfd Jason · Jul 30, 2023

I've never struggled to land fall chinook up to 25lbs with my 9wt rods. My brother in law uses a 10wt and it was put to the test when he hooked and we netted a brute in the 35-40lb range.

Cowlitz Bottomfeeder · Jul 30, 2023

The nine worked fine for me. Bought a ten and used it mostly for chum. One of my friends uses an eight and it works for him. All single hand rods.

Paige · Jul 30, 2023

I would base it off what the largest size wild fish that would have to be released. Fishing from a boat I would definitely use a single hander.
If there is a chance of 30# + native Chinook that would have to be released I'd be using a 10wt at minimum. Don't want to drag out a fight on something to be released just to have it go belly up.

Smalma · Jul 30, 2023

Lile much of our fishing the appropriate size rod is dependent on several variables. Since I have only caught Chinook (a fair number of them) on single handed rods my comments are likely tempered by that experience. Factors to consider is the weight/size of flies to be thrown, heavy weighted large flies will require a larger stick than one for thrown smaller unweighted flies. The size of the river., more specifically the "heaviness" for the flow should be consider. All other factors being equal a brawling river with heavy flows will fish better with a larger rod and potentially a spey. As mentioned earlier the expected size of the fish to be encountered. Here on Puget Sound streams where the average Chinook maybe only 10# and anything over 20# rare a rod that might be typically used for steelhead could more than adequate. Finally, the angler's experience with fighting and controlling larger fish should be considered.

In considering all the above one might find a single hand rod from 7 weight to 10 weight a good fit.

Curt

Shad · Jul 30, 2023

Not sure where you guys are regularly hooking up with 30+ kings these days, let alone on bug rods, but in the world I fish in, an 8 or 9-wt. will subdue just about any salmon I'm likely to encounter.

Yes... big kings still exist, and yes, some of them might eat a fly, but considering the odds, I question how heavy one ought to gear up for any salmon these days. (Heavier tackle = bigger price tag; smoke 'em if you got 'em I guess...)

RRSmith · Jul 30, 2023

In my somewhat limited experience, there's a distinct difference between spring and fall chinook as far as how they react when hooked. I fish both 9 and 10 weight single hand rods in tidewater. I prefer a 10 weight for the springers - it's almost always windy and we are often in a crowd with other boat guys and bankies. A fresh in from the ocean spring chinook goes nuts when hooked!

HauntedByWaters · Jul 30, 2023

8wt works for me. If they want to get away they can. Even with gear, if they are gone they are gone.

Jake Watrous · Jul 30, 2023

Can do it with a 6 or 7wt if there’s no structure. Much easier with an 8 or 9, but if there’s structure or you’re in a river it may be a job for a 10wt.

EDIT: Structure, not suture. Stupid autocorrect

Porter2 · Jul 30, 2023

For salt and early river entry
Washington -Oregon 8-9 weight
Alaska - Canada 9-10 weight

Higher up in rivers knock it down one weight each. Or not.

9 weight is probably the perfect all rounder but if some biggies expected (30# ^) I would bump up to a 10. MHO

aseredick · Jul 30, 2023

If you’re considering using a two-hand rod there’s lots of suggestions here:

King Salmon Rig Roundup

King or Chinook Salmon spey rigs used by expert anglers like Dec Hogan, Ed Ward and Tom Larimer

deneki.com

Trend in two-handed rod seems to be towards shorter 9 and 10 weights - not longer than 13’. Echo King is often touted as a “budget” option which is funny because it’s $700+ where I live.

Dustin Chromers · Jul 30, 2023

From a boat or salt situation a nine or ten weight single hand rod. For actual swinging in big rivers an eight weight Spey is minimum. A short nine weight Spey is more fitting.

SilverFly · Jul 30, 2023

For me, fall hatchery chinook is time to load the smoker. I like hitting pocket water on a rising river. The best spots are better suited to kayaking than fly, or even gear fishing for that matter. Nothing elegant about this so I'm typically using a 12wt, and still get my butt kicked more often than not.

SurfnFish · Jul 30, 2023

Have fished and discussed tidewater King fishing with Jay a fair amount over the years, and know his preference is for 9' - 9wt rods for Kings and for a simple reason...during King season in the estuaries, throwing a hundred casts a day with a balanced 9 weight is much more forgiving on the shoulder than a 10 weight as the fishing days stack up.
Thing about a husky King, not going to fight it from anchor anyway with a fly rod, going to throw the anchor buoy over the side and guide/follow the King out of the hole so others can keep fishing, and knowing how/when to use the resistance of the line in the water is as crucial as the butt of the rod.
Get into tidewater/estuary King fishing and you'll likely end up with several rods in the boat, usually tipped with Clouser, Shrimp and Comet patterns, that first tug telling you what's working.
When it comes to Kings, that tug really is the drug...

..

Russell · Jul 30, 2023

My only experience on the fly for Chinooks was the mouth of the Samish river. I had a sage 8wt rpl and a teton reel.. They just took me into the pilings and debris. My 8wt and teton could do nothing to turn their heads. Lost quite a few flies before I quit.
I needed a heavier rod and a reel with a better drag to deal with all the obstacles.

SurfnFish · Jul 30, 2023

Russell said:
My only experience on the fly for Chinooks was the mouth of the Samish river. I had a sage 8wt rpl and a teton reel.. They just took me into the pilings and debris. My 8wt and teton could do nothing to turn their heads. Lost quite a few flies before I quit.
I needed a heavier rod and a reel with a better drag to deal with all the obstacles.

if I'm wade fishing King's, which I still occasionally do in fall, a 9 wt switch tipped with 20# flouro is my go to...without a boat the only course of action is brute strength...if ain't sweating, ain't fighting hard enough

Bob Rankin · Jul 31, 2023

I hooked quite a few kings and chums on a 9’6” 7wt Sage RPL+, but that thing is a freakin broom stick. I remember the first one I hooked swinging for steelhead, the old Guideline reel I had about broke all my knuckles on some blistering runs. Would I recommend that…? No! Like everyone has said 9-10wt sounds about right.

Chucker · Jul 31, 2023

Bryan said:
using a Spey rod because of their length and stronger butts which make it better to deal with a Chinook that goes under your boat and wants to stay there.

The last thing you want when a big fish goes under your boat is a long rod. I would never use a spey rod from a boat at all if it was me making the decisions. Even the 11’ switch that I used to use felt marginally too long sometimes.

If it was just about playing the fish, something like an 8’ 10 weight would probably be good. However, having a balanced outfit that you can cast all day is probably more important.

SurfnFish · Jul 31, 2023

Chucker said:
The last thing you want when a big fish goes under your boat is a long rod. I would never use a spey rod from a boat at all if it was me making the decisions. Even the 11’ switch that I used to use felt marginally too long sometimes.

If it was just about playing the fish, something like an 8’ 10 weight would probably be good. However, having a balanced outfit that you can cast all day is probably more important.

a father and son combo, who have likely caught more Kings on 'their' river than all other fly fishers combined, favor inexpensive 13' 9 wt spey rods loaded with Amenesia to OH cast 20' intermediate shooting heads...one false cast and shoot, not being a casting contest if anchored at the head of the slot...those rods act like a bit spring, tire out big Kings quickly...end of battle they'll lay that net in the water, rear back with the rod tip and slide those Kings right in...
speaking of Jay, years back he added single pins to the mix, routinely drifting uber large Rainbow Clousers and such under a balsa indicator from his Koffler RM pram..which can be deadly effective

Bryan · Jul 31, 2023

Having zero experience fishing for Chinook with a fly rod, I don't know the advantages/disadvantages of single vs. two handed, but in my research on rod selection, more than once I heard or read something from Jay saying how he likes using a two handed rod. He, of course, also says that he typically carries more than one rod, which could cover both types!

Cheers,