The Perfect Steelhead Rod

That is a tough question to answer.  I have landed steelies with my 7 1/2' 4 wt to my 11' 8 wt spey rod.  Most of the time I use a 10' 7 wt or 9' 6 wt. 
 
That is the simple answer.  To muddy the waters some, you need to look at the action you prefer, length you like for the type of fishing you do and the power you need for the type of water you are fishing.  I am not expert on fly rods but the few things I have learned over the years fishing the Erie tribs are the following:
 
1) There is little "big" water to fish.  You really don't need the big rods that you might when fishing the larger rivers in OH and NY.  A good 9' or 10' rod will generally be sufficient.
 
2) You don't need to use super fine tippet material.  I know some will jump all over me about this, but honestly unless it is ultra clear and ultra low and you are trying to hook a super spookie fish, the you can get away with 4# test mono for your tippet material and can even go to 8# test in heavier water.  What this means is you can use a bit faster rod if you like and don't need to worry as much about breaking off fish.
 
3) Most of your casts will be short, with many roll casts.  What this means is you don't need a rod designed for long casting situations.  The spey or switch rods are great, but not necessary here.  They are nice rods to have and have the advantage of extra length.
 
4) What style of fishing do you do; high sticking nymphing, indicator fishing, the local version of chuck and duck (I know it is the incorrect use of the term, but it describes the use of a fair amount of weight to drift deep pools), swinging streamers, etc...  The rod choice should reflect your style of fishing.  I personally like to use my version of the Ceczh nymphing style of fishing and wet fly swing.
 
5) Do you fish high water, deeper pools and riffles or are you looking to hit the skinny water of the upper sections of the streams?  There is a world of difference fighting a steelie in a few inches of water that hooking into one in a fast, deep current.  The power of the rod comes into play here.
 
6) Cost may be a consideration.  To find the rod you think has all the qualities you are looking for, you may want to spend the equivalent of the GNP of a small third world country.  Of course, the quality of the rod and warranty are important considerations as well.
 
7) Lastly, there is the feel.  I don't know how to describe it, but some rods just feel right.  I have an inexpensive Diamondback I bought several years ago that is one of my absolute favorite rods.  I cannot say why I really like the rod, except I like the way it feels.
 
I guess as you have gathered, the perfect steelhead rod is the rod that fits you and your fishing needs.  Good luck finding it.

For me it is the Sage 11' 7wt Z Axis. I can protect light line easy, but really lean into the butt to beat fish quick. I started fishing this rod in fall of '06, and haven't let go of it since. I did just get a 11' 7 Wt Winston BIIx, but I haven't had the chance to fish it yet...
tight lines, Steve B

I only have one fly rod, and its a 6wt 9'6' St Croix something or other.  I use it for steel, works great.  I also use it for stockies, works good for them too, maybe a little stiff.  I rarely have any good luck with steel, but the draw of a 20-30 inch trout keeps me coming back. 

Thanks for the input so far guys.
 
It seems that a 10' or 11' 7wt is the preferred rod so far...but then again, not many people have chimed in.
 
Has anyone noticed a bigger following of double handed rods on Erie tribs? I can count on one hand in the past two years how many guys I've seen. But that is only about 40 days of fishing.
 
 
Mike

I would definitely agree with Dan about the two handed rod.  I have an 11' spey rod.  It is short for a spey rod, but it definitely has the power to put some line out there, yet most of the time I never get to use its full potential and in the upper sections of the creek it can be a bit cumbersome.  In those areas I prefer my 9' Diamondback or 10' Scott.
 
I have looked at the Sage 11' 7wt Z-Axis and thought it would the be a great rod, but I already have a Scott A2 10' 7wt and just cannot at this time justify getting the Sage.  Although, if I get my $600 back from the Govt, I might be tempted to take one home.  I am sure it would match up well with my Lamson Lightspeed....  Of course, I would get the 8 wt Sage.  That way I would not have two 7 wt rods....  Now that is an idea.
 
Us boys and our toys....  Of course, I guess it is better to be spending our money on a great fishing rod, than wasting it on something else....  A man can never have too many fishing rods, reels, bows, guns or knives...

Dan,
 
I have been fine, keeping busy as usual and trying to do a little fishing here and there.  Let me know if you will be up and if I am available, we can do a little fishing.  There still are a few steelies around.  The suckers seem to be coming up now...  They can be fun too.
 
As for the Sage, I would love one, but right now, I just don't think I can really justify getting it.  Besides, I most likely will end up breaking it like I did with my Scott....  I snapped the tip off clean.... No real story, it got stuck in a bush.  Oh well, it should be back in a month or so... In the meantime, I will be fishing the Diamondback... or maybe get crazy and breakout the 4 wt...  Haven't done that for awhile.

Personally I prefer an 8'6" three weight bamboo with 2# tippett.   I never catch anything with it but I just love the looks and questions I get.

anadromous  Where did Nagy's builder come up with Ice Resistant Guides do you know the manufacturer???