Starter Two-Handed set up?

[Mud&$alt72]

I'm seriously considering trying a Two-handed rod this Winter. I mostly fish from the beach for sea-runs and salmon, but I'd like to be able to fish rivers for Steelhead as well. I've been considering the Echo Boost Beach, or the Echo Swing in a 7 or 8wt, Orvis Clearwater, LLBean, (something in the $200 to $300 range). I'm proficient at single hand, and can get good distance, but being able roll cast, and into the wind would be nice. I have a full frame Orvis Battenkill reel that I plan to use for the running line and a shooting head.

I sort of know the differences between switch and spey, and overhead rods, but I'm wondering if rod length really is a big factor in learning to cast these things. I have no opinion on rigging, (Skagit, Scandi, doesn't matter to me at this point). Any basic advise is greatly appreciated.

 

[SurfnFish]

one of fave set-ups for Kings was an 11' Beulah 8 wt switch with OSP running line and a 425 gr Commando head =rocket launcher combo. Would think a 6wt in that set-up would be a fun one for beach casting the sound.

What do you mean by a 'balanced outfit'?

rod and line are a good match...DH rods a different deal than buying a 6 wt SH and matching it with a 6 Wt WF and being done. I could not cast my fishing buddy's outfit well and vice versa although we used similar rods because we used different head weights for our respective techniques, so usually takes some experimenting to dial in the right line/head for DH rods so it becomes almost effortless to cast

 

[Yhandi]

Mud&$alt,

Lots of opinions and lots of experience in the recommendations you're getting. Since you're just getting into 2-handed casting and fishing, think of it the way we advise a person getting their first single hand fly rod to do some trout fishing. Nobody ever went wrong buying a 9' 5 wt rod to go trout fishing. It's the most popular because it is the most versatile. It won't do everything, but it will do most things that the trout fisherman needs to do. Evan recommended an Echo 13' 7 wt with good reason, and I second that recommendation. It is a good rod to learn 2-hand casting (short rods are more difficult to learn Spey type casting because of their inherent timing). And it will do most Spey related fishing. Use it for a couple years, and when you realize you haven't caught any fish where you felt undergunned, then go ahead and buy an 8 wt because you dream that you will catch a fish so big that your 7 wt can't handle it. There is a reason why 13' 7 and 8 wt 2-hand rods have become the all around work horses of the PNW.

Let's understand that no more than 1% of steelhead are 20 pounds or larger (unless you're fishing a VERY few select rivers), and about 98% of all coho are 12 pounds and smaller. Yhandi has an opinion that is well suited when you only catch fish that make up less than 1% of the total steelhead and coho populations. He is right that one cannot comfortably cast 12.5' of T-17 with a 7 wt 2-hand rod. He also invokes the name of the ". . . great Ed Ward . . ." I personally know Ed and recall him writing that, "if you need more than 9' of T-14 for steelhead fishing, you're fishing the wrong water." Sure, there are exceptions, but you can take that statement to the bank. Don't over think this. Get the Spey equivalent of that 9' 5 wt trout rod, a 13' 7 wt. There are many good options, but the Echo is a good choice for budget, build quality, and performance.

good point. I did say 15 pound steelhead not 20, and I do think that its more cruel than it already is to c & r a wild steelhead to do it on a rod where they can really tire them selfs out. T17 for steelhead is overkill 90% of the time, but when you want to do it it's great to be able to. But it depends on what flies you fish too, and how long of a run you swing. Ill change a tip just to fish one section of water where im really only swinging 20 feet and I need it to be fishing for those 20 feet. An example is if im trying too fish something in the middle of the river or the other side of the bank and there is a lot of current. I want my fly to be fishing as soon as it hits the water, and the slower and deeper it gets in these scenarios the better. We all fish differently, and there certainly are 1000 ways to skin a cat. so you say what you want, but sometimes it is really useful. I know some people want to catch the fish on the most challenging setups and use the lightest tip possible and switch to a dry line if they think its possible to swing one with it, but I always opt for the setup that gives me the best opportunity to catch that one fish we all dream of. We also certainly fish different rivers.

 

[Salmo_g]

good point. I did say 15 pound steelhead not 20, and I do think that its more cruel than it already is to c & r a wild steelhead to do it on a rod where they can really tire them selfs out. T17 for steelhead is overkill 90% of the time, but when you want to do it it's great to be able to. But it depends on what flies you fish too, and how long of a run you swing. Ill change a tip just to fish one section of water where im really only swinging 20 feet and I need it to be fishing for those 20 feet. An example is if im trying too fish something in the middle of the river or the other side of the bank and there is a lot of current. I want my fly to be fishing as soon as it hits the water, and the slower and deeper it gets in these scenarios the better. We all fish differently, and there certainly are 1000 ways to skin a cat. so you say what you want, but sometimes it is really useful. I know some people want to catch the fish on the most challenging setups and use the lightest tip possible and switch to a dry line if they think its possible to swing one with it, but I always opt for the setup that gives me the best opportunity to catch that one fish we all dream of. We also certainly fish different rivers.

Yes, I'd like to think it was a good point. After all, Mud&$alt told us he wanted to start out with a 2-hand set up, which indicates he is a beginner. He's also from Tacoma and intends to fish relatively close to home, so it's apparent he's not heading to the Babine or Kispiox right away. When a novice asks for advice about what gear to begin with and they have a tight budget, I find it interesting, and frankly slightly annoying when many responders post about their favorite or preferred, and often expensive, gear that may be perfect for either general or sometimes specialized situations. I only mentioned your post because you wrote about fish and gear choices that are statistical outliers and not even close to the everyday conditions and fishing situations our newcomer will encounter. The only sink tip you mentioned was T-17, which you then describe as overkill 90% of the time. (It's overkill for many of us 100% of the time, but no matter.) I can't help but wonder what was your point.

You kinda' went into the weeds about degree of cruelty associated with fly rod selection. All I have to say about that is if one has reservations about what is more cruel to fish, then they probably shouldn't fish. This forum has entertained many discussions regarding the desirability of playing fish as quickly as possible to bring them to hand for release, mainly from a standpoint as to the fish's prospects for subsequent survival, not because it's less cruel. As to the suitability of 7 wt Spey rods to the task, we have general agreement that a 7 wt 2-hander has at least as much dead lifting power, or more, than a 9 wt single hand rod. Few anglers have claimed that 9 wt rods are unsuitable for steelhead fishing, although some did use 10 weights on certain steelhead rivers and surely did when fishing for Chinook, cuz, well, Chinook. And after pages of argument about playing fish to hand, it turns out that the limiting factors are tippet strength and angler experience, not the line weight of the rod. Getting back to the point, it's nice to read gear recommendations that are best suited to the interests of the angler seeking advice.

 

[Yhandi]

Yes, I'd like to think it was a good point. After all, Mud&$alt told us he wanted to start out with a 2-hand set up, which indicates he is a beginner. He's also from Tacoma and intends to fish relatively close to home, so it's apparent he's not heading to the Babine or Kispiox right away. When a novice asks for advice about what gear to begin with and they have a tight budget, I find it interesting, and frankly slightly annoying when many responders post about their favorite or preferred, and often expensive, gear that may be perfect for either general or sometimes specialized situations. I only mentioned your post because you wrote about fish and gear choices that are statistical outliers and not even close to the everyday conditions and fishing situations our newcomer will encounter. The only sink tip you mentioned was T-17, which you then describe as overkill 90% of the time. (It's overkill for many of us 100% of the time, but no matter.) I can't help but wonder what was your point.

You kinda' went into the weeds about degree of cruelty associated with fly rod selection. All I have to say about that is if one has reservations about what is more cruel to fish, then they probably shouldn't fish. This forum has entertained many discussions regarding the desirability of playing fish as quickly as possible to bring them to hand for release, mainly from a standpoint as to the fish's prospects for subsequent survival, not because it's less cruel. As to the suitability of 7 wt Spey rods to the task, we have general agreement that a 7 wt 2-hander has at least as much dead lifting power, or more, than a 9 wt single hand rod. Few anglers have claimed that 9 wt rods are unsuitable for steelhead fishing, although some did use 10 weights on certain steelhead rivers and surely did when fishing for Chinook, cuz, well, Chinook. And after pages of argument about playing fish to hand, it turns out that the limiting factors are tippet strength and angler experience, not the line weight of the rod. Getting back to the point, it's nice to read gear recommendations that are best suited to the interests of the angler seeking advice.

I don't like 7wts and I would not recommend them as a first rod if you want salmon and steelhead. As a beginner on the swing, it's hard to learn how to catch fish on the swing with steelhead, better to start with salmon so you can get used to getting grabs. Also, im not going into the weeds about the cruelty for fish via rod selection, you all would look down on someone who is targeting steelhead on a 5wt just to make the fight more intense. Why would you not do the very best for the fish? its better to do 80% damage than 90%. Anyhow, no an 8 or 9wt rod is not going to be more expensive than a 7wt unless we are talking high end rods. I don't see how you can call a 7wt "versatile" when it can do less than an 8 or 9wt. If you live near Tacoma, there's a couple rivers that are close to you with good silver and kind returns. Go fish for them. A 7wt is not the "budget" tool for someone who wants a rod they can use for everything. You don't care about the most versatile rod, you care about the rod that fishes for what you like. You are arguing with me about versatility. Versatility is being able to do the widest range of things. Therefor, a 7wt is not the most versatile, plain and simple. If I was going to only have one rod, like the question that Mud$alt asked, I would take a short 9wt.

 

[Salmo_g]

I don't like 7wts and I would not recommend them as a first rod if you want salmon and steelhead. As a beginner on the swing, it's hard to learn how to catch fish on the swing with steelhead, better to start with salmon so you can get used to getting grabs. Also, im not going into the weeds about the cruelty for fish via rod selection, you all would look down on someone who is targeting steelhead on a 5wt just to make the fight more intense. Why would you not do the very best for the fish? its better to do 80% damage than 90%. Anyhow, no an 8 or 9wt rod is not going to be more expensive than a 7wt unless we are talking high end rods. I don't see how you can call a 7wt "versatile" when it can do less than an 8 or 9wt. If you live near Tacoma, there's a couple rivers that are close to you with good silver and kind returns. Go fish for them. A 7wt is not the "budget" tool for someone who wants a rod they can use for everything. You don't care about the most versatile rod, you care about the rod that fishes for what you like. You are arguing with me about versatility. Versatility is being able to do the widest range of things. Therefor, a 7wt is not the most versatile, plain and simple. If I was going to only have one rod, like the question that Mud$alt asked, I would take a short 9wt.

I get it; you don't like 7 wt 2-handed rods and wouldn't recommend them for salmon and steelhead. That's fine. It looks like we are both somewhat opinionated. That's fine too. However, let's consider Evan's opinion for a minute. He worked for a major tackle company for a number of years and has a fair idea of what rods are most popular among PNW anglers; he suggested a 13' 7 wt. Most steelheaders I run across on the rivers are carrying a 7 or 8 wt. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with your short 9 wt, but it does appear to be a statistical outlier among the steelheading fraternity, like the fish you mentioned in your initial post in this thread.

It's only hard to learn to catch steelhead on the swing because steelhead are few and far between these days. Learning to fish the wet fly swing isn't particularly hard. An anger can fish the swing for trout and get lots of grabs. Heck, an angler could fish that "first rod," a 9' 5 wt single hand rod for pink salmon and get lots of grabs, if getting grabs is deemed necessary.

I would not look down on someone using a 5 wt single hand rod for steelhead, but I would advise them that they would find a heavier weight rod to be more effective. It looks like we disagree about rod line weight being a determining factor regarding damaging a fish. Again, it comes down to leader tippet strength as the determining factor regarding how much pressure one can exert on a fish. I can play and land a steelhead in exactly the same amount of time with my 7 wt Spey rod as I can with an 8 or 9 wt Spey rod because I pull hard against fish and don't yield line that they don't earn. As a matter of fact, my favorite summer steelhead rod on local waters is a 12' 5 wt., which again has as much dead lift power as any 7 wt single hand rod. And I have 7 wt single hand rods that I used to routinely fish for summer steelhead. I don't fish the 5 wt Spey to ". . . make the fight more intense." First off, I don't fight fish - I'm not worried that the fish is going to hurt me. I play a fish, and I can play a fish to hand with the fish still being in excellent condition for release. I use that 5 wt because it is light, a delight to cast and fish with, and quite up to the task I use it for. Admittedly, I don't use that 5 wt for summer steelhead in BC where the fish are often larger; I use my all around "versatile" 7 wt on rivers like the Dean, Thompson, and Skeena tributaries. Can't say that I've ever felt undergunned. So yes, I think a 7 wt 2-handed rod is plenty versatile, although I have a number friends who like their 8 wts.

To each their own. I generally like to use the lightest gear that proves suitable for my intended fishing. Fishing in WA, winter steelhead average well under 12 pounds, with fish greater than 15 pounds being uncommon. Summer steelhead mostly run between 5 to 8 pounds. Puget Sound hatchery Chinook average 12 pounds and a few ounces. While 30 pound Chinook do exist here, they are so uncommon as to be nearly rare. And I'm not the kind of guy who is going to cast a 12 wt tarpon tamer for 2 and 3 pound bonefish. I do the math and adjust my gear accordingly. Oh, and I have caught 20+ pound steelhead. On an 8 wt single hand fiberglass fly rod. I think my comments regarding the versatility of that 13' 7 wt Spey rod are valid.

 

[JayB]

FWIW I've been happy with Redington Chromer rods (out of production but available for ~$200 used) and Behemoth reels.

YMMV but I think most people will have to do a lot of casting before that rod will be the limiting factor.

 

[Yhandi]

I get it; you don't like 7 wt 2-handed rods and wouldn't recommend them for salmon and steelhead. That's fine. It looks like we are both somewhat opinionated. That's fine too. However, let's consider Evan's opinion for a minute. He worked for a major tackle company for a number of years and has a fair idea of what rods are most popular among PNW anglers; he suggested a 13' 7 wt. Most steelheaders I run across on the rivers are carrying a 7 or 8 wt. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with your short 9 wt, but it does appear to be a statistical outlier among the steelheading fraternity, like the fish you mentioned in your initial post in this thread.

It's only hard to learn to catch steelhead on the swing because steelhead are few and far between these days. Learning to fish the wet fly swing isn't particularly hard. An anger can fish the swing for trout and get lots of grabs. Heck, an angler could fish that "first rod," a 9' 5 wt single hand rod for pink salmon and get lots of grabs, if getting grabs is deemed necessary.

I would not look down on someone using a 5 wt single hand rod for steelhead, but I would advise them that they would find a heavier weight rod to be more effective. It looks like we disagree about rod line weight being a determining factor regarding damaging a fish. Again, it comes down to leader tippet strength as the determining factor regarding how much pressure one can exert on a fish. I can play and land a steelhead in exactly the same amount of time with my 7 wt Spey rod as I can with an 8 or 9 wt Spey rod because I pull hard against fish and don't yield line that they don't earn. As a matter of fact, my favorite summer steelhead rod on local waters is a 12' 5 wt., which again has as much dead lift power as any 7 wt single hand rod. And I have 7 wt single hand rods that I used to routinely fish for summer steelhead. I don't fish the 5 wt Spey to ". . . make the fight more intense." First off, I don't fight fish - I'm not worried that the fish is going to hurt me. I play a fish, and I can play a fish to hand with the fish still being in excellent condition for release. I use that 5 wt because it is light, a delight to cast and fish with, and quite up to the task I use it for. Admittedly, I don't use that 5 wt for summer steelhead in BC where the fish are often larger; I use my all around "versatile" 7 wt on rivers like the Dean, Thompson, and Skeena tributaries. Can't say that I've ever felt undergunned. So yes, I think a 7 wt 2-handed rod is plenty versatile, although I have a number friends who like their 8 wts.

To each their own. I generally like to use the lightest gear that proves suitable for my intended fishing. Fishing in WA, winter steelhead average well under 12 pounds, with fish greater than 15 pounds being uncommon. Summer steelhead mostly run between 5 to 8 pounds. Puget Sound hatchery Chinook average 12 pounds and a few ounces. While 30 pound Chinook do exist here, they are so uncommon as to be nearly rare. And I'm not the kind of guy who is going to cast a 12 wt tarpon tamer for 2 and 3 pound bonefish. I do the math and adjust my gear accordingly. Oh, and I have caught 20+ pound steelhead. On an 8 wt single hand fiberglass fly rod. I think my comments regarding the versatility of that 13' 7 wt Spey rod are valid.

Yeah, the thing is if I want to fish for kings with a short 9wt I can, and If I want to fish for steelhead I still can. Short 9wts are fun, because you can throw as light as a 425 grain head and still cast far, and since they are short they are super light. That's why I really recommend them to someone who wants your everything tool. I don't think a 9wt is the most fun for pinks, but I don't enjoy fishing 7wts for coho that are coming in on the tide. I get what you mean about tippet strength being the determining factor though, I think our differences come from me liking letting the fish bend the rod. I like my 7wt, it's fun but I find it much less enjoyable to fish without the rod being used as a lever to move the fish. I really don't fish for kings in the puget sound, but the few times I have the average fish has been more in that I consider the 15 pound area, but I could just be remembering wrong, also this was 5 years ago or so, when was the last time the sky was even open for kings . Still fishing the Nisqually for kings on a 7wt would be rough (I think that is very close to tacoma I could be wrong), coho would be okay all things considered but I get my ass kicked all the time by bright ones on my 7wt. It's fun, but not as capable which was my whole point.

 

[Mud&$alt72]

Yes, I'd like to think it was a good point. After all, Mud&$alt told us he wanted to start out with a 2-hand set up, which indicates he is a beginner. He's also from Tacoma and intends to fish relatively close to home, so it's apparent he's not heading to the Babine or Kispiox right away. When a novice asks for advice about what gear to begin with and they have a tight budget, I find it interesting, and frankly slightly annoying when many responders post about their favorite or preferred, and often expensive, gear that may be perfect for either general or sometimes specialized situations. I only mentioned your post because you wrote about fish and gear choices that are statistical outliers and not even close to the everyday conditions and fishing situations our newcomer will encounter. The only sink tip you mentioned was T-17, which you then describe as overkill 90% of the time. (It's overkill for many of us 100% of the time, but no matter.) I can't help but wonder what was your point.

You kinda' went into the weeds about degree of cruelty associated with fly rod selection. All I have to say about that is if one has reservations about what is more cruel to fish, then they probably shouldn't fish. This forum has entertained many discussions regarding the desirability of playing fish as quickly as possible to bring them to hand for release, mainly from a standpoint as to the fish's prospects for subsequent survival, not because it's less cruel. As to the suitability of 7 wt Spey rods to the task, we have general agreement that a 7 wt 2-hander has at least as much dead lifting power, or more, than a 9 wt single hand rod. Few anglers have claimed that 9 wt rods are unsuitable for steelhead fishing, although some did use 10 weights on certain steelhead rivers and surely did when fishing for Chinook, cuz, well, Chinook. And after pages of argument about playing fish to hand, it turns out that the limiting factors are tippet strength and angler experience, not the line weight of the rod. Getting back to the point, it's nice to read gear recommendations that are best suited to the interests of the angler seeking adv

Thanks for this. Salmo_g, You bring up a really good point. I've been trout fishing off and on for 20 years, and have not really paid much attention to Salmon and Steelhead, but given my current location,(geographically and existentially), my focus is shifting, and I want to get into it. A lot of what I've read has gone right over my head, but its' got me doing research, so that's great.

After reading everyone's responses and researching different the casting strokes and rod types, etc., I feel compelled to re-evaluate my original post- I'd like to incorporate some spey casting techniques into my current arsenal, not necessarily buy a new rod.
For the past 2 years, I've been fishing Puget Sound beaches for Cutthroat and Coho with a 9ft 7wt TFO Blue Ribbon and a Coastal Quickshooter Intermediate line, which works fine. I catch fish. When my double haul is dialed in, I can get pretty far, but most of the time, it doesn't feel like I'm really "shooting line". So I thought I would be a good idea to try a Skagit rig.
Of course, I want to catch bigger fish, Chum, Silvers, kings, etc., and I can probably do that with my current rig. I've never had to fight a fish to exhaustion, nor do I intend to, I like heavier leaders, and I don't ever want to fish an underpowered rod. I also have a 9ft 8wt Redington Wrangler which, TBH, I have never fished with. Do I keep it? I dunno, it was cheap, and I got it thinking I could use if for swinging bigger flies for salmon on the Cowlitz or Stilton whatever. I'm not that attached to it, but it would work for just starting out. Do I want to trade up to a 13' traditional spey rod for fishing rivers? Absolutely. Should I? Probably not. It's a whole other game.
In any case, as a "beginner" to fly fishing for salmon, I really appreciate all the great advise and support.

 

[clarkman]

If you end up just using your single-hand rods for swinging, I'd take a peek at OPST Commando heads. I like them paired with the OPST 7.5' tips for my single-handers. For the heads, 275-300gr for the 8wt and 250-275gr for the 7wt. When I started with them, I went with the heavier because I could feel it load easier. Now I usually go a little lighter (275 for my 8wt--sometimes I'll even drop down to 250) and have come to prefer tips that are 8' or shorter up to T-11 (I keep those to about 7'). I've also come to prefer the intermediate heads, ymmv.

 

[Mud&$alt72]

If you end up just using your single-hand rods for swinging, I'd take a peek at OPST Commando heads. I like them paired with the OPST 7.5' tips for my single-handers. For the heads, 275-300gr for the 8wt and 250-275gr for the 7wt. When I started with them, I went with the heavier because I could feel it load easier. Now I usually go a little lighter (275 for my 8wt--sometimes I'll even drop down to 250) and have come to prefer tips that are 8' or shorter up to T-11 (I keep those to about 7'). I've also come to prefer the intermediate heads, ymmv.

I just bought a 275gr commando with a 8' 4'/4' tip, based on OPST's recommendations. Going to try it out this week, hopefully.

 

[Yhandi]

I just bought a 275gr commando with a 8' 4'/4' tip, based on OPST's recommendations. Going to try it out this week, hopefully.

I think using your 8wt with a commando head is a really fun casting sounding setup and will be good in case you find some coho in the next weeks that want a fly stripped past them.

 

[Hem]

Interesting thread to read for someone outside the realm. I was interested in learning the 2H overhead cast this past spring. Variety of reasons. For starters I needed a new challenge. Being in Montana i had this idea to fish lakes from shore and my boat. Backcast space generally not an issue. I also figured this technique could be a gateway to future river fishing, learning the spey cast.
Right off the bat I realized a 30' head is no bueno given how often fish track a fly in close. Also required a couple roll casts to get the head clear. I had a guy in Oregan make a couple of lines with 20' heads which has made a difference.
I went with the Beulah Opal2 in a 5/6 weight. Great rod. A member here advised it would be faster than the Echo Beach rod. I still have to remind myself to let the rod do the work, and fight the urge to power it like a fast action single hand.
The Opal worked great for pike, but maybe a tad overkill for trout. I'm considering a lighter and shorter Meiser.
Anyway, I'm an outsider trying to jump the hurdle. Absolutely love 2 hand rods now. Good thread, like reading the comments. So much to learn yet.

 

[fatbillybob]

Interesting thread to read for someone outside the realm. I was interested in learning the 2H overhead cast this past spring. Variety of reasons. For starters I needed a new challenge. Being in Montana i had this idea to fish lakes from shore and my boat. Backcast space generally not an issue. I also figured this technique could be a gateway to future river fishing, learning the spey cast.
Right off the bat I realized a 30' head is no bueno given how often fish track a fly in close. Also required a couple roll casts to get the head clear. I had a guy in Oregan make a couple of lines with 20' heads which has made a difference.
I went with the Beulah Opal2 in a 5/6 weight. Great rod. A member here advised it would be faster than the Echo Beach rod. I still have to remind myself to let the rod do the work, and fight the urge to power it like a fast action single hand.
The Opal worked great for pike, but maybe a tad overkill for trout. I'm considering a lighter and shorter Meiser.
Anyway, I'm an outsider trying to jump the hurdle. Absolutely love 2 hand rods now. Good thread, like reading the comments. So much to learn yet.

The head is not an issue if you use switch length rods and just get the line out same way as single hand. Head to running line bump not matter if you are ready for it so you can strip in full. First point rod at the line same angle as it exits water, second use small knots runner to head, streamline knot with uv resin. Ultimate is to use and integrated line. Fishing lake from shore without lots of backcast room speycasts work great. You can Spey from boat too. You either have to anchor in front of you to clear the gunnel or off front or back of boat anchoring in more traditional position. You may have to add some overhang because you may be higher off the water.

 

[Hem]

The head is not an issue if you use switch length rods and just get the line out same way as single hand. Head to running line bump not matter if you are ready for it so you can strip in full. First point rod at the line same angle as it exits water, second use small knots runner to head, streamline knot with uv resin. Ultimate is to use and integrated line. Fishing lake from shore without lots of backcast room speycasts work great. You can Spey from boat too. You either have to anchor in front of you to clear the gunnel or off front or back of boat anchoring in more traditional position. You may have to add some overhang because you may be higher off the water.

I have integrated Godshall lines.
You are right, the head isn't much of an issue if stripped in, but it still takes an extra cast to get it comfortably out in front of the rod for the real OH cast. I get lazy and do a quick roll cast, then pick up for the main cast. Seems easier than a false cast. Even with a single hand rod I use the water in front of me sometimes to load the rod and extend the length of cast. It's easier than false casting big flies, say for pike.

 

[Jacob Watrous]

There's a reason I prefer fishing SHers...

…You’re not used to handling long rods?

…Because it’s easier from a boat for Musky?

Don’t leave us hanging, man.


Edit: Randy says it's "musky".

 

[clarkman]

…You’re not used to handling long rods?

…Because it’s easier from a boat for Muskie?

Don’t leave us hanging, man.

Naw, just feel and feedback....cause it sure isn't because of distance! Lol

 

[JS]

Yeah, the thing is if I want to fish for kings with a short 9wt I can, and If I want to fish for steelhead I still can. Short 9wts are fun, because you can throw as light as a 425 grain head and still cast far, and since they are short they are super light. That's why I really recommend them to someone who wants your everything tool. I don't think a 9wt is the most fun for pinks, but I don't enjoy fishing 7wts for coho that are coming in on the tide. I get what you mean about tippet strength being the determining factor though, I think our differences come from me liking letting the fish bend the rod. I like my 7wt, it's fun but I find it much less enjoyable to fish without the rod being used as a lever to move the fish. I really don't fish for kings in the puget sound, but the few times I have the average fish has been more in that I consider the 15 pound area, but I could just be remembering wrong, also this was 5 years ago or so, when was the last time the sky was even open for kings . Still fishing the Nisqually for kings on a 7wt would be rough (I think that is very close to tacoma I could be wrong), coho would be okay all things considered but I get my ass kicked all the time by bright ones on my 7wt. It's fun, but not as capable which was my whole point.

I’ve landed plenty of kings pretty quickly on 7wt Spey rods, and 7wt single handed rods. I’ve only had one fish in the history of my fishing for steelhead and salmon kick my ass, and it bent the hook out before the fight got too far. That’s because the pressure you can put on a fish depends on how much you’re willing to flex the rod. Almost all 6-9 wt double handers are going to have enough butt section to lever almost every fish out there. I don’t go out looking to feel under gunned, but I’ve been fishing for steelhead/salmon for 30 years and landed many, many large fish on all sorts of rods, usually in short order. Learning how to fight a large fish is more important than picking between a 6,7,8,9 wt Spey rod.

 

[fatbillybob]

I’ve landed plenty of kings pretty quickly on 7wt Spey rods, and 7wt single handed rods. I’ve only had one fish in the history of my fishing for steelhead and salmon kick my ass, and it bent the hook out before the fight got too far. That’s because the pressure you can put on a fish depends on how much you’re willing to flex the rod. Almost all 6-9 wt double handers are going to have enough butt section to lever almost every fish out there. I don’t go out looking to feel under gunned, but I’ve been fishing for steelhead/salmon for 30 years and landed many, many large fish on all sorts of rods, usually in short order. Learning how to fight a large fish is more important than picking between a 6,7,8,9 wt Spey rod.

And you don't need 200yrds of backing either

 

[Pink Nighty]

I’ve landed plenty of kings pretty quickly on 7wt Spey rods, and 7wt single handed rods. I’ve only had one fish in the history of my fishing for steelhead and salmon kick my ass, and it bent the hook out before the fight got too far. That’s because the pressure you can put on a fish depends on how much you’re willing to flex the rod. Almost all 6-9 wt double handers are going to have enough butt section to lever almost every fish out there. I don’t go out looking to feel under gunned, but I’ve been fishing for steelhead/salmon for 30 years and landed many, many large fish on all sorts of rods, usually in short order. Learning how to fight a large fish is more important than picking between a 6,7,8,9 wt Spey rod.

This weekend i caught all my salmon, including chums to about 12#, on a 6wt single hand rod. I bent a few hooks out with it and was never in an "oh shit" situation.

 

[fatbillybob]

Two comments:
1) A 7wt. spey is the swiss army knife of speyrods.

2) factory rods are all boring lightest cork handled. Boutique and custom rods have very cool inlay and fancy handles. I'm not sure why fancy handles took off with speyrods but they just look darn nice. Beulahs, ACR's, Burkies and Meisers. They aren't entry level but bought on the secondary market with light use you can find some real gems at low end to middle new factory rod retail prices.