BWS StR 1002-2

A wonderful big-river steelhead rod, this 9 ½-footer is the rod of choice in northern Washington and southern British Columbia. The extra length allows you to fish a float or use traditional drift fishing methods with artificial eggs, bait and spinners. Boat anglers like this rod for boondogging the likes of the Skagit and Cowlitz. 

This powerful, moderate-action mooching rod handles up to 30-pound line and will troll/mooch up to 6 ounces or cast 2-3 ounces without a problem. It is an excellent rod for bobber fishing large fall Chinook near tidewater, and its oversized guides and tip-top allow extra room for a bobber stop. 

The StR 1264 is a very specialized steelhead rod designed for float fishing for summer steelhead. It has a medium tip to help protect light leaders and an extra-long handle to balance its 12-foot overall length. This rod began as a specialty rod we made for British Columbia, but it has found its way south into Washington and Oregon as float fishing has become more widely accepted in the Northwest - especially as a solution for fishing difficult stretches of water. 

The ultimate light-line steelhead drift rod. It has the perfect action to handle 6-pound line and a subtle power, much like a fly rod, that tires fish quickly. We originally designed this rod for the western technique known as boondogging, where the angler lets his boat drift the same speed as the river. This allows the bait to maintain a drag-free drift beside the boat. The technique requires a more forgiving rod, because the fish will drop the bait the minute it feels any resistance. Consequently, this rod is soft enough to let you “see” the strike before the fish has time to react. It works well for both winter and summer-run fish. This style of rod has become a favorite for those anglers that are side drifting.  Other applications include still-fishing bait for big trout and casting small spinners and spoons from shore.