Do any of you fish for steelhead?  I'd like to try this spring, but think I need some heavier gear.  I prefer using spinning rods.  What kind of reel and action rods do any of you use? 

Hey SeaKat. I honestly don't have any idea, haha, but I wanna get some gear for it to! I've only borrowed my buddies stuff. I know he was using rods with excessive numbers of eyelits, in the 7.5 - 8 foot range. As far as the reels, I'm not really sure. If you live by a Gander Mountain or BPS, I'd just stop in there and try to get some advice from the "experts" and see what they have to say. You might even try writing to the NAFC mag. They might print your question in the magazine, then you'll surely get an answer from the experts. Best of luck.

howdy seakat and welcome to the bb.
mike has the right idea about the rods, the longer rods are great for rolling spawn and such. they are called noodle rods. if your wanting to cast spoons or run plugs, 7ft. medium action rods work good. as for reels look at the ones that are designed for casting long distance with light line. i use 6lb test line on my reels.

need to find out how your going to chase after steelies as to figure out what you want to use. if you are fishing the spawning run in the rivers the noodle rods are a great choice. the feel of the bait rolling along the bottom and having a steelie pick it up is great. plus they have enough back bone to be able to fight a fish in a small area of a river. cast spoons along the pier the noodle does work also, but i use a 7' med. rod.

Mike and Mr. Bill, thanks for the responses. Nice picture Mike! I checked through my magazines and club "how-to" books and the emphasis was on bait casting reels and medium or heavy rods. I tried a bait caster once and it was a mess. Also, much of the equipment was really expensive. Who can afford $200 rods or reels? I hooked a big unknown fish at Black Lake this summer that bent one of my standard light rods almost in half before it broke the line. Didn't effect the reel, which was an old favorite spin cast. I learned the spin cast reels were invented to do the job of bait casters without the problems so I thought maybe that would be the way to go. Cabela's had an all-metal Zebco which could take heavy line so I've ordered that (~$30). I debated about the length of the rod, which I figured should be medium or heavy. I have one 7 ft. rod, but it's hard to handle walking through brush (I'm only 5 ft. 2). I've had better luck with my 6.5 ft. rod, so that's what I chose. Gives me extra reach without getting caught in branches as much. Cabela's had Ugly Sticks which I've always heard good things about and which have foam padding on the handles (feels good and easy to keep clean). So I ended up ordering a 6.5 ft. MH Ugly Stick, also for around $30. Should be able to fight large fish with it (if I ever catch any!) That's the first rod and reel I've bought in years. I've been using regular spinning reels a lot now, but my old spin cast seems to do as well with less trouble. I'm hoping to use the new stuff for steel head and salmon, plus maybe big bass and pike. Wanted something to toss light eggs or spinners as well as heavier plugs, etc. Where do you guys fish for steel head?

sorry for not being on of late.

i started fishing the little manistee and the pm for steelies and salmon. over the years i have fished off the piers from st. joe up to manistee and the thunder bay area around alpena. i have fished in the spring and the fall runs. i really love the late summer run of browns coming out of lake michigan.

now most of my steelie fishing is here in ohio in the northeast corner of the state.

Thanks, Mr. Bill. I'll have to try those rivers plus the Grand over by Grand Rapids and west. I heard that they used to travel all the way to Lansing, but the last couple of years they don't seem to get anywhere near here. We tried the Au Sable near Oscoda with no luck. Could see huge fish in the water but they ignored everything I threw at them. I think the fish see so many lures and fishermen, they're wise to us. Late summer browns would be great to try too. How's the fishing in Ohio?