hey what wt switch rod is appropriate ?

[kevin200100]

hey im looking to get a switch rod for salmon and steel head was wondering what would be better 7 or 8? i was thinking of 7wt because im thinking about pinks. and would like a good fight with em

[SalaR]

If you are planning to also go after Chum and Springs then I would go for the #8...you will likely want to use a d\shooting line system where you can change heads to accomodate larger flies and deeper presentations
C

hey im looking to get a switch rod for salmon and steel head was wondering what would be better 7 or 8? i was thinking of 7wt because im thinking about pinks. and would like a good fight with em

[SearunSimpson]

Also, if I'm correct, I believe switch and spey rods are technically down sized by two sized when being labelled/built, so a 7wt switch/spey is the
same as a 9wt single-hand (your standard typical fly rod)...

[SalaR]

Good idea but NOT!
you can at times cast fairly efficiently with that conversion is you are casting overhead only,as if off the beaches and so on. ...and that is only with Switch rods. a good example of this or understanding is to realize that the grain window for a Beulah 4/5 Classic Switch rod is between 200 and 300 grains...so for Spey casting you could effectively use a 300 grain line and the rod would master the load...teh recommended grain weight for that rod would be about 250gr. A 5 wt. Spey should have a grain window of about 300 to 375 and more depending on the line make-up. For example, the 5/6 Vector line is rated at 390 grains...
there is now a movement to put grain recommendations on all Two Handed Rods and that seems to be helping lots
C

Also, if I'm correct, I believe switch and spey rods are technically down sized by two sized when being labelled/built, so a 7wt switch/spey is the
same as a 9wt single-hand (your standard typical fly rod)...

[TieFlier]

When comparing two handed rods to single handers it is important to separate the range of lines the rod will be able to cast and the ability to fight fish. These two things seem to be one and the same for single handers, it is not quite the case when looking at their two handed counterparts. If you are trying to get an idea for the ability to fight fish and want to use single handed rods as a basis then you can say that switch rods are about 1.5-2wt heavier than a single hander, a spey rod (depending on length) can be 2-3.5 heavier than your single hander. As for the lines, the conversions I listed above many not quite cut it. In terms of fish fighting ability it is a good idea to get a feel for how a rod will fight fish by holding and giving it a wiggle. Softer action rods are not quite as good at fighting fish when compared to a faster action rod in the same weight. Some spey rods are quite soft in action to accommodate casting styles and casting preferences, so it is important not just to look at the number written on the rod but to pick it up and get a feel for where it bends and where it will bend when playing a fish.