2023 Trout Spey Rod Review

Way back in the summer of 2020, when we realized that our annual Trout Spey Days event was not going to happen as a result of the COVID pandemic, a few of us Spey nerds here at Big Sky Anglers decided to pull together a sizable pile of rods, lines, and other gear, make an effort to dial in as many kits as we could, and share the results with you all.  It turned out to be one of our most successful projects ever, with many of you reaching out to say that the results of our effort greatly helped in selecting the right rod and line combo for you. 

So, we are back again with a couple of new rods added to the list.  We also dropped a few rods that are no longer offered. Each year, we have seen progression in the arena of light Spey rods and lines.  At this point, refinement is the name of the game for most brands.  It’s an exciting time for Trout Spey!

We were only able to make this happen thanks to the awesome support of our vendors and sales reps.  Huge thanks to all who have helped along the way!

While this is a review of sorts, it is important to note that there are no ratings or rankings here.  There is no best or worst.  In fact, we didn’t demo a single rod that we didn’t feel was going to be right for someone depending on their casting and fishing situations.  So, what we have here are descriptions of the rods (and matching lines) that we really liked, and why.  Call them Big Sky Anglers Shop Picks, if you will.  And remember, if you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 406-646-7801, or email us at info@bigskyanglers.com – We’ll get you in touch with our resident Trout Spey Nerds, Justin, Matt, Chris, Marco or one of the other folks here that knows and loves the Spey game!

So, without further ado, here is the Big Sky Anglers 2023 Updated Shop Picks & Trout Spey Rod Review…

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* Rods are arranged in descending order based on MSRP

* Scroll down to read more, or use the Contents to navigate through the post

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Scott Swing 11ft 8in 4wt

 

Scott says:

Light: 270 grains.  Heavy: 325 Grains.

Big Sky Anglers says:

To say we were excited to get our two grubby hands on Scott’s first true trout Spey offering would be an understatement, and, we did it just in time to sneak this rod into our 2023 review.  Understated cosmetics and immaculate build quality are hallmarks of Scott, and this rod was certainly on brand.  The rod has a fuller, more traditional flexing action (not slow though) allowing anglers to easily access the power in the butt.  At 11’8” it is also one of the longest readily available trout Spey rods.  This is a bonus for anglers who fish bigger water, like to wade a bit deeper, or simply enjoy the feel and increased line control offered by rods over 11.5ft.  For a 4wt, this rod definitely came in on the lighter end of what we might expect compared to “industry standards”, with line pairing reminiscent of the now discontinued Winston BIII Microspey.  In fact, if you ever thought to yourself “I like the BIII Microspey 4wt but wish it was just longer” then this may be your rod!  For fall runners around here, you’d be hard pressed finding a more well-suited tool. Feel was “good” but could probably be great if Scott chose to make the front grip a bit slimmer.  The reel seat has flat sides, keeping the sliding ring aligned perfectly to the reel seat and reel foot.  The little things bring us joy!  If we have one gripe with this rod, it is the length of the lower grip.  Coming in at only 3.5”, an extra ring of cork would certainly, in our opinion, improve casting comfort..

Line Recommendations:

RIO Scandi Short 270gr, 29ft 

• Beautiful casting setup with a 16ft mono leader.  Crisp, clean, and lively.  This would be our top pic for a dry line pairing for soft hackles.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #3, 265gr, 23ft

• This line, combined with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar leaders was a real winner on this rod.  It made for super dynamic and fun casting and turned over both unweighted/light streamers and teams of soft hackles like a boss.   Nestled somewhere between Scandi and Skagit in terms of casting crispness, this would be our choice as a 1 line quiver for this rod. 

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #2, 230gr, 23ft

• Don’t look at that line rating from RIO!  This line, combined with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar leaders and long tippets basically creates a 280 grain multi-tip Scandi line setup for this rod.  This might not be the answer for every angler, but know that It is out there if you are the one looking for it. 

Rio Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 300gr, 18ft

• This was our top Skagit choice for this rod, as it loaded the rod deeply and easily in true Skagit style but did not steal away the liveliness of the cast.  This head turned over a 10ft T8 tip and a lightly weighted streamer with no problems. 
• The same line in 325gr was just fine on this rod but felt a bit more sluggish to us.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #4, 305gr, 23ft

• If you like a longer Skagit head but still that deeper loading feel, this line would be the way to go for you.  We fished it with both 10ft SA Sonar leaders and RIO Light MOW tips.  It handled both, but the Sonar Leaders definitely were a bit cleaner in terms of turnover. 

Winston Air 2 Microspey 10ft 9in 2wt

 

Winston says:

180 grain Scandi, 210 grain Skagit with 80 grain poly leaders

Big Sky Anglers says:

Winston really upped their trout Spey game this year with the release of the Air 2 Microspey series.  The longer lengths, longer bottom grips, and slimmer foregrips are all solid castability and fishability improvements to us.  Additionally, these rods, regardless of line rating, come to the game with impressively wide grain windows.  That makes finding a line that works easier, but makes it harder for us to describe just what we think are the BEST line options for a given caster.  If you have a fishing buddy that you like to argue with, consider casting these rods with them!  All jokes aside, when lined appropriately, these lines pack a TON of power which we really enjoyed.  Have a read through our line recommendations, and if you trying to line this rod for yourself, we encourage you to stop in the shop and borrow our line kits to play around with.  Oh yeah, and these of course have awesome Winston build quality, and ultra classy good looks, Made in Montana. 

We’d recommend the 2wt for an angler who is all about smaller water, smaller flies, and resides mainly in Soft Hackle City, with occasional trips to Little Light Streamer Town.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Scandi Short 240gr, 29ft 

• Beautiful casting setup with a 14ft mono leader.  Bumping up just 30 grains in this line (see below) allowed us to employ a more dynamic casting stroke and really access the power in the bottom half of the rod.  Soft hackle city. 

RIO Scandi Short 210gr, 29ft 

• This line felt very light and lively on the rod matched with a 14ft tapered mono leader.  The caster who enjoys the shorter stroke of underhand style casting would do well to try this line out.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #3, 265gr, 23ft

• This line, combined with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar leaders was a real winner on this rod.  Despite being heavier than the recommended kit, it made for super dynamic and fun casting and turned over both unweighted/light streamers and teams of soft hackles like a boss.   This would probably be our choice as a 1 line quiver for this rod. 

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #2, 230gr, 23ft

• This line, combined with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar leaders matched with a compact, lighter, tip casting style setup that was super fun to cast, but made it harder to really access the power that these rods have deeper down in their blank. 

Rio Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 250gr, 18ft

• This was our top Skagit choice for this rod.  While this head will turn over a 10ft T8 tip and a lightly weighted streamer, it did so with a pretty clunky delivery.  You might be happier and more pleased with the feel of the line paired with 10ft SA Sonar sinking leaders.  If you are looking for a rod to throw bigger heavier stuff, the 2 weight option is probably not the right choice for you.

Winston Air 2 Microspey 11ft 3wt

 

 

Winston says:

210 grain Scandi, 240 grain Skagit with 100 grain tips

Big Sky Anglers says:

Winston really upped their trout Spey game this year with the release of the Air 2 Microspey series.  The longer lengths, longer bottom grips, and slimmer foregrips are all solid castability and fishability improvements to us.  Additionally, these rods, regardless of line rating, come to the game with impressively wide grain windows.  That makes finding a line that works easier, but makes it harder for us to describe just what we think are the BEST line options for a given caster.  If you have a fishing buddy that you like to argue with, consider casting these rods with them!  All jokes aside, when lined appropriately, these lines pack a TON of power which we really enjoyed.  Have a read through our line recommendations, and if you trying to line this rod for yourself, we encourage you to stop in the shop and borrow our line kits to play around.  Oh yeah, and these of course have awesome Winston build quality, and ultra classy good looks, Made in Montana. 

If you were a fan of the earlier 4wt Winston Micro Spey in terms of length, weight, smoothness, and fishability, then you NEED to check out the Air 2 3wt.  This rod does everything that old model 4wt did, and more.  Super fun and light, but powerful enough to slam out some decent weighted streamers, this may be destined to become Joe’s new favorite Trout Spey rod. 

Line Recommendations:

RIO Scandi Short 270gr, 29ft 

• Beautiful casting setup with a 16ft mono leader.  Bumping up just 30 grains in this line (see below) allowed us to employ a more dynamic casting stroke and really access the power in the bottom half of the rod.  This setup could turn over a couple of the bigger soft hackles we use around here in the fall with no problem.

RIO Scandi Short 240gr, 29ft 

• This line felt very light and lively on the rod matched with a 16ft tapered mono leader.  The caster who enjoys the shorter stroke of underhand style casting would do well to try this line out.  We found it more challenging to access the power contained deeper in the blank with this line.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #4, 305gr, 23ft

• To be 100% honest, the awesomeness of this line combined with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar leaders pairing kindof blind sided us.  We had the line on a reel and figured, what the heck, lets just see what happens. Well, what happens is that you get a kit that you can cast dynamically, with a longer stroke than many trout spey lines, get a deep load that accesses all the power in the rod, and you can authoritatively launch your average weighted streamers (the kind you’d normally want a Skagit head for) with super smooth turnover.    Matt said this might very well be his go to rod this fall on the Madison.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #3, 265gr, 23ft

• This line, combined with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar leaders was a real winner on this rod as well, especially if you like a more Scandi type casting vibe but also want to swing your bigger soft hackles down a bit deeper with the aid of a sinking leader. 

Rio Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 300gr, 18ft

• This was our top Skagit choice for this rod, as it loaded the rod deeply and accessed the real power hiding deep down in the butt of that glossy green blank.  This head turned over a 10ft T8 tip and a lightly weighted streamer with no problems. 
• This line in 275 grains (which is also a foot shorter at 17ft) was ok for casters who prefer their Skagit cast to have a slightly tippier casting feel.  That said, some extra leader and a heavier fly were all we needed to add to really hold the anchor better when we tried to really get that deeper load by applying extra power.

Winston Air 2 Microspey 11ft 3in 4wt

 

 

Winston says:

275 grain Scandi, 300 grain Skagit with 100 grain tips

Big Sky Anglers says:

Winston really upped their trout Spey game this year with the release of the Air 2 Microspey series.  The longer lengths, longer bottom grips, and slimmer foregrips are all solid castability and fishability improvements to us.  Additionally, these rods, regardless of line rating, come to the game with impressively wide grain windows.  That makes finding a line that works easier, but makes it harder for us to describe just what we think are the BEST line options for a given caster.  If you have a fishing buddy that you like to argue with, consider casting these rods with them!  All jokes aside, when lined appropriately, these lines pack a TON of power which we really enjoyed.  Have a read through our line recommendations, and if you trying to line this rod for yourself, we encourage you to stop in the shop and borrow our line kits to play around.  Oh yeah, and these of course have awesome Winston build quality, and ultra classy good looks, Made in Montana. 

This is by far the most powerful 4wt trout Spey/micro Spey that Winston has ever produced.  If you fish mainly mid-sized water like we have a lot of around West Yellowstone, but regularly find yourself wanting the ability to throw some bigger flies and manhandle larger fish better than a 3wt can with ease, this might be the rod for you.  What we really appreciated about this rod is that, despite being capable of hucking some meat, it remained delightful to fish with a true Scandi head and little soft hackles.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Scandi Short 300gr, 31ft 

• Beautiful casting setup with a 16ft mono leader.  Bumping up just 30 grains in this line (see below) allowed us to employ a more dynamic casting stroke (the extra 2ft of head length likely helped with that) and really access the power in the bottom half of the rod.  This setup could turn over a couple of the bigger soft hackles we use around here in the fall with no problem.

RIO Scandi Short 270gr, 29ft 

• This line felt very light and lively on the rod matched with a 16ft tapered mono leader.  The caster who enjoys the shorter stroke of underhand style casting would do well to try this line out.  We found it more challenging to access the power contained deeper in the blank with this line.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #4, 305gr, 23ft

• This line, combined with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar leaders was a real winner on this rod as well, especially if you like a more Scandi type casting vibe but also want to swing your bigger soft hackles and smaller, lighter streamers down a bit deeper with the aid of a sinking leader. 

Rio Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 325gr, 18ft

• This felt like a really solid choice on this rod, but the caster needed to definitely shorten their stroke and town down the power application to avoid blowing anchors.  The result was, perhaps, not as deep a rod load as some anglers might want from a true Skagit setup.  This head will turn over a 10ft T8 tip and a lightly weighted streamer with ease.

Rio Elite Skagit Max Power 350gr, 18ft

• Paired with a set of T-8 MOW tips, this was our top Skagit choice for this rod for anglers who really wanted to load up this rod and huck some bigger, heavier streamers.  Little rod – Big power.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #5, 350gr, 23ft

• Paired with a set of T-8 MOW tips, this line is a great option for the caster that likes a longer head for their Skagit style applications. 

CF Burkheimer 4114-4

 

CF Burkheimer say:

Grain Window = 230-350gr, 330 Skagit, 300 Scandi

Big Sky Anglers says:

This is a quintessential Burkie 2 hander in a pint sized package.  Forgiving action, loads of feel, and a wide grain window make this rod incredibly likeable as well as fishable.

We found lines that made this rod fish and feel like all the weights listed in its stated range – 3/4/5 – which was extremely impressive. The rod’s versatility and grain window allows you to fish small soft hackles or medium sized streamers at short, medium, and longer distances with ease and grace. The loading and unloading of the rod is easy to feel when casting this gem.   In addition, Kerry’s impeccable craftsmanship and endless customizations options make this a work of art as well as an angling tool.  Justin even caught a nice little brown while testing this one out on the Madison.  Believe in the omens!

Note: this rod was A+ with essentially the same lines as the SAGE Trout Spey HD 3wt.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Trout Spey Shooting Head #3, 265gr, 23ft

• This was an OK line pairing with mono leader but a bit sloppy on turnover
• Adding SA Sonar leaders cleaned up the loops a lot and resulted in a presentation with a lot of punch to turn over small streamers.  Basically an effortless A+ setup

RIO Scandi Short 270gr, 29ft 

• Simply beautiful casting setup with 16ft mono leader.  This line turned the Burkie into a super lively, stop high and let it fly, crisp Scandi setup
• This line gives the rod the feel of a true Spey rod, and will be enough to please advanced casters.  A little tricky if you get sloppy with the rod tip, but super fun.
• Way better than the 240grain Scandi Short

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 325gr (18’)

• 325 grains was able to over 10ft of T8, with a Sculpzilla no problem, and even chunked out a Mini Dungeon, though it was key to keep the anchor moving so the fly didn’t sink much/at all.

CF Burkheimer 5125-4

 

CF Burkheimer say:

Grain Window = 300-420gr, 375 Skagit, 350 Scandi

Big Sky Anglers says:

The 5125 is a big boy Spey rod with Trout Spey feel.  Kerry enlisted the help of our own Matt Klara and others to dial in a unique, versatile, super-fun, forgiving rod that will change your opinion about what 4 and 5wt 2-handers for trout can and should do.  For those who want a rod that can do “a bit more”  (like casting that extra 25ft while wading deep, or presenting a heavier tip or larger fly, while still being super fun with an 16-18 inch trout on the end of the line) this is the rod for you. For mid-sized to huge rivers, and fish in the 14-inch to 5-pound class, this is simply an amazing rod. 

If you are interested in this rod, be sure to ask us about the custom “MK Classic” models that we have built for Big Sky Anglers based on Matt’s personal preferences in blank color, guides, and grip shape.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Scandi Short, 360 grains, 31ft – Matt’s Pick for Floating Line and Small Wets

• If you come from a Spey background of dry lining for summer steelhead and want to get into swinging wets for trout on big water, this could be your line.  This line enables dreamy, Scandi-style casting with a crisp high rod stop.  In addition to our local trout scene, this line would be glorious for the folks who swing out on the coast for half pounder steelhead.
• To get the most performance out of this line, we like a 15 or 16 foot mono or flouro leader.  Build your own with 40, 30, 20, and 10lb mono, or go for the easy button option by adding 4 feet of your preferred tippet material onto a 12ft, 12 or 16lb RIO Steelhead/Salmon Mono leader.
• This is my current favorite line for fishing soft hackles with this rod.
• NOTE: For a slightly lighter, “tippier” casting feel, drop down to the same line in 330 grains.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head, 305gr, 23ft

• This is a sneaky option that we felt cast like a dream and could be a sort of “One line quiver” for this rod.  The 305 grain weight seems light at first, but the secret here was to add SA Sonar Leaders (10ft and 55gr) to create essentially a 33ft Scandi head of 360 grains (see RIO Scandi Short 360 grain, 31 feet) with a sort of interchangeable tip. 
• Varying the Sonar Leader density and tippet length allowed us to fish from near surface (using the Intermediate sink rate leader) to the depths (using the Type 3 and Type 6 sinking sonar leaders).
• This line system is for folks who like Scandi-liscious crisp casting that will handle soft hackles and even smaller streamers like a Thin Mint or even a Sculpzilla!  If you like a light feel and don’t want to mess with multiple lines or big heavy flies, this is a great option.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head, 350gr, 23ft – Matt’s Pick for Streamer Fishing

• The RIO Trout Spey Shooting Head is truly a versatile line.  Up-lining with the Trout Spey Shooting Head from 305 to 350 grains allowed us to throw sink tips and larger streamers a-la Skagit lines, but the length and taper of this line made for really clean loop formation and turnover for casters who prefer to cast with a bit more velocity and performance than typically associated with classic Skagit casting.
• This line handled a 12ft T8 tip and a medium sized weighted streamer with ease, and is my preferred line system for streamer fishing with this rod. 

RIO Elite Skagit Max Power, 375 grains, 19ft

• This line is able to throw T8 and T10 tips of 10 or 12 feet with relative ease.
• If your game is medium-to-big flies, hucking weight, and worrying less about style points than getting your fly into the zone, this is a great line option.  No messing around here.  This will get it done on big water and cold conditions or when you just need/want to throw the junk.
• NOTE: For a slightly lighter feel, the Elite Skagit Max Power in 350 grains is also a great pairing.

Sage Trout Spey HD 1109-4

 

Sage says:

(Grains: 150 - 200gr) - Soft hackles, small streamers, unweighted - Pushing the limits of lightweight Spey rods, this rod is perfect for casting softhackles and small lightly weighted streamers.

Big Sky Anglers says:

Baby Spey!!  We fortunately tested this one before the wind came up, but this could absolutely be a super fun rod for the angler who mainly fishes smaller water and small to medium sized trout with light soft hackles.  A little fussy with stroke and power application, but that is to be expected with light, short rods in our experience.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #1, 190gr, 23ft

• This line was an excellent match to the rod, which is not surprising given the Farbank connection between brands.
• A long, mono leader in the 12-16’ range gave this a crisp feel.
• Adding a 50 grain SA sonar leader to this line gave the rod a more Skagity feel, and would allow an angler to cast small, unweighted streamers.

Sage Trout Spey HD 2109-4

 

Sage says:

(Grains: 200 - 250gr) - Soft hackles, small to medium streamers 1 – 2” - The perfect tool that can cover nearly any application with reasonable fly size. The 2wt is perfect for the angler that is content casting soft hackles and moderately weighted flies or is looking for a rod that is more appropriately sized to the target fish.

Big Sky Anglers says:

This would be a fun small to medium sized water rod if your applications are primarily swinging small soft hackles. We found it to be a little fussy with stroke and power application, but that is to be expected with light, short rods in our experience.  Sage’s assertion that this will handle 2” streamers is not altogether inaccurate, but if that is something you like to fish with ease, especially if there is much breeze at all, a 3+ wt is a better choice for you.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #1, 190gr, 23ft

• This line was by far our favorite line for this rod when paired with 50 grain SA sonar leaders.  This combination created a very crisp and clean casting setup with a Scandi feel, that also allowed for intermediate and faster sinking terminal options.

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power, 225gr, 16ft

• This would be our top choice for a Skagit line on this rod.
• It was able to throw a 5x5 T8 MOW tip with a micro streamer, but was much more suited to poly-leader type applications.

Sage Trout Spey HD 3110-4

 

Sage says:

(Grains: 250 – 300gr) – Soft hackles, moderately weighted steamers 1 – 2” – The most versatile of the TROUT SPEY HD series. The 3110-4 will accommodate a large variety of fly lines as well as a variety of flies. If you’re new to the Trout Spey category this is the rod of choice.

Big Sky Anglers says:

Overall, we were super impressed with the Trout Spey HD lineup from Sage.  In our opinion, they are among the nicest casting Spey rods that Sage has ever produced, in any line weights.  Their cosmetics are classy, and they have a progressive flex pattern and plenty of feel.  The 3110 is a really nice 3wt option with plenty of power and versatility.  This is Chris Daniel’s go to rod for the Madison in the Park.  We found that our favorite lines on this rod were the same as those for the Burkheimer 4114-4 (rated as a 3/4/5).   

Line Recommendations:

RIO Scandi Short 270gr, 29ft

• Five Stars.  Simply beautiful casting setup with 16ft mono leader.  Matt had a huge smile on his face and kept shaking his head when we asked if we could cast it yet. Sweeeeet setup for soft hackles.
• This line gives the rod the feel of a longer Spey rod/line combo, and will be sure to please advanced casters

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 275gr (17’), 300gr (18’), or 325gr (18’)

• All 3 of these grain options are very good Skagit type options for this rod depending on your casting preferences.  Both 300 and 325 grains can turn over 10ft of T8, but 275 grains does better with sinking coated leaders like SA Sonar 10ft Leaders.
• As a side note, if you are a fan of shorter Skagit heads like the old RIO Skagit Trout Spey or the OPST Commando, you’ll probably want to look into dropping down to 275 grains as the concentrated mass will load the rod a bit more easily.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #3, 265gr, 23ft

• Mellow casting and presentations with 16ft mono leaders and larger Bead Head Soft hackles.
• Adding SA Sonar leaders cleaned up the loops a lot and resulted in a presentation with a lot of punch to turn over small streamers.

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #2, 230gr, 23ft

• This line, combined with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar leaders makes for a super crisp, multi-tip Scandi style line that was super fun to cast with all the soft hackles and light streamers. 

 Sage Trout Spey HD 4113-4

11’3”, 4wt, $1050

 

Sage says:

(Grains: 300 – 350gr) – Large streamers up to 3 inches – The 4113-4 model is built for large and carnivorous trout and the larger flies used to get their attention. Power to cast larger streamers and leeches.

Big Sky Anglers says:

Overall, we were super impressed with the Trout Spey HD lineup from Sage.  In our opinion, they are among the nicest casting Spey rods that Sage has ever produced, in any line weights.  Their cosmetics are classy, and they have a progressive flex pattern and plenty of feel.  The 4113 was one of our favorite premium rods that we demoed. It’s lightweight, but extremely powerful, and calling it a “4 and a Half weight” would not be out of the question when compared to other brands.  It casts a variety of heads, tips, fly sizes, and distances with ease. If you are looking for one of the top 4 wt trout Spey rods on the market this is definitely one to take for a spin. 

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #4, 305gr, 23ft

• Again, we found SAGE’s suggested line to be a good option for this rod.  This line handled both 16ft mono leaders and a suite of SA Sonar leaders with ease, with the edge going to the Sonar leaders for cleaner loops.  The mono leader option was very good still and allowed us to turn over a couple of bead head soft hackles easily, at range.
• Adding the SA Sonar leader to the 305 grain Trout Spey Shooting Head essentially creates a multi-tip Scandi option that allows the angler to cover a lot of angling situations with one line (shy of strowing medium/heavy streamers).  This was a line combo that we really loved on the 5125 Burkie as well.
• 16ft mono leader = 12 ft RIO Steelhead leader with 4ft of 2x tippet

Rio Elite Skagit Max Power 350gr, 19ft

• We prefer the 18-20’ Skagit lines on trout Spey rods 11 to 12ft long, so this was our top Skagit choice for this rod.  Spreading out the grains a bit more smoothed out turnover while still giving plenty of punch to get a 10-12ft T8 tip and a weighted streamer out there. 
• Things started getting a bit weird when we tried turning over some wind and water resistant Mini Dungeons, but we still sent ‘em out across Barns #1.  If this is the type of fly to plan to fish most, however, you might look to another option – probably something longer to improve pulling the fly out and around, rather than heavier.

RIO Scandi Short 330gr, 29ft 

• Great choice for the devoted floating line soft hackle addict who fishes big water!

Orvis Mission 2-Handed 11’4” 3wt

 

Orvis says:

180 to 280gr. 260 Skagit. 210 Scandi – Two-handed anglers, the Mission Fly Rod collection is the one you’ve been waiting for. We’ve borrowed engineering techniques from our Helios 3 collection to create this line of rods to suit a range of casting styles.

Big Sky Anglers says:

The Mission series is Orvis’ top end, US made Spey rod lineup.  Light in hand, with a rather stiff lower half and crisp tip action, these will be a sure favorite for those who prefer a Scandinavian style action vs a more traditional, deeper flexing action. Our line preferences were all heavier than the reccommended weights from Orvis.  If you like casting tight loops off the tip and giving your Skagit casts a bit more OOMPH, definitely give these rods a go.  The 3wt Mission is super light, crisp, and would make a really awesome soft hackle and light streamer rod for our area rivers.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head, 230grain, 23ft

• This line, paired with an SA 10ft 55gr Sonar leader and a long (8ft) tippet was our absolute favorite on this rod.  So good, so light, crisp and clean.
• A sharp, high rod stopping position will send it to the moon.

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power, 275gr, 17ft

• This rod was able to handle this line and 10ft T8 MOW tips with ease, given that the caster used a very short, compact casting stroke with a sharp, high rod stop. 

Orvis Mission 2-Handed 11’4” 4wt

 

Orvis says:

260 to 330 gr. 310 Skagit. 260 Scandi – Two-handed anglers, the Mission Fly Rod collection is the one you’ve been waiting for. We’ve borrowed engineering techniques from our Helios 3 collection to create this line of rods to suit a range of casting styles.

Big Sky Anglers says:

The Mission series is Orvis’ top end, US made Spey rod lineup.  Light in hand, with a rather stiff lower half and crisp tip action, these will be a sure favorite for those who prefer a Scandinavian style action vs a more traditional, deeper flexing action. Our line preferences were all heavier than the reccommended weights from Orvis. If you like casting tight loops off the tip and giving your Skagit casts a bit more OOMPH, definitely give these rods a go.  The 4wt Mission is cut from the same mold as the 3wt and is super light and crisp.  The advantage of the additional grain capacity would be in throwing slightly bigger flies while retaining the same tip casting style.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head, 305gr, 23ft

• This line was fantastic on this rod when paired with 50 grain 10ft SA Sonar Leaders and a long tippet.  Really well balanced, crisp, and nice.  These was the line that sold us on this rod as a Scandi machine!
• Stop high & let it fly!

RIO Elite Skagit Max Power, 350gr, 19ft

• After trying both heavier and lighter Skagit heads on this rod, we arrived at this line as our preferred choice.  Heavier lines did not serve to load the rod more deeply, only make it sluggish.  Even with a 10ft T8 sink tip, this rod likes to be cast off the tip, loading the top half of the rod.

Orvis Mission 2-Handed 12’0” 5wt

 

Orvis says:

300 to 380 gr. 360 Skagit. 300 Scandi.– Two-handed anglers, the Mission Fly Rod collection is the one you’ve been waiting for. We’ve borrowed engineering techniques from our Helios 3 collection to create this line of rods to suit a range of casting styles.

Big Sky Anglers says:

The Mission series is Orvis’ top end, US made Spey rod lineup.  Light in hand, with a rather stiff lower half and crisp tip action, these will be a sure favorite for those who prefer a Scandinavian style action vs a more traditional, deeper flexing action. Our line preferences were all heavier than the reccommended weights from Orvis. If you like casting tight loops off the tip and giving your Skagit casts a bit more OOMPH, definitely give these rods a go.  The 5wt Mission really shined as one of the best Scandi casting rods of all the bunch.  We’d recommend this especially to folks who fish dry lines and small wets for half pounder steelhead on the coast or smaller, 1-salt summer fish.  The advantage of the additional grain capacity in the Skagit range would be for throwing big flies while retaining the same tip casting style.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head, 350gr, 23ft

• This line was fantastic on this rod when paired with 50 grain, 10ft SA Sonar Leaders and a long tippet.  Really well balanced, crisp, and nice.  These was the line that sold us on this rod as a Scandi machine!

RIO Elite Skagit Max Power, 375gr, 19ft

• After trying both heavier and lighter Skagit heads on this rod, we arrived at this line as our preferred choice.  Heavier lines did not serve to load the rod more deeply, only make it sluggish.  Even with a 10ft T8 sink tip, this rod likes to be cast off the tip, loading the top half of the rod.

Sage G5 Trout Spey 3110-4

 

Sage says:

(Grains: 250 - 300gr) - Soft hackles, moderately weighted steamers 1 - 2 - The most versatile of the TROUT SPEY G5 series. The 3110-4 will accommodate a large variety of fly lines as well as a variety of flies. If you're new to the Trout Spey category this is the rod of choice.

Big Sky Anglers says:

When we got our hands on the first G5 Trout Speys we were immediately stoked due to the classic deeper flexing actions combined with fast recovery harkening back to the G5 technology flagship series, the Z Axis.  These are a fantastic compliment to the Trout Spey HD lineup for those looking to really feel a deeper load.  We liked lines that fell right in the middle of Sage’s published grain window, and we think you probably will to.  For the price, these rods are hard to top, and the 3wt is sure to become a well loved rod for soft hackles and small buggers.  Like with most 3wts, though, deep wading, wind, and big streamers are this rod’s kryptonite.

Line Recommendations:

RIO EliteTrout Spey Shooting Head #2, 230gr, 23ft

• Anchors were a bit unstable and turnover was sloppy with this pairing when we used a 16ft mono leader and soft hackles.
• Paired with a kit of the 55grain, 10ft SA Sonar leaders, this could be a 1 line quiver for an angler looking to throw anything from small softhackles up to small beadhead buggers.

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 275gr, 17ft

• This line was a match made in Skagit heaven for this rod, perfect for chucking sinking coated leaders like SA Sonar 10ft Leaders and small to mid-sized streamers.

Sage G5 Trout Spey 4113-4

 

Sage says:

(Grains: 300 - 350gr) - Large streamers up to 3 inches - The 4113-4 model is built for large and carnivorous trout and the larger flies used to get their attention. Power to cast larger streamers and leeches.

Big Sky Anglers says:

When we got our hands on the first G5 Trout Speys we were immediately stoked due to the classic deeper flexing actions combined with fast recovery harkening back to the G5 technology flagship series, the Z Axis.  These are a fantastic compliment to the Trout Spey HD lineup for those looking to really feel a deeper load.  We liked lines that fell right in the middle of Sage’s published grain window, and we think you probably will to.  For the price, these rods are hard to top, and the 4wt is sure to become a well loved rod for anglers who like to fish streamers most and soft hackles when the time is right.  If you fish a lot of water where deep wading is the norm, you might look to a longer 4 or 5 wt option, but otherwise this one is smooth, like a good northwest IPA.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #4, 305gr, 23ft

• Again, we found SAGE’s suggested line to be a good option for this rod as a 1 line quiver.  This line handled both 16ft mono leaders and a suite of SA Sonar leaders with ease, with the edge going to the Sonar leaders for cleaner loops.  The mono leader option was very good still and allowed us to turn over a couple of bead head soft hackles easily, at range.
• Adding the SA Sonar leader to the 305 grain Trout Spey Shooting Head essentially creates a multi-tip Scandi option that allows the angler to cover a lot of angling situations with one line (shy of throwing medium/heavy streamers). 

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #3, 265gr, 23ft

• Dropping down one size in the Trout Spey Shooting Head and keeping with the 55gr 10ft Sonar leader really brought out a more crisp, Scandi style nature in this rod. 
• This would make a great line for throwing soft hackles and micro streamers as part of a 2 line quiver for this rod.

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power, 325gr, 18ft

• Right in the center of Sage’s published grain window, this line really seemed to do it for a Skagit option.
• This is 25 grains lighter than we like for a Skagit line on the Trout Spey HD.
• A great compliment to this line for streamer fishing is a couple of strategically selected T8 MOW tips.  5x5 and 10ft full sinking are our two favorites.

Echo Trout Spey TS 4110

 

Echo says:

300 Scandi, 300-330 Skagit

Big Sky Anglers says:

The Echo TS 4110 is certainly our favorite member of the Echo TS lineup.  This 4wt is a beautiful rod and has some similarities with much higher priced rods in terms of ease of casting, weight (it’s super light in hand), and overall angling versatility. This rod can easily challenge rods twice its price for a space in your fishing gear room.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 325gr (18’)

• All day long.  Great with Poly leaders or up to 10ft T8

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #4, 305gr, 23ft

• Exceptionally good when paired with the 55grain SA Sonar leaders.  Anchoring and turnover were smooth and easy.
• Note that anchors were semi-easily blown and turnover was sloppy with this pairing when we used a 16ft mono leader and soft hackles instead of the SA Sonar Leaders.

RIO Scandi Short 300gr, 29ft 

• Super nice on this rod as a pure floating line option to pair with the 325 Elite Skagit Mini Max Power

Redington Claymore Trout Spey 2110-4

 

Redington says:

The 2110 CLAYMORE Trout Spey brings the joy of two-hand casting to your local trout waters. Perfect for swinging classic wet flies and soft hackles on smaller streams. Recommended Skagit Grains: 200-225 Scandi Grains: 180-210

Big Sky Anglers says:

The 2wt Claymore performed just as we expected based on Redington’s claims that it is a great small water soft hackle stick.  What really surprised us was how well it handled a 225gr Skagit head even with a 5x5 T8 MOW tip!  Obviously, the 2wt platform has some inherent limitations, but if you spend a lot of time on small water and wind is not a regular thing, this could be a real winner for you.  If there is a downside to this setup, it is that the bigger cork handle with additional rubber grip pads seemed to really take away from some of the feel that this little rod could probably have.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #1, 190gr, 23ft

• Paired with a set of 55grain, 10ft SA Sonar leaders, this is the 1 line quiver for this rod.  Very crisp, clean, and well suited to a high rod stop.
• Soft hackles from the surface down to the depths, and maybe even some little buggers are right in this line’s wheelhouse.
• As a side note, we put the 2wt (230gr) version of this same line on the rod and with the Sonar leaders it felt very sluggish.  Proof that the smaller the Spey rod the smaller the grain window sweet spot.  It cast much better with the 230grain head with a long mono leader.

OPST Commando Head, 225gr, 13.5ft

• We tested this rod with a RIO Intouch Skagit Trout Spey line that was 13.5ft and it really shined.  It even turned over some 5x5 T8 MOW tips w relative ease.  With that line now discontinued, we recommend pairing this rod with the closest counterpart of that line from OPST, the 225grain Commando Head, also 13.5ft.
• Alternatively, you could go with a slightly longer Skagit head like the RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power in 225grain at 16ft.  Expect the turnover to be a bit less powerful, probably making this more suited to sinking poly leader type tips.  Certainly, the casting will feel a little bit less Skagity and more crisp.

Redington Claymore Trout Spey 3113-4

 

Redington says:

The 3113 CLAYMORE is the go-to Trout Spey rod in the CLAYMORE family. Powerful enough to fish a variety of Trout Spey flies, but with enough feel for smaller trout. Recommended Skagit Grains: 250-300 Scandi Grains: 210-240

Big Sky Anglers says:

This was a really nice, really forgiving rod that is going to absolutley flex in to the cork with a 15” rainbow trout on the end of the line.  Super fun! 

See the line reccomendations below, but for us, going with a 1 line quiver and Sonar leaders seems to make the most sense for this rod.  If you are an angler that plans to spend a fair bit of time streamer hucking for mid-larger sized trout, and only doing a bit of soft hackling, you might be better off with a 4wt.

If there is a downside to this setup, it is that the bigger cork handle with additional rubber grip pads seemed to really take away from some of the feel that this little rod could probably have.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #2, 230gr, 23ft

• Like with the Claymore 2wt, we found the Trout Spey Shooting head downsized by 1 to be the ticket here.
• Paired with a set of 55grain, 10ft SA Sonar leaders, this is the 1 line quiver for this rod.  Very crisp, clean, and well suited to a high rod stop.
• Soft hackles and small/light streamers from the surface down to the depths, are right in this rod/line’s wheelhouse.

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 275gr, 17ft

• This line was a match made in Skagit heaven for this rod, perfect for chucking sinking coated leaders like SA Sonar 10ft Leaders and small to mid-sized streamers.
• If you fish small to mid-sized water… for small to mid-sized trout… that love to eat small to mid-sized streamers… this would be a very tough rod/line combo to beat.

Redington Claymore Trout Spey 4116-4

 

Redington says:

The 4116 CLAYMORE Trout Spey is built for the two-handed caster wanting to throw heavier flies and light sink tips to larger trout. The extra power and length are ideal for larger western rivers where the wind is just part of a day of fishing. Recommended Skagit Grains: 300-350 Scandi Grains: 240-270

Big Sky Anglers says:

This is a solid, mid priced option for streamer fans that may dabble in soft hackles.  We love 4wt Speys for our area because they pair well with bigger rivers, good sized trout, and the ever present risk of wind.  We think the 11’6” length is really nice all around, giving the angler a bit more control on big water when wading deep compared to 11 and 11’3” rods. 

If there is a downside to this setup, it is that the bigger cork handle with additional rubber grip pads seemed to really take away from some of the feel that this little rod could probably have.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #3, 265gr, 23ft

• Like with the Claymore 2 and 3wt, we found the Trout Spey Shooting head downsized by 1 to be the ticket here.
• Paired with a set of 55grain, 10ft SA Sonar leaders, this is the 1 line quiver for this rod.  Very crisp, clean, and well suited to a high rod stop.
• Soft hackles and small/light streamers from the surface down to the depths, are right in this rod/line’s wheelhouse.

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 325gr, 18ft

• This line was a match made in Skagit heaven for this rod, perfect for chucking T8 MOW tips and mid-sized and even some big streamers.

Redington Claymore Spey 5123-4

 

Redington says:

The 5123 CLAYMORE Spey rod was designed to be a crossover between large trout and an ultra-light steelhead rod. This rod will handle larger trout flies in the wind and is also perfect for skating dries for smaller steelhead. Recommended Skagit Grains: 350-400 Scandi Grains: 270-330

Big Sky Anglers says:

This rod definitely comes in as advertised.  We would take this to big water like the Mo, Yellowstone, some of our favorite haunts in Argentina, or out to the coast for Half Pound steelies with 100% confidence.  The extra length and power will let you really command the river and fish where you simply can’t with single hand rods or even smaller 2-handers.  At this price point, we haven’t found a better 12+’ 5wt that is still fun to fish for trout.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head #5, 350gr, 23ft

• This extremely versatile line is a great match for this rod, especially if you are looking for a 1 line quiver.
• Pair with 55grain, 10ft SA Sonar leaders for a very smooth, well balanced feel that is a hybrid Scandi/Skagit vibe.
• From our experience with the Burkie 5125, we know this line with also turn over T tips up to 12ft of T8 with ease.  Think of this as a long Skagit head with T tips.

RIO Scandi Short, 330gr, 31ft

• As a dedicated dry line for this rod, the Scandi Short is tough to beat with a long mono leader of 12-16ft.
• Half pounder steelhead on traditional wets? Yes.
• Big lake runners on small flies?  Yes.
• Dialing in your casting in preparation for a jump up to bigger rods and longer lines?  Yes.

RIO Elite Skagit Max Power, 375gr, 19ft

• This is our choice for a dedicated Skagit line for this rod.  You can throw some pretty big, bulky flies and nasty sink tips with a 375 grain body.  12ft of T8 or T10 and some rabbit is in play with this setup.

Orvis Clearwater 2-Handed 11’ 4” 3wt

 

Orvis says:

180 to 280gr. 260 Skagit. 210 Scandi – With a variety of rod sizes to choose from, these rods are excellent for fishing larger rivers. Designed in Manchester, Vermont, our Clearwater two-handed rods provide high-end performance at excellent prices. Our lighter line of two-handed rods are perfect for swinging soft hackles on large trout rivers.

Big Sky Anglers says:

The Clearwater series is Orvis’ mid priced Spey offering.  Like the Mission series, they are light in hand (but not quite as light at the Mission), with a rather stiff lower half and crisp tip action.  They were much crisper and more powerful on the water than we expected after our initial “wiggle test” in the shop.  These will be a sure favorite for those who prefer a Scandinavian style action vs a more traditional, deeper flexing action. Our line preferences were all heavier than the recommended weights from Orvis. If you like casting tight loops off the tip and giving your Skagit casts a bit more OOMPH, definitely give these rods a go.  The 3wt Clearwater is light, crisp, and would make a really awesome soft hackle and light streamer rod for our area rivers.  Among all the Orvis rods, though, this was the one we strugggled hardest to match with a Skagit line that we really liked.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head, 265 gr, 23ft

• Paired with a set of SA 10ft 55grain Sonar Leaders, this line seemed like the only line you’d need for this rod to have a great time casting and fishing anything from tiny soft hackles to small, light streamers.

Orvis Clearwater 2-Handed 11’ 4” 4wt

11’4”, 4wt, $398

 

Orvis says:

260 to 330 gr. 310 Skagit. 260 Scandi – With a variety of rod sizes to choose from, these rods are excellent for fishing larger rivers. Designed in Manchester, Vermont, our Clearwater two-handed rods provide high-end performance at excellent prices. Our lighter line of two-handed rods are perfect for swinging soft hackles on large trout rivers.

Big Sky Anglers says:

The Clearwater series is Orvis’ mid priced Spey offering.  Like the Mission series, they are light in hand (but not quite as light at the Mission), with a rather stiff lower half and crisp tip action.  They were much crisper and more powerful on the water than we expected after our initial “wiggle test” in the shop.  These will be a sure favorite for those who prefer a Scandinavian style action vs a more traditional, deeper flexing action.  Our line preferences were all heavier than the recommended weights from Orvis.  If you like casting tight loops off the tip and giving your Skagit casts a bit more OOMPH, definitely give these rods a go.  The 4wt Clearwater is cut from the same mold as the 3wt and is both light and crisp.  The advantage of the additional grain capacity would be in throwing slightly bigger flies while retaining the same tip casting style.

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Trout Spey Shooting Head, 305gr, 23ft

• This line was fantastic on this rod when paired with 50 grain, 10ft SA Sonar Leaders and a long tippet.  Really well balanced, crisp, and nice. 

RIO Elite Skagit Max Power, 350gr, 19ft

• After trying both heavier and lighter Skagit heads on this rod, we arrived at this line as our preferred choice.  Heavier lines did not serve to load the rod more deeply, only make it sluggish.  Even with a 10ft T8 sink tip, this rod likes to be cast off the tip, loading the top half of the rod.

Echo TR2 4113

 

Echo says:

360 Scandi, 360-390 Skagit

Big Sky Anglers says:

This rod has been a Trout Spey staple for us over the years.  Very versatile, easy to cast, and priced very reasonably.  The Echo TR 4113 is probably the best entry level 4wt Trout Spey rod we know of that can do many things well. It handles a variety of sink tips, distances, and small to medium size flies with ease. This would be a great all around rod for fishing most water on rivers the size of the Madison and Henry’s Fork.  It can comfortably handle large trout, too, if you are into that sort of thing.  😊 

Line Recommendations:

RIO Elite Skagit Mini Max Power 325gr (18’)

• A very good Skagit type option for this rod.  325 grains is able to over 10ft of T8 or SA Sonar Leaders, with a Sculpzilla type streamer no problem.

RIO EliteTrout Spey Shooting Head #4, 305gr, 23ft

• Exceptionally good when paired with the 55grain SA Sonar leaders.  Anchoring and turnover were smooth and easy.
• Note that anchors were semi-easily blown and turnover was sloppy with this pairing when we used a 16ft mono leader and soft hackles instead of the SA Sonar Leaders.

RIO Scandi Short 300gr, 29ft 

• Super nice on this rod as a pure floating line option to pair with the 325 Skagit Max Short