I have put off writing this article for months now. Its not that I dont want to write it but I know as soon as I do some new switch line will hit the market and already this article will be old news. I know many of you are reaching out looking for this info so therefore I will wait no longer to publish what I know and well tackle the new when it gets here! For the purpose of this article I am focusing on trout size spey/switch rods.
Trout Spey/Switch Rods
What are they exactly? Baby spey rods...Small switch rods... Smaller versions of steelhead rods...Id like to point out that a switch rod cannot switch into anything! The rod itself cannot change! It is not a transformer! The action and power of any particular rod is fixed. To change what you do with a switch rod REQUIRES you to change the line to match the style of fishing you wish to do with it. With that out of the way lets now accept the fact that there is no one line that does it all, period! End of discussion! But heres the good news! With a little information, planning and practice you can tune your fishing conditions with various lines that will let you fish many different techniques with your switch rods.Can you do it all with todays switch rods? The term "Switch Rod" implies that it is both a single hand rod and a spey rod but think of it in terms of the game of golf, thats like calling one golf club a switch club, same club that can drive your ball can putt your ball...Im sure Tiger Woods can beat me in golf with only one club BUT! He would never agree that there would ever only be one club to do it all! And I Agree! Now with that out of the way I do believe our modern trout spey rods are closer than ever to what we want in a trout rod action.
What line do I need?
To make this as simple as possible Ive decided to take it line by line and supply you the details of each including rods I have tried these lines on.
Airflo Switch StreamerAirflo Switch Streamer |
The Airflo Streamer Switch retails for $99.95 and comes with a Fast Sinking Polyleader to get you started. You will most likely want to go ahead and get an Airflo Custom Cut Single Sink Tip in the T-7 size.
Airflo Streamer Switch Specs -
Line Size | Color | Head Weight | Head Length | Sink Rate | Total Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WF4 | Pale Mint/Orange | 300 | 18ft | Float | 85ft |
WF4.5 | Pale Mint/Orange | 330 | 18.5ft | Float | 85ft |
WF5 | Pale Mint/Orange | 360 | 18.5ft | Float | 85ft |
WF5.5 | Pale Mint/Orange | 390 | 20ft | Float | 85ft |
WF6 | Pale Mint/Orange | 420 | 20ft | Float | 85ft |
RIO Scandi Short VersiTip
RIO Scandi Short Versi-Tip |
Specs -
SKU | Line Size | Head Weight | Head Length | Color | Sink Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6-20659 | #4 275gr | 275gr | 33ft 10m | Straw | Flt w/ 4 tips |
6-20660 | #5 320gr | 320gr | 33ft 10m | Straw | Flt w/ 4 tips |
6-20661 | #6 370gr | 370gr | 33ft 10m | Straw | Flt w/ 4 tips |
6-20662 | #7 425gr | 425gr | 33ft 10m | Straw | Flt w/ 4 tips |
6-20663 | #8 485gr | 485gr | 33ft 10m | Straw | Flt w/ 4 tips |
6-20664 | #9 540gr | 540gr | 33ft 10m | Straw | Flt w/ 4 tips |
Notice this chart gives you the actual head weight and tip weight separately |
S/A Adapt
Scientific Anglers Adapt |
Scientific Anglers you almost got this line right! So close! I liked this line and I wanted to really like this line! The Adapt (like the Airflo Streamer Switch) is an integrated line with a somewhat aggressive skagit head. The thin diameter running line really flies through the guides and the textured head stays on top of the water better than most others Ive fished. The problem is the front taper. Its fine if you are fishing tapered leaders but the problem starts when you add a sink tip. The line tapers down too small to retain enough mass to turn over a sinking tip. The result is struggling to turn over your casts. Polyleaders work decent with the Adapt line but forget fishing T-Series tips. I actually modified my line by cutting the tip back and welding a new loop to the end. The difference is huge. But who wants to chop their brand new $86.95 line. Im sure out of the box it would make a good nymph/indicator line.
Order # | Line Size | Head Length | Sink Rate | Total Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
120500 | 280gr | 22ft | Float | 100ft |
120517 | 320gr | 22ft | Float | 100ft |
120524 | 360gr | 22ft | Float | 100ft |
120531 | 400gr | 22ft | Float | 100ft |
120548 | 440gr | 22ft | Float | 100ft |
A note to the manufacturers - As a line company yall need to decide if your switch line is made for leaders or tips. NOT BOTH! And please stop telling us they will do both! Ive been around the river long enough to know that the "MIDDLE GROUND" fly lines do not do anything good! There is no one line for all switch rod applications. In reference back to earlier in the article remember a switch rod cannot switch into anything. We must switch the line to match the technique desired from our switch rod. We have a serious need for technique specific switch lines.
RIO Switch ChuckerRIO Switch Chucker |
RIO Switch Chucker |
RIO Switch Line
Im not going to spend any time with this line other than to say this is a great choice if you use a switch rod to nymph from a boat. Dont expect to enjoy spey casting this line! End of discussion!
Skagit Heads
RIO, Airflo and S/A all make skagit heads down to trout rod sizes. For big rivers, sink tips and full on swinging flies these skagits work great. The RIO Max Short comes in sizes all the way down to 200gr. S/A Skagit Extreme comes in sizes down to 280gr and although S/A does not designate these as short or switch heads these smaller sizes do have shorter lengths suited for the shorter rods.The Airflo Skagit Switch starts at 360gr which can help your 5 weight and up switch rods. I dont spend much time with these skagits. Yes they work but they are really just downsized steelhead skagits. Two hand trout anglers like myself are really looking for a line designed for my game and not just an adopted line that already exists.
Overhead casting lines
Many anglers have found great use with switch rods for making long casts from beaches or jetties.Ive heard many accounts from east coast striper anglers to west coast sea run cutthroat anglers of the use of switch rods for overhead casting. Typically we find in most cas
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