Reel Sizing for a 6wt Streamer Setup

[Mikey2006]

I’ve been fishing a lot with large streamers lately, using my 9ft 5wt. It works alright for smaller flies such as circus peanuts and mini dungeons, but throwing full sized sex dungeons is a bit tricky. And it’s also gotten to the point where streamers have completely taken over my 5wt, it’s a pain to have to re-rig everything when I want to nymph or fish dries. With the amount of time I plan on devoting to throwing big flies for larger fish, I think it’s time I got a dedicated streamer setup.

I was debating getting a 7wt but decided that would be overkill, a 6wt will give me all the power I need in a streamer rod. That’s where the problem comes in. I really like Lamson reels, I have two of them (liquid for my 7’6 spring creek/small stream rod and a remix for my 9’ 5wt) and although I’m not sure what reel Im going to get for my streamer rod it’s almost certainly going to be a Lamson, since I’ve been pleased with how they perform and they also look really nice in my opinion.

The sizes are a little weird. For every Lamson reel I’ve seen, it’s either a -5+ or a -7+. A 6wt would be right in the middle of that so I wasn’t sure what size to get. Would a size 5 reel comfortably hold 6wt line and be able to handle heavy flies? Or would I be better off sizing up? Would the 7 size be too big and clunky on a 6wt?

If it matters at all, the rod I’m looking at getting is the tfo axiom 2 (not the 2x, I’m talking about the older more affordable model). The reason being is that it’s on sale for 40% off on sierra.com which is a steal. I like tfo rods anyway, so unless there’s something seriously wrong with that model or it’s not suited well for streamer fishing, that’s the rod I’m going to get.

Any input on the reel sizing would be greatly appreciated, as would any other general advice on what to look for in a streamer setup.

 

[sandflyx]

Been fly fishing and teaching for over 50 years now, my streamer rod is the same rod I use for nymphs and drys. any 9' 6wt will do the job and any 5/6 wt reel will work. that easy.

 

[dudemanspecial]

I have the -7+ lamson remix HD and its substantially larger then the -5+. I would think you would be good with another 5/6 size reel.

 

[KNymph]

Most of the Lamson reels are on the lighter side. I would recommend going up a size... particularly for a dedicated streamer setup.

 

[Mikey2006]

I’ll probably have the rod before I start looking for a reel. I can always just take my -5+ reel and put it on the 6wt just to see how it feels and decide from there

 

[TerrellBFly]

My streamer set up is dedicated 7wt. I considered the 6wt, but figured a beefier set up would be nice, considering I target bass and pike from time to time. Best thing about this is there is no right answer!! Do what feels right and works for you.

 

[albatross]

Do check how well your current -5+ reel balances the new 6 wt rod, ideally with line through the guides the balance point would be just inside the top of the cork. If it balances forward of the cork go with the bigger heavier reel or plan to add some lead under your backing to achieve balance. My 2 cents...

 

[ROVERT]

My streamer rod is a 7wt. I use a Liquid -7+ on that.

I have a 6wt that I use a Liquid -5+ on. I'd go with that on most 6wts.

You have a 5wt. I'd maybe give a little more thought to the 7wt as your streamer rod.

 

[Swattie87]

Pros of the 5/6 - It’s lighter, will balance the rod better, and will be less fatiguing if you’re casting streamers on big water all day.

Pros of the 6/7 - Its larger diameter will give you a little better effective retrieve speed, and its guts are marginally bigger and stronger.

Weigh out what’s more important to you. They both will do the job fine.

 

[Swattie87]

One more advantage of the 5/6. You’ll go through way less backing when you spool it up. 😉

FWIW, my heaviest set up is a 9’0 6wt fished with 6 weight line on a 5/6 reel. I don’t fish salt with it, but it’s done everything I’ve asked it to do in PA waters. Including the times it was the only rod I had with me when conditions dictated I was fishing Brookie stuff, when I had planned on fishing much bigger water.

As you can tell from the variety of responses, there’s no right or wrong answer here. Consider everyone’s advice but trust your gut too.

 

[Mikey2006]

My streamer rod is a 7wt. I use a Liquid -7+ on that.

I have a 6wt that I use a Liquid -5+ on. I'd go with that on most 6wts.

You have a 5wt. I'd maybe give a little more thought to the 7wt as your streamer rod.

I would probably end up using it on the Susky for bass as well, so a 7wt might be better. The problem is that the rod I wanted was on sale and the 7wt sold out, so it’s either get the 6wt or spend a lot more to get the 7wt/get a cheaper rod that isn’t on sale

 

[trota]

I have the -7+ lamson remix HD and its substantially larger then the -5+. I would think you would be good with another 5/6 size reel.

Same story with the Guru S. I had both the 5+ and 7+. The 7+ is a substantially larger reel.

 

[ROVERT]

I would probably end up using it on the Susky for bass as well, so a 7wt might be better. The problem is that the rod I wanted was on sale and the 7wt sold out, so it’s either get the 6wt or spend a lot more to get the 7wt/get a cheaper rod that isn’t on sale

I think you'll be fine with a 6wt for river bass fishing. I only dabble in small mouth fishing but, in general, I use larger streamers for trout than I do for bass.

You can do pretty much everything with a 6wt that you can with a 7wt. Big flies and wind will both be just a little easier with the 7wt.

 

[Ladove]

As someone who primarily fishes large streamers, what’s your reasoning for going with a 6wt vs a 7wt? I have both and have found I can do a lot more with my 7wt that suits my needs. A 6wt is okay if you’re solely talking about carrying weight, but a 7wt will handle most of anything you wanna throw on it plus it’ll give you more power when fighting a large fish. As for reels I use a Lamson liquid in the -7+ because I use/carry multiple different lines and I’ve got no complaints. Message me and I’ll try to help you out a little bit more

 

[Nocktavius]

One of my biggest annoyances in modern fly fishing tech (aside from rods phasing out hook keepers) is the trend toward making reels ultra stupid light. All the major manufacturers seem to miss that longer rods are more popular than ever and that achieving balance on a seesaw that is 8-12x longer on one side than the other requires a decent bit of counterweight.

Definitely would air on the larger side, but wouldn’t necessarily base my selection off of a manufacturers recommendation alone. Find a shop that has these things in stock and see how they balance (don’t forget fly line + backing has some weight too) your 6 or 7 wt rod.

 

[fcarp]

Based on what you said you want to do (big streamers and bass on bigger rivers), I’d recommend go with a 7wt. If you want to throw big stuff, get the rod that will do that best. A 6wt is great and will get you by, but a 7 covers more of the primary intended purpose. I’d also say try to cast some cause you don’t need the fastest rod but a good mod fast 7 will be solid for you.

 

[afishinado]

I agree with posters above that said a 7wt rod is the best tool for the job, especially since in your OP you stated, "I plan on devoting to throwing big flies for larger fish." And most especially since you also plan to fish for smallies in bigger rivers like the Susky. Finally, buying 7wt would solve your dilemma on which reel to choose for your rod. As far as which rod is on sale......"buy once cry once." and no shudda wudda cudda in the future. Good luck.

 

[Kms]

If a Lamson 5 would otherwise work for you, and you just want to balance the rod better, consider putting some weights into a foam rubber endcap and popping that onto the end of your rod.

https://www.lurepartsonline.com/Fuji-EWBC-Weighted-Butt-Cap

 

[MA_fish]

I bought one of the TFO Axiom 2 rods for a similar purpose recently. I decided to go with the 7wt and I paired it with the Lamson Speedster -7+ reel. So far it is working very well.

 

[Mikey2006]

I bought one of the TFO Axiom 2 rods for a similar purpose recently. I decided to go with the 7wt and I paired it with the Lamson Speedster -7+ reel. So far it is working very well.

I’ve been looking at the speedster s. Great looking reel and I’ve heard good things about it. It’s conveniently on sale on the same website where I might get rod from.