FSS CenterPin 1342-4 Half Wells Style Foregrip

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. 

Designed for winter steelhead, where you need a little more backbone due to the larger weights required to fish high water conditions, the StR 865-2 has sufficient power to fish Chinook salmon. But it is actually best suited for silvers and chums. Because it has the power to move fish and bring them boat-side without a chase, this is a good choice for both boat and bank fishing. Additionally, it is a good alternative rod for stripers, blues and other medium-size saltwater species. 

As you travel north through steelhead country, rod lengths gradually increase (by the time you get to Canada, you’re up to 12 feet or more), but when you look at the techniques involved it is easy to see why. Float fishing requires long rods to handle the floats and long leaders, while the smaller, brushy rivers of Northern California require shorter, lighter rods for success. By the time you get to the Cowlitz River in west central Washington - just up the road from Edge - you’ve hit 9-foot country, and that is where this rod shines. It handles the long leaders and light leads required for the low, clear water of summer, and the heavier gear necessary to fish the high, emerald-green water of December. The graphite is HM, because sensitivity is the name of the game and overall weight is an important factor, especially in a longer rod. 

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.