Spey- Yay or Nay

OKay, so enough with the rhyming, i just read the fly rods thread and figured I wouldn't sabatoge it.  I read your post Jeremy and see that you are a huge spey advocate.   What I wanna know is, what size/weight spey do you consider using? in erie and ny.  The reason being is that im going to start fishing NY more this coming season and I dont think the noodle blank is up for handling a king on a 6wt.  I fish the yough a decent amount, mostly with my old 7wt if im fly fishing, but I'd be interested in hearing some opinions of how a spey could benefit...plus I need an excuse for another toy.  lol. 

I havent ventured into it myself yet so I cant really recommend.

Benefits of a spey.

No back cast, every throw a nymph rig 50ft with a regular rod, not easy huh, throw 100 with a spey.

Able to stay back away from fish

Able to not have to wade far out into a river.

ORIGINAL: Loomis

OK, so enough with the rhyming, i just read the fly rods thread and figured I wouldn't sabatoge it.  I read your post Jeremy and see that you are a huge spey advocate.   What I wanna know is, what size/weight spey do you consider using? in erie and ny.  The reason being is that im going to start fishing NY more this coming season and I dont think the noodle blank is up for handling a king on a 6wt.  I fish the yough a decent amount, mostly with my old 7wt if im fly fishing, but I'd be interested in hearing some opinions of how a spey could benefit...plus I need an excuse for another toy.  lol. 

 
Honestly I dont even know where to begin on this. A 2 handed rod used in its true form, swinging, has no use in the Erie tribs. Only a a handful of spots you could get away with it but then again you will have to many people in the way. I would love to see somebody try and learn them guys about "two stepping." Your best bet for Erie would be getting into a switch rod. They have been getting very popular the past few seasons. Many on the market to choose from. A Meiser probably being the best but there are many options. Scott Sage Beulah to name afew.  A 11' 6wt or 7wt Z Axis would work great for you. As well as building on a Rainshadow 10'8". I would say 7wt but the 8 wt would be fine as well. What ever one you choose you may really want to think about overlining it by at least one.
  Now if you are going to swing up in NY on the Catt or Salmon a 13'ish 7/8 for 8/9 is not out of the question. If you get serious about it you will have one for each river you fish.  Look into the Echos. Decent rod that aint gonna break the bank. Another cheapy is TFO. You never gave a price range so its hard to suggest a rod. Its a big investment. Once you through in the line and probably a big reel. You are looking maybe afew shy of a grand, but you can get away alittle cheaper by building your own or buying used. You can use a switch rod in NY as well. Go with the 8wt for salmon. Probably a 9wt if fishing the Salmon under higher flows. A 7wt would be fine for steel.
   Personally I dont think a two hander fished in the traditional style is cut out for you so I would go with a switch rod. That way once you put an indicator on it people wont laugh at you. A switch rod is the perfect tool for any area. Easier casting than a single hand rod of similar size. You can bobber fish with it as well as swing. You prob wont even do all that much swinging because its not as productive as bobber fishing. Read A Passion For Steelhead, thats steelhead fishing the way its supposed to be done.  As for disadvanteges of the switch and 2 handed rods. Not everybuddy fishes with one. It would be truely awsome to rotate through a run with strangers and not have to worry about getting low holed by some smuck that just walked up. Or having some idiot squeeze in your back pocket and fish. I'm done.
    Talk to these guys. They will set you straight http://www.oakorchardflyshop.com/