I own a T&T 1307. Could you give me suggestions as to line weight for the Nextcast Zone, the Airflow Rage and any other new line on the market you really like. I swing flies for Steelhead on the Klickitat, Grande Ronde, Deschutes and the Clearwater.

Hi Gary!  I love questions like this as it speaks to the topic of “what’s good, will always be good”. It’s also nice to see that you are approaching this with the open mindset of finding a line to bring out another personality of your fabled 1307. For this rod, I personally like the Nextcast Zone F1 @ 500gr for subsurface work and the Airflo Rage @ 510gr for floating/light tip work. Also living in the Northwest, I am very familiar with the above mentioned rivers and would say that the Zone F1 has done well for me in the typically off color Klickitat or mid day on the Ronde and Deschutes. The Rage gives a versatile option from top water presentations through T6 with up to mid sized (2”) flies as well. For the Clearwater or mornings on the Deschutes, I would consider lines like the Nextcast Fall Favorite 45 @ 470gr (40′) or the Airflo Scandi Long @ 480gr (38′). Both of these will allow for more water coverage and offer the challenge/benefit of a longer line while remaining forgiving along the learning curve.

In regards to skating dries, although the Rage, Fall Favorite and Scandi Long are very capable of turning over air-resistant skaters, may I also suggest a single hand 9 -10′ #6 or 7, and a short, powerful head like a Scientific Anglers Siege to cover the in-close water that fish often sit in the early mornings. Fishing the nearby water is not only easier to do with a single hander, but it also increases the chances where you can actually observe a fish chasing your skater vs having to find your top water offering in the glare or chop of the river 60′ out.

Hopefully this answered your questions, and let me know if there is anything else I can help with!  Brian Chou