Make your own Switch rods.....?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

One of my fishing buddies, Rick Jorgensen, had lots of old 10' single-hand fly rods he used for Steelhead for the past ~20 years.

Rick has taken a few of them into local rod builder Dave Hendricks (Buff) down the street from our fly shop and had ~6 inch butts installed on them so he can cast them two-handed.

So now they are 10'6" and are now a Switch rod.

You can do it too and we can help you with two-hand line choices after you get it converted.

**If you want to get excited about two-handed casting get down to just below Watt Avenue Bridge almost any morning to see our local Spey community in action.

If you can get down to the river and fish near Jeff C (Jeff Ching) you will see how effective the Switch rods are on a large stream like the Lower American River.

[Ed Wahl]

Don't convert people. It's a cult.

They lure you in with the promise of spending tons of money.

They even added weird Canadian names to their lines, or whatever they are, all just to beguile you into joining the cult.

They've invented all sorts of "special" flies just for the elite few. Regular fly fishers are just not worthy of such flies, or so they'd have us believe.

They even came up with special reels to balance out these ungodly outfits.

They speak in tongues indecipherable to the likes of us.

Resist I say!

Do not bow down to these false idols.

When the battle comes, and it surely will, we must retreat, as their rods are much bigger than ours.

HeHe.

Ed

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Well done Ed.......only Oregon Salmon could rival that post.

[Woodman]

Bill,

Is that Buff as in the barber shop on fulton?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Yes it is............

[Woodman]

Took my TFO 10 foot 6 weight in to Buff today for the surgery. I'm hoping it will be that much better of a nymphing rig when it comes back.

Any line recommendations for casting it two-handed. I have an 8 weight Rio versi-tip that I think would work at least okay.

JW

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would try the 8 weight first.....

[Rick J]

I converted 3 rods - all old Fischer blanks I built in the late 70s early 80s - 10' 7 wt; 10' 8wt and a 10.5' 8/9 wt - these were my go-to rods on the North Umpqua.

For lines I have a custom Vision ACE scandi line for the 7 wt cut back to around 26' and 362 grains - it also does well with a AIRFLO Compact Skagit 360 grain. Wonderful rod for the Klamath and a rod I use alot in my trips to the Grand Ronde

The 8 I don't use alot though I have a custom Vision ACE cut back to around 26' -380 grain.
Also does well with the Rio short 375 skagit.

The 8/9 is a great winter switch rod and will throw big bugs and heavy tips with a 475 Rio Short skagit - for lighter wrok it does nicely with the 425 short skagit

Buff did a great job on all of them and has also made similar rods for my friends Don Rotsma and Brett Jensen

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Dave Hendrickson (Buff) has a barber shop where he does rod work too.

His shop is about a quarter mile north of our fly shop on Fulton Avenue on the right hand side of the street.

He is open Tuesday through Friday now.

916/482-9281

[Woodman]

http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i343/jwoodling/yDSC_0098.jpg

http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i343/jwoodling/yDSC_0100.jpg

Can't wait to take it out. Looks like Nimbus releases are down to 16K.

[Rick J]

very cool - I am sure you will love it

[rusty fly]

I recently reworked some old Sage rods into switch rods. The #6 was 9'3". The # 8 was 9'6". I added 8" to each rod. I haven't used the #8 very much but I've used the #6 for 2 seasons and like it more than my other rods. It's very versitile. I'm using a Rio afs shooting head 4/5 with an Airflow Ridge running line. It shoots likje a rocket.

[bclem81]

Well I had a Scott STS 10ft 6wt that I was going to sell cuz I dont use it anymore, but I think its time to make it a 10'6" 6wt high sticking nymphing swinging steelhead machine. So does he replace all the cork. Say I want to have some of the composite cork put in on the upper handle like the woodmans pic on his lower handle, is that possible. I do want a whole new cork on the upper handle. Guessing that is possible to. Boy I am excited, cant wait to call him tomorrow.

[Woodman]

I only had the extension put on. He charged me $3o, which I thoiught was very fair. Let us see the results on the full replacement.

[bclem81]

Well 30 just for a handle is very well priced. Cant be to much more to replace the upper cork. I will be calling him tomorrow.

[otis48]

unless i miss my guess,that`s a Batson butt and plug.Those parts cost =/- $20,so your buddy is practically doing these conversions for free.
BTW,I`m gearing up for some switch buildingup here in Reno,using Meiser switch blanks;2 models,one for the Truckee and one for overhead distance casting ast Pyramid....reasons for Meiser are
1]He invested the switch
They are rteasonably priced
3]Mr.Meiser is a very groovy dude.

[bclem81]

Just handed the rod off to Buff, then shot the breeze with the old timers there. Just how I pictured and old school barber shop to be. It was an awesome feel. Great conversation, and Buff ties some killer Striper Flys. I would suggest anyone to go there looking to get some rod work done.

I do have one question though. I wanted to get my western style handle on the 10ft 6wt rod change to full wells, but Buff said i would have been to much work. So decided not to get it done. Is there a method I could use to get the handle from a western style to a full wells, where it will be comfortable in my hands. not that it isnt now, its just after fishing that handle on a 10ft rod after a full day the wriste is on fire.

Any advise would be awesome.

[otis48]

..not be cost efficient...but,how about adding an extension on to the butt
and turning it into a switch?No more wrist problems if you divide the stress in two,right?

[otis48]

http://theanglersroost.com/products/rodbuilding-accessories/cork-handles/3%C2%BD-inch-cork-extension-butt-and-bushing1/

Nice and cheap too...

[Flycanoe]

Very helpful thread. Took my first spey class last weekend on the American and really liked it. Think I will add the butt extension to my 10ft 6wt myself since don't live in Sacramento. The only downside I see to the modification is no rod repair should it break in future, as mfg'er won't likely do a repair to modified rod.