[steelhead]

Hey, congrats on the "Switch"! Soon you'll be walking the beach with both set ups!

I'll preface my suggestions by saying that I come from a background of traditional flyfishing, having fished for trout, small and large mouth bass for many years before I began striper fishing. My comments are NOT intended to attack on all you guys out there who fish intermediate and sinking lines! I use them too, but it is not always my first choice. What I have learned is that I haven't had to change any of my techniques and equipment, other than to upgrade my rods and reels. So, I still use a floating line. I have always had a preferance for long rods, so I have a 10'-6" 8 weight that comfortably casts a 10 weight line and an 11/12 Teton Tioga reel on it. I'll explain this set up a bit later, as it's not what you will be sold in a store, but there is a logic to it.

First, the line. Why do I like a floating line? First, it is the most versitile line out there and it is also the easiest to cast. When I say versitile, I mean that you have many presentation alternatives. You can cast and strip, which is sort of the technique de jour. But you can also mend the line so that your fly is always drag free as it drifts in the current. This enables you to always keep in touch with the fly and feel those very subtle takes. You can do many different kinds of casts, such as roll casts, slack line casts, etc. which have appropriate applications in the salt. By adding split shot to your leader, you can get the fly down into the water column in a conrtolled and measurable manner, and it gets down faster than a sinking line. From a boat, to get the line down to a particualr depth, if the split shot isn't working, then add a sinking shooting head. Salmon and steelhead fishermen have been dojng this for years from boats in big water and in the ocean.

By being able to mend the line, I can actively mange the line. I can do up current presentations, wet fly swings and I can cast across currents of varying speeds and still keep the drift drag free. In the surf and in the rocks, by mending or lifting the line up and over a breaking wave, I can keep the fly where I want it, and am not be subject to the whim of the drag of the breaking waves.

Because I like to mend the line, I use a longer rod. The long rod enables me to lift and move more line at a time and I can get up and over taller waves (like 5' tall once you get the hang of it.).

I also like a softer rod. No more than a medium fast flex. This is because the rod loads easier than a fast action rod and in turn contributes substantially to the ease of casting the line. I would much rather have my fly rod do the work than have to feel like I'm having to throw the line with my arm, as you have to do with many of the fast action rods of today. (There are now published studies that show that a softer rod will generate more line speed and throw the line further than a fast rod.)

On to the reel. My prime criteria for buying a reel is to balance to rod. When the reel, loaded with line and backing, is on the rod, I like it to feel as though the rod will balance under my ring finger, when I am holding the rod as I would to make a cast. This puts the pivot point of the cast inside your hand. The casts become less tiring.

Line weight. Most rods today are capable of handling lines as high as 2 weights higher than their published ratings. Surprisingly, they often cast better as well (I call it fast rod syndrome). When you are buying a rod/reel set up, ask the sales person to set you up with three reels to try out. The line weight as published on the rod, and two reels with the next two weights up. This is called uplining or overlining. Try them all out and see which one feels most comfortable. My experience working with people starting out is that at least one or two line weights up makes it easier to cast, because the line is really helping load the rod.

Actual equipment. Look for a medium fast action rod. Today, these rods are the "beginner" rods. Don't be put off by that. They work just fine. And they are less expensive. Mostly, you find 9' rods. Orivis, LL Bean, Temple Fork. Redington makes a sweet "intro" rod. I have found one inexpensive 10'-6" rod made by Heritage that is a beauty that won't cost you an arm and a leg. (If you're intersted, PM me and I can tell you how to contact the manufacturer. He doesn't do alot of advertising....). I caught a 43" striper this fall on one of his 7" 3 weights. Had no problem handling and landing the fish! They are tough rods!

I like Teton reels. Their drag is fully sealed and they are a whole lot less than other reels with fully sealed drags. Unlike, some reels that I know of, if you accidently drop you rod in the sand, you can rinse it off and keep on going....

Flies: Rays flies, all sizes. Rays fly flatwings, all sizes. Have some deceivers or flatwings that are all yellow or yellow/charteuse top, especially for bright days or where the water is discolored. Same flies with blue, purple and black in them for cloudy days. I have had great luck with simple olive/white, blue white, pink/white combinatins. I happen to love black on top/purple bottom flies for night time, especually if they are big (12") long flatwings or eel punts. As a personal preference, I like flies that are tied very sparse, allowing the materials to expand and move in the water. I tie a clouser that a friend of mine introduced me to that he calls his Shameless Hooker that is a KILLER! All synthetic with big red eyes. If a jigging action is required, that's my go to pattern. (I'll throw this with a light tackle spinning rod) Always carry a few shrimp pattern (General Practitioner or something based on a Crazy Charlie) and some worm hatch patterns (small wiggly stuff tied in orange thru pink), and the usual Crease Flies.

What's interesting, is that the proven basic colors that you use for plugging are all proven color combinations for fly fishing, so draw from that experience.

Fly fishing does take practice, especially if you want to learn how to actively manage your fly line. It's rewards can be tremendous! But don't be afraid to bring your spinning gear along with you. The object is to catch fish. I know that there have been times that if I had not had my spinning gear with me, I would have been skunked! Fish on!