switch rods..? somebody school me please....

[wonderfulremark]

First, before I write anything.. I'd like to say that I researched the crap out of spey and switch rods... but I am not understanding some technicality of it..

I have a single hander 9' 8wt for winter steelies.. after fishing for a couple of days with a heavy sink tip, my shoulder started hurt a lot.. So I thought, I'd look for an easier solution.. I've decided that I would like to pick up a switch rod for the job.

I've come across a st croix 11' 7wt switch rod and wondering if that'd do the job eventhough it's a 7wt rod..(I prefer 8wt for steelies in the winter with my single hander)

My question is though, is a 7wt switch rod basically a long 7wt with a two handed handle or are the tapers and actions quite different? which would mean that i should look for another rod..

[btree]

Well, it depends on what size flies you want to toss and what size water you want to fish. I assume that since you are on the Island, you aren't going to be hitting the T. or the Skeena on a regular basis, so a small spey or a switch rod should be fine to cover most medium sized island streams.

A 7wt switch rod is not the same as a long 7wt single hander and will want to toss heavier lines, same deal as with spey rods, but shorter head length to account for the shorter rod lenght - everything must remain proportional... Basically, they have much different grain windows than single handers. A 7wt single hander will want to toss ~177-193 grains, while a 7wt switch rod may want to toss ~ 300-500 grains. Your research should have revealed this...

Single hander grain chart and line explanations http://www.flyfishusa.com/lines/choose-line-home.html

Tapers and actions are unique to the rod, for example, the Beulah classic switch rods are med-fast, so a relatively deep flex, and the platinum switches are apparently a deeper flex (med action), but other switch rods are faster and can be more of a tip flex (Orvis comes to mind). I hope this answers your question... I dont really understand why you have this question actually, the info you ask about is basically what is listed on all manufacturer websites - grain window/line choice & action.

See examples from Beulah 7/8 classic switch and 7 platinum switch.

http://www.beulahflyrods.com/product...hrods7-8wt.php

http://www.beulahflyrods.com/product...tchrods7wt.php

Orvis example:

http://www.orvis.com/store/product_d...ubcat_id=17952

TFO example:

http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/pro...ds/switch.html

Also, don't expect this to be a quick fix. Learning spey/switch casting has it's own learning curve. If you are competent with a single hander, you have a head start, but expect at least a couple days to get comfortable, and a season or so to get good with the new style.

Basically, you should just get out to a spey clave or a shop and give one of these rods a try.

[SalaR]

First, before I write anything.. I'd like to say that I researched the crap out of spey and switch rods... but I am not understanding some technicality of it..

I have a single hander 9' 8wt for winter steelies.. after fishing for a couple of days with a heavy sink tip, my shoulder started hurt a lot.. So I thought, I'd look for an easier solution.. I've decided that I would like to pick up a switch rod for the job.

I've come across a st croix 11' 7wt switch rod and wondering if that'd do the job eventhough it's a 7wt rod..(I prefer 8wt for steelies in the winter with my single hander)

My question is though, is a 7wt switch rod basically a long 7wt with a two handed handle or are the tapers and actions quite different? which would mean that i should look for another rod..

Hello Mark...
Ben is quite right and very accurate in his reply to you...When we first introduced Switch rods to the general market it was quite something to see all the mis information buzzing around. Most of the major manufacturers were in no way going to bring out a "SWITCH " rod,these were gimicks! We nowe know the truth and these same companies have jumped on the band wagon and a few have it right. Modern Switch rods are actually very versatile tools that get the job done when a single hander won't. In your case tossing those heavy and awkeward lines about with One hand. ..thus sore shoulders. What a Switch rod will do for you is to allow you to use Two hands in accomplishing your goal with 25% of the energy output,especially if you have the correct line match... So,for beach fishing (overhead),River fishing for Steelhead and Salmon these are fantastic tools. But they too have their limitations especially if we expect these to do everything under the sun as you do with a single hander!!
Some of the rods out there are really just longer single handers and in so being are bad switch rods...deep loading progressive action Switch rods are what you are looking for...especially here on the Island . When we first introduced Switch rods my idea was to have a rod for many purposes including Centre Pin reels..a bit short but will fill the bill if fishing the deep pools on the Gold and Stamp. However with the introduction of the heavy yet small Tube fly systems this idea is only valid in extreme situations. Love those Tube flies!
Some of the nicest Switch lines i have cast and fished with are the Beulah Elixir and Tonic lines...the first to design for Switch rods and bang on for sure. Drop by the store and play with a Switch rod sometime..
C

[btree]

Hey C,

I saw on the Beulah site that they have a new line of switch rods - the platinums! And it looks like they are exactly what you describe as the ideal - deep loading, perhaps even a bit deeper than the classic line. And yes, they are quite capable center pin rods. My fishing buddy (Lorne) has the Beulah 7/8 classic switch and he spent the morning with his old Hardy centerpin, then "switched" to an elixer line for the afternoon (on a fly reel of course). He got a nice steelie on one of those heavy tubes in a slot probably better suited for gear, but it didn't stop either of us from tapping the bottom and donating a few flies each before he got into the fish.

[SalaR]

Hi Ben...
being a Boy Scout in a much younger time of my life left me with some very good habits! Be prepared! Well, a good switch rod will let you come closer to that reality than most. i think the weighted tube flies will open waters much more evenly for fly fishers,especially Steelheaders. Beulah and Snowbee both have come out with new Switch rods for 2011,Beulah has designed and developed the new Platinum Switch rods that are very deep loading and especially light in hand yet very sensative to a cast! For example,the 10'6" 8/9 Classic Switch rod weighs in at 7.2 ozs.,the Platinum 11'#8 weighs in at 5.6ozs....the implementation of the Graphite Scrims has led to serious increases in performance and durability,and a bit to cost,but well worth the investment. A good comparison is the fact that many fly fishers don't like fast action rods and like the feel of the more traditional moderate ,softer action rods(classic),especially small stream fishers. The reverse is true of the more demanding caster wanting tip savy rods that develope exceptionally loops and bomb out good distance(Platinum) with ease!
If you don't donate flies you often don't get fish!!
C

[wonderfulremark]

Thank you fellas, that was super helpful.
I knew the difference in grain between switch and single hand rods, but had a hard time understanding grain vs wt.
So if I were to put a 12wt line(which seems to be 380grain) on a 7wt switch rod, is that the same thing..?

So 7wt switch rod is equivalent to a single hand 12wt rod...?


PS. it's Wonderful Remark, as in Van Morrison's song
I've had a few people call me mark on forums though lol

Jeff

[SalaR]

Thank you fellas, that was super helpful.
I knew the difference in grain between switch and single hand rods, but had a hard time understanding grain vs wt.
So if I were to put a 12wt line(which seems to be 380grain) on a 7wt switch rod, is that the same thing..?

So 7wt switch rod is equivalent to a single hand 12wt rod...?


PS. it's Wonderful Remark, as in Van Morrison's song
I've had a few people call me mark on forums though lol

Jeff

We need to learn to read more carefully!
Jeff,you can use a 12 wt. fly line(single handed) but there are better matches...we don't want to re-invent the wheel again. As an example,I used to recommend that those with a 4/5 Switch rod use a #8 Hardy Mach 1 single handed line...this was before we had the lines dialed in. A very nice line to cast overhead and do some spey casts but it is a floating line...The Elixir and Tonic Lines open all the spey casts up to you as well as overhead...this is a clear advantage when using sinking polytips and regular heavy sink tips(Tonic) ...confusung as heck but great for we fly fishers!Since Beulah introduced their specifically designed lines for Switch rods many of teh major line companies have taken up suit and followed with lines like Rio's new Switchline,Orvis has one as does Snowbee and other line companies have adapted their current line designs to meet these needs.
C

[wonderfulremark]

Thank you again C,
I am in the middle of a transaction to purchase a 11' 7wt St. Croix Imperial switch rod.
And hopefully I can learn to cast well with it. Thank you for your help once again

Jeff

[btree]

I hope the rod works out well for you. I recently read a very positive review of the St. Croix Imperial Switches, especially the 5 & 6 wts. Enjoy! And make sure you get the appropriate line (not that 12 wt... )

[wonderfulremark]

welp, the deal fell through.. I guess it wasn't meant to be....