Re: If it had to be a loomis?

It would be best if you could try them first before you decided, either would be fine for steelhead or silvers. The 6/7 will easily handle steelhead, it is equivalent to about a 8/9 wt.single handed rod. You will no doubt prefer one to the other if you cast both however.

I would suggest you get a larger Tioga at least a magnum regular arbor 10, preferably a 12.