Switch Rod Users?

O

OregonSteeler

Freshly Spawned
Been using a switch rod over the past 2 years for nymphing and it's been wonderful. Looking to expand on it's usage and would like to hear from others...

Who else uses a switch rod and for what purpose(s)?


I have only used mine as a single hand rod because I didn't know how to spey cast. Now that I'm diving into that world, hoping to use it for swinging trout flies. Gonna be a learnign curve for sure though!
 
I use my switch rods for swinging streamers on a sink tip or surface flies on a floating line. I have switch rods weights 2/3,4/5, 5/6 and an 8. I've fished the 5/6 and 8 sizes for years. They work great for steelhead and bull trout. Last year I built some lighter rods and they have proven to be fun and effective on smaller water and fish.
I use mostly short skagit heads like the OPST commando stuff. I'd say my fishing is about 80% two handed, 10% one handed and 10% untangling shit. There are lots of places on my home waters that don't allow backcasts so being able to spey casts helps.
 
Hillbilly Redneck said:
I use my switch rods for swinging streamers on a sink tip or surface flies on a floating line. I have switch rods weights 2/3,4/5, 5/6 and an 8. I've fished the 5/6 and 8 sizes for years. They work great for steelhead and bull trout. Last year I built some lighter rods and they have proven to be fun and effective on smaller water and fish.
I use mostly short skagit heads like the OPST commando stuff. I'd say my fishing is about 80% two handed, 10% one handed and 10% untangling shit. There are lots of places on my home waters that don't allow backcasts so being able to spey casts helps.
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That will most likely be my next use for the switch, swinging flies for trout.
 
I mostly mine for spey casting when I don't feel like I need the fully spey. Smaller rivers/runs/etc. I have 4/5/6, but the 6wt is really the only one that gets used these days. Mostly skagit, sinktips, and streamers. But that's probably more about my fishery than the switch rod itself.
 
OregonSteeler said:
Been using a switch rod over the past 2 years for nymphing and it's been wonderful. Looking to expand on it's usage and would like to hear from others...

Who else uses a switch rod and for what purpose(s)?


I have only used mine as a single hand rod because I didn't know how to spey cast. Now that I'm diving into that world, hoping to use it for swinging trout flies. Gonna be a learnign curve for sure though!
Click to expand...

I too use mine for two hand over head casting. I only fish the salt mostly for salmon when fishing for coho you strip in tell you almost get the leader into the tip, because the coho will sometimes hit you fly right at your feet, so I had to figure out how to do that with a switch rod. I started using a switch rod because of a bad elbow. The hardest part is figuring out what line works best for my casting. As well as finding the right switch rod, for my style of casting I like a Sage Z Axis, I have 5wt, 6wt, 7wt, and 8wt, as well as a Loop 11 foot 6 weight 5 piece. I up line 3 line weights using a rio outbound short, or Rio CQS.
 
For me a switch is a small Spey rod. For true switch action the echo ohs is the deal. A single hand rod you can use both hands on if you want.
 
I sort of inherited a 10.5', 6/7 switch recently. So far, I am finding it casts better one-handed than two, but then, I'm far from the best Spey caster out there....

I fished it on the Cowlitz yesterday, and It's almost like it wanted more weight on the end than I was giving it (unweighted marabou spider on a #4 medium wire salmon hook, behind a 10-ft. Section of T-7 and 2 feet of 8-lb. Maxima) when I tried Spey casts. Interestingly, it threw the same rig very well overhead, to about 90 feet, which eliminated my prior suspicion that I might be overloading it a bit. Gonna take some tuning, but it's got potential to be a neat fit between a single-hand 6-weight and an 8-weight Spey....
 
Shad said:
I sort of inherited a 10.5', 6/7 switch recently. So far, I am finding it casts better one-handed than two, but then, I'm far from the best Spey caster out there....

I fished it on the Cowlitz yesterday, and It's almost like it wanted more weight on the end than I was giving it (unweighted marabou spider on a #4 medium wire salmon hook, behind a 10-ft. Section of T-7 and 2 feet of 8-lb. Maxima) when I tried Spey casts. Interestingly, it threw the same rig very well overhead, to about 90 feet, which eliminated my prior suspicion that I might be overloading it a bit. Gonna take some tuning, but it's got potential to be a neat fit between a single-hand 6-weight and an 8-weight Spey....
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When you say "it wanted more weight" is that because your anchor was blowing?
 
9 wt switch (Beulah, Guidleine faves) for coastal Kings, CLA 6 loaded w/40# Big Game running line, Cortland Classic intermediate in camo. Cast OH all day long keeping top hand below ear...effortless.

Back when chasing coastal steelies, go to was a TFO Deer Creek 11' 7 wt, CLA 5 w/OPST running line and Commando head= airborne express. Took a large late run King on it when upstream swinging for steel..hella fun

swtich rods - faster action for OH, slower action for UH
 
Shad said:
I think so. Probably giving it too much power?
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I was thinking a longer leader. What head do you have behind it? 12ft combined tip and leader seems short to me, but that is a relatively short rod. To my understanding, you'll want that head-tip-leader total length in the 32-35 ft range. Otherwise you'll pick up your anchor on your sweep if you're not careful
 
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