At times I'll fly fish from the shore...walking the beach. So, I was curious if anyone has any experience trying switch rods; longer rods with switch fly lines?
Lou
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Switch fly lines
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Re: Switch fly lines
Hi Lou
First, I think it depends on how you define a Switch Rod… Some Switch Rods are basically just 10ft single hand rods, that are fitted with a longer handle, so you can use them with two hands on occasion. Other Switch Rods are longer and cast a relatively heavy line, and are more “short double handers”, that aren’t pleasant to cast with just one hand.
Then there are just a few Switch Rods, that are a bit longer (typically 11ft), that are in fact pleasant to cast with either one or two hands. But I find these rods hard to find…
In my experience, casting overhead with these long rods all day is much too hard, as the rods are a bit heavy in the tip, compared to a 9ft single handed. Plus, the lines used are often quite heavy as well. I once spent an entire day on the coast chasing Seatrout with such a rod, and my shoulder was aching as hell when I got home… But maybe you are in better shape than me?
Then you can off course use the rod with both hands, but then you sacrifice the ability to double haul… Which I don’t like for distance casting from the beach.
But if your aim is to do some sort of Switch or Spey cast from the beach, due to no room to back cast, then the Switch Rods can be very efficient indeed!
Also, I think it depends a lot on what species of fish you are targeting… I only have experience with this with Seatrout in the salt (And Salmon in rivers) but I have heard that these longer Switch Rods are quite popular for fishing Stripers in the surf in North America.
Maybe you should be a little more specific as to what you want to achieve?
/Bendix
First, I think it depends on how you define a Switch Rod… Some Switch Rods are basically just 10ft single hand rods, that are fitted with a longer handle, so you can use them with two hands on occasion. Other Switch Rods are longer and cast a relatively heavy line, and are more “short double handers”, that aren’t pleasant to cast with just one hand.
Then there are just a few Switch Rods, that are a bit longer (typically 11ft), that are in fact pleasant to cast with either one or two hands. But I find these rods hard to find…
In my experience, casting overhead with these long rods all day is much too hard, as the rods are a bit heavy in the tip, compared to a 9ft single handed. Plus, the lines used are often quite heavy as well. I once spent an entire day on the coast chasing Seatrout with such a rod, and my shoulder was aching as hell when I got home… But maybe you are in better shape than me?
Then you can off course use the rod with both hands, but then you sacrifice the ability to double haul… Which I don’t like for distance casting from the beach.
But if your aim is to do some sort of Switch or Spey cast from the beach, due to no room to back cast, then the Switch Rods can be very efficient indeed!
Also, I think it depends a lot on what species of fish you are targeting… I only have experience with this with Seatrout in the salt (And Salmon in rivers) but I have heard that these longer Switch Rods are quite popular for fishing Stripers in the surf in North America.
Maybe you should be a little more specific as to what you want to achieve?
/Bendix
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Paul Arden
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Re: Switch fly lines
Long rods over the top of waves I think makes sense Lou. I’m not sure about the whole double handed thing in shorter rod lengths however. Bendix is spot on IMO.
Having said that there is a history of guys using such rods 20 years ago on the Board (and they’ve been doing it for considerably longer than that). So it certainly has a niche place and can solve problems.
Switch flylines for me no. It would all be shooting head territory.
Cheers, Paul
Having said that there is a history of guys using such rods 20 years ago on the Board (and they’ve been doing it for considerably longer than that). So it certainly has a niche place and can solve problems.
Switch flylines for me no. It would all be shooting head territory.
Cheers, Paul
Re: Switch fly lines
My intent was to walk the shore... beaches; no PALD casting. Some of our locations have the shore elevated with trees and shrubs growing; as well as shore line houses. I was thinking trying some spey casting as an option.
I did use a spey-swirch rods when fishing for stripers in North America...Cape Cod. As Paul said, worked great when casting over the breaking waves. Landing fish was a challenge at times, often beaching the fish.
Lou
I did use a spey-swirch rods when fishing for stripers in North America...Cape Cod. As Paul said, worked great when casting over the breaking waves. Landing fish was a challenge at times, often beaching the fish.
Lou
Re: Switch fly lines
Hi again
If you intend on doing different Switch and Spey casts along an overgrown beach, then a 10 or 11ft Switch Rod can be really excellent, like I also said before.
But like Paul said, I think it would be all shooting head territory, and not a Switch WF line…
/Bendix
If you intend on doing different Switch and Spey casts along an overgrown beach, then a 10 or 11ft Switch Rod can be really excellent, like I also said before.
But like Paul said, I think it would be all shooting head territory, and not a Switch WF line…
/Bendix
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Paul Arden
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Re: Switch fly lines
I’m back!! So no backcast space? Phew. Yes I think it would be practical. The challenge would be if the fly is heavily weighted or waves messing with your anchor. There might very well be a line out there that would be suitable. Otherwise it should be quite easy to make something up. I would rarely recommend Skagit but waves and heavy flies, it might just be the answer. If the waves are little and the flies can be easily roll cast, then yes, I personally see no problems. I know people who use them on lakes for Asp in Hungary. They certainly offer advantages when deep wading too. And of course good double handed practise 
Cheers, Paul
Cheers, Paul
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Viking Lars
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Re: Switch fly lines
I have a good friend who's fished switch rods in the salt for over 10 years due to a shoulder injury. He's been overhead casting most of the time and easily places the fly at 30m, even in an unfavourable wind. And the last year or so, he's been focusing really hard on spey casting, and with a 15 gram shooting head he's now comfortably casting 25-30m. I believe his rod is a 5-wt (maybe 6) and either 10'6" or 11'.
So it's definitely an option and a very good one too.
Lars
So it's definitely an option and a very good one too.
Lars
Re: Switch fly lines
Lars
I'll be trying the same thing soon,thanks
Lou
I'll be trying the same thing soon,thanks
Lou