advantages of the switch rod

[mtalmadgeoregon]

Hello everyone, I am new to Ifish and am building myself a 6# 4 piece switch rod on Rainshadow blank. I am puting H & H guids on it with a fuji titanium tip. It will be my first two handed rod. I baught a mid arbour 8/9 Orvis Battinkill spooled with 7# Rio Versi tip salmon/steelhead line. I am really exited about stepping into the realm of steelheading with a fly. I would be greatfull for any thought on my set up if the line and rod will workout and advice on twohanded fishing for steelhead in generl.

[PacificCoastSteel]

the reel might be a little big, but if its one of the new BK reels it shouldn't really be too heavy at all

i think the line will work ok too... another line to try someday might be the airflo 40+

one thing i've done with my switch rods was to buy a RIO 5ft skagit cheater (just a THICK heavy 5ft chunk of floating line) and cut it up into a 2ft and a 3ft... slap some mono loops on the end and now you have two extra little pieces of line you can add or take away to help load the rod better if you need it

i have a 10' 8" 7wt from a rainshadow blank and i love it

i learned to cast from Rio's dvd, but there are many on the market... do that and/or take a lesson, attend speyclaves.... practice

if you haven't yet, read Dec Hogan's book - and take his advice when it comes to casting: "slow down"

welcome to the begining of the end :D
PCS

[mtalmadgeoregon]

thanks for the advice I will look into geting the book and the video. I saw a traylor for the Rio vidio on utube this morning. looks like a real fun way to cast, and could become addicting. That is great news about the rainshadow blank. I bought it because of the reviews I read on the net and the price. i will post some pics of the setup when I get it done. That is an interesting idea about the line I will have to find some older usable line for that. I will have to read up on what kinds of flys to use.

[mtalmadgeoregon]

I also wanted to hear what advatages a switch rod has over a spey. I figure becuase I mainly fish the smaller costal streams of the north of Oregon a switch would be a good fit for that. How practle are these rods for casting over head?

[PacificCoastSteel]

I also wanted to hear what advatages a switch rod has over a spey. I figure becuase I mainly fish the smaller costal streams of the north of Oregon a switch would be a good fit for that. How practle are these rods for casting over head?

i don't often cast em overhead, but when i do i usually use two hands on the rod... they CHUCK

as for using old line for a cheater - it may be hard to find unless you have alot of old skagit heads laying around... its really thick floating line

advantages over a spey for me are:

the rods are waaay lighter and fish are more fun on them

they fish better in close situations (smaller rivers)

they require much less "backcasting" space when spey casting

easier to wrestle 11' of rod thru blackberries than 13'

[Lymanator]

I built the 6wt rainshadow switch last year. I have a 320 Beulah tonic line on it for throwing sinktips. I love it for swinging for trout and smallmouth. Sure beats a single hander for that purpose imo. And at 10'8" it's very manageable for single handed casts when needed. It is rated for single hand lines, that is, the 6wt switch is rated for a single handed 6wt line for overhead casting. Really fun rods.

[mtalmadgeoregon]

thanks guys, it sounds like the switch rod will be what I invisioned it to be. I hope the 6# is not to light for steelhead and that the 7# line will not over power the rod. What is the learning curve like on casting? I heard it is better to learn spey casting on a true twohander than step over to the switch. i can't wait to start learning

[C-lice]

I have three flyrods: A 10' 8wt single-hander, a 11' 8/9 switch, and a 14' 9/10 Spey.

The switch can do anything that the single-handed rod can do, and about 85-90% of what the Spey can do. What the Spey can do that the switch can't is work at distance--The Spey can cast farther and control line farther out.

I cast the switch either overhead or Spey. I believe that you might find, as I did, that you will Spey cast more with the switch even when you don't absolutely have to because it's just a lot easier.

What I like about my switch that I don't like about my Spey is that it fishes nymphs a lot better than the Spey. You can mend without having to move as big of a butt around, and the shorter rod isn't as tip-heavy. To me, using a Spey to nymph with his a lot like digging in a flowerpot with a shovel instead of a trowel--you get the job done, but it is really just too much tool for the job.

What I like about my switch that I don't like about my single-hand rod is that I can Spey cast with my switch, which is a real advantage when slinging heavier flies or casting longer distances.

It took me a while to get comfortable with the switch. I followed the manufacturer's line recommendations and at first felt like I was severely overlined. As my casting stroke has refined, I have come to see that their recommendations were right on. The difference, for me, was 1.) To s l o w down my stroke and 2.) to make sure my line was really well dressed. Anything I could do to keep more of the line afloat really helped when it came time to pick up for another cast. Also, I found it even more important than with the Spey to let the line do its job. It will practically cast itself if you let it. You just point it in the direction it needs to go and get it up in the air.

Good luck!!

[AndyK]

I also wanted to hear what advantages a switch rod has over a spey.

Many local rivers do not require a long Spey rod. A switch rod is adequate for covering all the water. When I am using one of my Skagit rods and I am covering all the water without casting with the entire Spey line head, I should be using a shorter line (and shorter rod).

Another consideration is fishing from a boat. There are many coastal rivers that do not have good runs for wading and casting; the banks have steep drop offs. A switch rod is great for fishing from a drift boat; if you can’t do a Spey cast, you can use a one handed cast. You are also less likely to break your rod landing a fish (while in the boat) with your switch rod.

[mtalmadgeoregon]

Do you gus think a 6# will be to light for winter steelhead? I wory about the faster and deeper flows with larger fish. Also will I be able to turn over the biger flys and sinking head?

[Lymanator]

The rainshadow 6wt will be a little light for steelhead IMO. That 6wt rating is for a single hander. I throw 320 grains skagit with it. The Batson site lists the grain window at 160-330. Compare that with my Meiser 6/7 switch which is rated on the 2 handed/spey lines system and has a grain window of 350-550 with tips. Huge difference in these "6 weights". I ordered the Meiser specifically for skinny water steelhead and beach overhead casting. The rainshadow 6 is definitely for smaller quarry I think. 14" Deschutes redsides put a fantastic bend in that rod. One rod can't do it all...what fun would that be? If you're targeting steelhead I'd move up to the 7wt rainshadow switch.

[C-lice]

Do you gus think a 6# will be to light for winter steelhead? I wory about the faster and deeper flows with larger fish. Also will I be able to turn over the biger flys and sinking head?

If you're talking about faster and deeper flows with a sinking head and a big fly, then a six will be too small. I have an 8/9, and it would be only marginally able to do that, IMO. You'll have to try to rip that sink tip and big fly up through the water column from straight downstream in heavy current. That's not what a six does.

[mtalmadgeoregon]

Thanks guys looks like I am building myself a decent summer steelhead rod and a larger river trout rod and or bass. I really like the blank, It gives me another excuss to build a rod:D if I can talk the wife into it. would it be better to go with the 7# or the 8# for winter flows? it souds like the 8# would perhaps have the edge.