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slage
01-23-2007, 01:29 PM
I am looking into getting a switch rod, approximately 11 feet, and would like to hear some opinions on different lines.
As far as I have determined a switch rod could, supposedly, handle either a tradition length line, or a spey line.
Any thoughts, experience on this??
Any other info on the matter would be much appreciated.

hookedupanglers
01-23-2007, 03:59 PM
It kind of depends on what you are going to use it for. I like the Sage z-axis 6126-4. I use a 7wt floating line and find it to be the best nymphing rod around. The way you can roll cast is awsome. It is also good with a sink tip. I think they are catching on fast and you will soon see them more often. As far as using it as a spey rod Its close, but not the same thing. You can still cast it the same way, but your not going to be throwing 75+ feet of line as easy. If your thinking about learning spey casting it is also a great way to start. It is a perfect rod for light Steelhead like the american and rouge, and a great trout rod for the lower sac and Yuba.

Last weekend at the san mateo ISE show I was casting a Beulah 10'6 5-6 swithch rod. They also had the rod overlined and it was extreamly smooth. They start around $400.00. I think its a great deal, and im ordering one.

Bill Kiene semi-retired
01-23-2007, 11:15 PM
We have the new Sage Z-Axis switch rods in stock.

All are 11' long and in 4 piece.

We have them in 5, 6, 7 and 8 weight.

Jeff Putnam, Andy Guibord and Keith Kaneko are all very excited about them.

Jeff has a full set of Sage's new switch rods that our Rep, Jamie Lyle, sent him and he said they are all very exciting rods.

Jeff is getting the 11' #5 soon.

Jeff Putnam
01-23-2007, 11:38 PM
The new Sage Switch Rods are one of the finest single or double handed casting rods that I have ever tried out! These rods are very light and sensitive and make casting easy and very enjoyable. Their faster tapers are great for distance and wind however, they load very well in close. I can't think of a fishing application, except small trout streams, that these rods wouldn't perform better than a single handed 9' rod. I will add a 5110-4 to my trout rod arsenal (hopefully my girlfriend will understand). Although, the 8110-4 would be great for casting shooting heads for stripers in the delta and fishing the surf... the 6110-4 would be perfect for the Trinty...hmmm I guess I'll have some explaining to do. jp

J.R. Hubbard
01-24-2007, 10:24 AM
I fished the 7wt last week and will again tomorrow on the American. I am not the best spey caster, but I was able to shoot quite a bit of line with that rod. I was fishing with a guide, and we set that rod up to fail. We had a 15 foot leader with a full sink tip and a weighted articulated(sp) leech. I could still turn the fly over, and then with the same set up, was able to cast over head. Once again, we set this up to fail just to see what they were truely like.

Very impressive!
Ideal for southern OR Steelhead fishing!!

PatrickM
01-26-2007, 11:57 AM
There's a good article in the latest issue of Cal Fly Fisher on switch rods that has test results and line recommendations for a bunch of different rods.

fineandfar
01-26-2007, 12:54 PM
Hey guys,
I have been fishing these rods exclusively up here in Southern Oregon since about October of last year. I cannot say enough good things about them.
Slage, Really glad you brought up the question of which line as i think the gaping hole with these rods is matching them up with the right line. I've been trying different lines on them every week for several months now.
Jeff & JR, I would love to hear what lines you guys are using on them and in what application. For the most part I have been using them to fish Nymphs for area Steelhead though I have cast sink-tips with weighted leeches as well.
These 7 & 8 wght rods will absolutely rock spey/sink tip systems for winter applications with a skagit 350 or 400 body line. What I would consider doing is using shorter lenghth T-14 or T-8 Tips or cutting back your stock 15 ft tips to between 7-10ft. I think you will be amazed at the distance you can achieve with a rod as light easy to handle as this.
Lately for nymphing I have been digging the RIO Outbound lines with an added floating tip (15-20ft) or Windcutter/Midspey lines with about 2-4 feet of the tip cut off. This gives you a longer belly (50-65ft) to mend with... crucial to nymphing at the insane distances you can with an 11 footer. These spey lines will also fish in close.... though not quite as well as a traditional wt forward, but it's kind of splitting hairs. The Outbound w/ floater fishes much better in close. On my 7wt I have been using a 10 wt Outbound. These set-ups will fish great single or double handed.
The 5 & 6 wts would take the lower line weight Outbounds & Spey lines for Skagit & Dryline techniques. For nymphing I think the better lines for these line weights are long bellied weight forward lines like the RIO Steel/Salmon lines or their Nymph line. Try the 9 & 10 wts in these.
Sorry to ramble on a bit about it but i think these are probably the most versatile rods on the market for fishing the rivers & coast in our region. I have been having a blast with them. Hopefully this takes a little of the guesswork out of getting the right line for you on these rods... I know i struggled with it quite a bit at first. Good Luck!
-will j
ps.. for max versatility i would stick with an 11 footer... and don't overlook the Winston B11x 11 ft 7wt.. it rocks!

BillPu
01-26-2007, 11:40 PM
Hey guys,
I have been fishing these rods exclusively up here in Southern Oregon since about October of last year. I cannot say enough good things about them.
Slage, Really glad you brought up the question of which line as i think the gaping hole with these rods is matching them up with the right line. I've been trying different lines on them every week for several months now.
Jeff & JR, I would love to hear what lines you guys are using on them and in what application. For the most part I have been using them to fish Nymphs for area Steelhead though I have cast sink-tips with weighted leeches as well.
These 7 & 8 wght rods will absolutely rock spey/sink tip systems for winter applications with a skagit 350 or 400 body line. What I would consider doing is using shorter lenghth T-14 or T-8 Tips or cutting back your stock 15 ft tips to between 7-10ft. I think you will be amazed at the distance you can achieve with a rod as light easy to handle as this.
Lately for nymphing I have been digging the RIO Outbound lines with an added floating tip (15-20ft) or Windcutter/Midspey lines with about 2-4 feet of the tip cut off. This gives you a longer belly (50-65ft) to mend with... crucial to nymphing at the insane distances you can with an 11 footer. These spey lines will also fish in close.... though not quite as well as a traditional wt forward, but it's kind of splitting hairs. The Outbound w/ floater fishes much better in close. On my 7wt I have been using a 10 wt Outbound. These set-ups will fish great single or double handed.
The 5 & 6 wts would take the lower line weight Outbounds & Spey lines for Skagit & Dryline techniques. For nymphing I think the better lines for these line weights are long bellied weight forward lines like the RIO Steel/Salmon lines or their Nymph line. Try the 9 & 10 wts in these.
Sorry to ramble on a bit about it but i think these are probably the most versatile rods on the market for fishing the rivers & coast in our region. I have been having a blast with them. Hopefully this takes a little of the guesswork out of getting the right line for you on these rods... I know i struggled with it quite a bit at first. Good Luck!
-will j
ps.. for max versatility i would stick with an 11 footer... and don't overlook the Winston B11x 11 ft 7wt.. it rocks!

Will, thanks for the great info. I'm wondering what advantages are there in going with a switch rod versus a spey rod. Sorry if the question is a dumb one.

Bill

fineandfar
01-27-2007, 10:49 AM
Bill
No dumb questions in fly fishing...
I guess the short answer would be they are a bit of an easier transition to longer rods than say jumping right into to a 13-14ft rod. The sticking point here is the application... If you are exclusively swinging flies you may ultimitely be more satisfied with the leverage of a rod that long (13-14ft). But if you are doing a lot of nymphing and easing into swinging flies on the moderate sized rivers in our region, these rods are the way to go.
I'm sure Jeff P. will be able to fill in the blanks for you when you guys talk. He's a great instructor..
Good luck,
will j