Switch Rod

[eastern fly 0]

I dont have a picture but wanted to share with you the set up we came up with for my new switch rod. After going to my local fly shop and trying different rods and lines this is what we came up with. What do you think?

 

 

Beulah 6/7 classic switch

Echo Ion 6/7 reel

Dragon tail running line

 

Airflo T7 9'0 sinktip

[Piker20 0]

Between the running line and the sinktip are you using any other line?

I would also carry some 5ft heads and 12ft heads.

[Rocco 0]

eastern fly,

 

Congrats! I have the same rod butwith a Lamson Guru 3.5 reel and a floating 7/8 Rio Switich line with a variety of short sink tips. The rig was recommended to me by Great Lakes fly shop; they outfit a lot of guys for steelheading in MI with that rig. I also plan to use it on the wider stretches of the upper Potomac and Shenandoah for smallies.

 

I recently went up a notch in weight and length with a 13' 7/8 TFO spey rod, After talking to Great lakes again, I went with an 8/9 Rio Spey line and a Guru 4 reel.. This rod will see use at river mouths and jetties nearby when the big lake run-salmon, steelhead, and browns gather prior to heading upstream.on spawning runs.

 

Bring on spring!

 

Rocco

[eastern fly 0]

I cant remember what the head is. I will have to ask him.

 

Kevin

[KSandy 0]

I'm throwing the Beulah Classic 6/7 which I love, Lamson litespeed 3.5, and airflo rage 420gr. That rod/line combo has no problem throwing some 10' 8.1sec versileaders or 7' of T14 with a heavy fly was also not hard at all to get out 60'-70'... Great rod. I don't know the reel you use but I am sure it works.

[cruncher 0]

Between the running line and the sinktip are you using any other line?

 

Missing that key element. I'm sure you have something, won't work too well without a head. The Airflo skagit/switch heads look promising. Shorter than the compacts, may be easier to handle in tight quarters, when needed.

[eastern fly 0]

Between the running line and the sinktip are you using any other line?

 

Missing that key element. I'm sure you have something, won't work too well without a head. The Airflo skagit/switch heads look promising. Shorter than the compacts, may be easier to handle in tight quarters, when needed.

 

I think he told me is was a Airflo skagit 390. I will have all of it in my hands ver soon now.

 

Kevin

[BassMouth87 0]

I own an Echo Ion 7/8 reel for my spey rod which is a 12" Snowbee Diamond 6/7. I have it spooled with 100 feet of rio Ridge Line shooting line, and as far as heads go I use a 420 grain scandi and a 450 grain Skagit (I am still learning to cast so the heavier grain weight helps me feel the rod load). To that I add 10' Airflo salmon leaders.

 

The Ion Echo is a really good reel for the price I have found, it was recommended by many folks I talked to and I personally love it.

 

I am also in the market for setting up a 7 weight switch rod for bassing and steelheading on smaller rivers. My spey rod is nice but on a lot of the smaller rivers and tribs I fish it just feels like I am over gunned. In high water conditions or larger rivers my spey rod is a blast.

 

For my switch rod I am thinking:

 

St.Croix Imperial 11" 7wt. - http://www.stcroixrods.com/product/imperial-fly

 

Loop Xact 5-8wt. reel (**I already own this reel) - http://www.loopcanada.ca/en/product/XACT5-8__loop_xact_5-8

 

As far as line goes I have a bit more research to do...not sure if I am going to go with the Scientific Angler Skagit Extreme Multi Tip Kit ( http://buy.scientificanglers.com/lines/spey-lines/skagit-extreme-head-multi-tip.html ) or something else more versitile...still have research to do on my line.

 

Sounds like you have a good setup though, interested to see how it all works out for you.

[Piker20 0]

BassMouth, be interested to hear how you get on with the 11ft rod with SH / spey / skagit lines. Here in UK many fish the small spate rivers for salmon/sea trout with a single hand 10 or 11ft rod but with an ordinary WF line. For any SH/spey work 12ft is really the common smallest rod. I think that stems more from the historical salmon rod lengths more than anything but I do wonder if you need that extra rod length for the casts that lift an anchored line rather than the casts common with single handed rods.

[BassMouth87 0]

I guess the lighter grain weight (280,320,360) SA skagit extreme lines are designed for casting switch rods. I spent a few hours at the fly shop yesterday talking to the owner about different switch rods and he said that 10" will cover a wide range of things for a switch rod but 11" is just a little better for mending, line control and nymphing. He recommended a 6wt. until I mentioned my want to have a versitile setup for bassing/small river steelhead in which case he said the 7 would not be a bad idea. I have heard of people using steelhead and salmon SH fly lines on switch rods...

 

I am almost 100% sure what rod and reel I will be running...the line however I am still doing my research on.

[Piker20 0]

keep us posted.

[Rocco 0]

I have used 10' SH rods for years as they improved my nymph fishing and make great roll casts. I had custom rods made in 5 through 7 WT.

 

Now I am learnnig spey casting with DH rods too. Lots more distance, fewer back cast problems, and longer flies in the water time.

 

Rocco

[flytyinfreak 0]

If you want the lowdownon lining out your rod, go to the spey pages. That is the go to page for all things spey. Most of the big names in spey regularly post there and in fact if you simply title a post Line suggestions and in the body supply your rod you will get pleny of activity. some will tell you to do a search. You have a fairly common rod, Buelah's are AWESOME rods. Then again there's always RIo's spey central (http://www.rioproducts.com/spey-central/ Your rod is actually listed there here's the line recommendation page: http://www.rioproducts.com/skin/summit/pdf/2013_RIO_Spey_Line_Recs.pdf