Backing

[geoffvl]

How much backing is adequate for steelhead? Have any of you had one take out more that 100 yards? I've never gone for steelhead and my 7 weight reel only holds about 70 yards. I have a feeling thats not enough.

[SalaR]

70 yards is a bit on the dangerous side...I had One Steelhead take me through 194 ' of a Scandanavian short head spey line and 100 yards of Micro backing this past November. The fish was hooked in fresh water less than a Mile from the Salt water. We figure it was 20 plus pounds. It was like fresh fish on the Lower Dean...
494' is a lot of line....in a lifetime of fishing you won't encounter that too often..most of the Steelhead you hook into will rarely leave the pool,if they do you have choices..."River Runs Through It" or break it off!
And if you are useing Gel Spun be careful !
Oh,BTW, this reel was a 7/8 cassett reel that holds more than 130 m of 22 lb. backing or 450 m of Gel Spun. The Short head spey line is a small capacity line that fishes extremely well and is oten used on Switch rods and small spey rods.

[phearless]

I like to have a hun on my trout reels.
That may be wishful thinking, but on my 6 wght I have come to within 8 wraps of being spooled by Peterhope fish. And I was soundly spanked by a huge bow on the Bow.
All my Steelhead reels have 200+ of 30lb.
Now if you don't ever use it no biggee, it just makes your arbour larger for quicker pickup.
( These opinions are the sole thoughts of one man and in no way reflect on FFBC )

[geoffvl]

Guess I gotta go reel shopping.

[Old Timer]

How fast can you run?

[Stone]

Almost all of my reels are standard arbor, so I like to have the extra backing just so I don't end up with a really small arbor as the backing peels out. My 8wt reels have about 250y of gel spun, and the double handers have around 300y of 30lb Dacron.

[xgolfman]

you can stuff allot more gelspun on the dacron...Something to consider!

[Whistler]

Stone,

there is no need for 300yards of backing when fishing for Steelhead. Put the wood to em and you will be fine with 100 yards of dacron, spool up with 150 just in case. Chinook fishing on the Fraser with a boat to chase, otherwise anything over 200 yards is pretty pointless.

[Eric]

150 yrd is more than enough.