I will be trying salmon fishing for the first time this year and have a friends Cortland GR2 13' #9/10 (given for free but he swears it served him well when he was learning). Difficult to find reviews on the web (found 2, 1 rates and 1 slates!).

I'm planning to match this with an Airflo #9/10 Floting Spey (short head) with different densities of 10' polyleaders.

Has any one got experience of this rod that they can share?

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Don't let perfection get in the way of good.....

What river and what time of year?

Free is the right price for this rod, It will be ok until your technique develops.

After about a day of fishing you will find the blank holding you back and you will be wishing for a rod that loaded better, had more feel, everything.

Not the best rod, maybe better to try a bloke 13ft, shakey 13ft both far better rods.

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Turned out nice again!!

If another rod is not an option and you will be using the Cortland for the medium term, you might wish to overline it slightly, this will assist loading, and make short spey casts a bit easier. Perhaps a 10/11?, although without knowing the action of the Cortland it's difficult to be categoric. There is nothing worse than trying to use a double hander with too light a line rating. Some of the Bruce and Walker range need a line rating above what is specified to use properly.

There is also no unifrom standard between the weights of the new Spey tapers you get these days, it is very confusing and does not make it easy to get it right first time. The Airflo salmon lines are very good (in contrast to some of their trout lines), and I believe the Airflo Delta Spey works very well with polyleaders.

Graham Ritchie is the man to ask here.

I will be fishing in July Northumberland when I am on holiday. I realise that fishing will be very dependant on rain so will make sure I have my trout gear with me. Ideally will be fishing the North Tyne, Till, Coquet or Aln.

FFF

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Don't let perfection get in the way of good.....