I used Sage 7 and 8 wt 10 footers for years on Oregon's Deschutes for summer steelhead. With plenty of backing and good reels, either should suffice. The 7 for calm days and the 8 when fighting wind both with weight forward lines. With nymphing tactics though, one is rarely tossing long lengths of line. Newer rod models are a bit lighter and thinner, but an XP should still hang with the best. Go for it, as one can not have too many fly rods. Probably 15 or 16 around the house here.

Now for the bait and switch: In the last decade we've seen almost a complete migration by fly fishing steelheaders to Spey rods ranging from about 11 to 16 ft. It's a tough transition after decades of single handers to switch to two-handed casting, but once mastered, the two handers are an absolute dream to handle. Buddies with shoulder or arm issues associated with single handers have no problems with Spey rods. With Spey casting one rarely places a hand either behind or above his shoulder. One can also manipulate significantly more line with the longer units, and they are superior for nymphing tactics. One can be huddled beneath trees or backed up right against a high bank and still cast. Presently I have and almost exclusively use 4 Spey rods ranging from 12' 6'' 8 wt up to 16 ft 9 and 10 wts for steelhead They're all a pleasure to cast, and one can really blast the line out there. Still use my single handers for trout though.

One can find Spey rods now ranging from 4 wts up to 10 and 11 wts. Light/shorter stuff for smaller streams and the heavies for big water/wind/and heavy fish. If one can find a Spey Clave in his neighborhood, I'd recommend one attend. They can be an opportunity for some schooling, chances to actually cast and handle a wide variety of gear, find lines and reels that match up with ones present holdings, and simply trade stories with like minded folks. We've had a Clave near Portland on the Sandy river for about the last 18 or 19 years. Vendors show up and lay out about a quarter million $$ worth of gear that one can pick up on request and head to the river to cast. World class authors and guides also show up, giving presentations, and coaching on the sidelines for free.

This website is one of many places to start. Spey Pages Link

Look under "Claves and Other Gatherings."

There are tons of web based videos on Spey casting as well.

Lastly, I must own up that I'm a cheap bastard. With only a few exceptions, I've bought components and personally built most of my rods.

Good luck out there and keep us up on your doings,

Last edited by 1minute; 10/12/19.
1Minute