Looking for a new Switch

[Rick J]

I am looking to get a switch for winter steelheading - looking for a rod in the 420 to 500 grain skagit range.

I converted 3 single handed Fishers to switches awhile back - I love my 10' 7 wt with around a 360 grain custom Vision Ace and short skagit for summer/fall but my biggest rod - a 8/9 10.5' just does not cut it - it does ok but has a pretty wimpy tip so I struggle with turning over heavier tips and flies.

I am looking in the $400 or less range and see the following options: Beulah, TFO (Deer Creek); Echo, Redington and Ross all have switches in that price range - don't know much about them and should be able to try at least some of them over at Bill's (assuming the American ever drops low enough to get out and make a few casts!) - but looking for others who have used any of these - I am leaning away from Beulah and ECHO as they are shorter than I would like (prefer 11' or more). I see Ross has one at 11'-9" which is intriguing though know nothing about it. Looking for a rod with enough backbone to turn over T-14 tips to 10 or 12' and pretty heavily weighted flies. I have found most info regarding the TFO and based on a few comments, not sure that will fit the bill - can't find much on the Redington or Ross - anyone?

[Don Powell]

I totally enjoyed your Pacific NW trip- you and Bruce "hit it"!!! Congrats to two of my personal favorite local steelheaders! Your guides were not "too shabby" either...

Switches are evolving and I am thankful...
I have tried many and love most of them but they all have their specific applications...
To tell the truth I love what Sage did with their Z-Axis switch rods and their TCX switch rods... there are many choices out there but after my experiences with Beulah, Echo, Meiser, Ross Reach, Sage and home-built (modified), I find that little compares with what Sage has done...
Try Z-Axis and TCX rods and figure out what best meets your needs- blanks are available at half the price of the available products and they represent a very competitive price in the range you seek. Gary Anderson could create magic at half the price if you decide which action you prefer.
I could not fish the waters of northern B.C. without my Z-Axis 8110 or TCX 7119...
Both are exceptional and could be built for your applications after you try them but it all comes down to what you prefer.

PM me for details...

Don

[Jasonh]

Hey Rick,

I am with Don on this one. I love both my Sage Z-Axis 8110 and TCX 7119. They are killers in the winter months with short skagits and big flies.

A couple of others to keep in mind are the new Ross Reach 7119 which I have yet to cast but feels great in the hand. Should be a canon with a skagit short 475. Another good one for packing a punch with a short skagit and heavier grain weights would be the Echo SR in the #7 and 8. Both of these would handle lines in the 500-540 grain range. I think it is really hard to go wrong with any of these! Just my 2 cents.

JH

[shawn kempkes]

I have a seven wt Echo and it is a very good rod for the money. I use it in the summer for the coho and kings we get in the Sd and steelhead in the calawah and Bogi
I just bought the 475 skagit short for it and it rocks.

Alot of the local guides are using the redingtons and have very good things to say about them.

[Rick J]

thanks for all the input - my company is giving me a gift certificate to spend at Bill's so whatever I get will be through him. I am hoping the river flows will be down during the open house in a couple of weeks - plan to pick up any of the rods Bill happens to have available to test drive and head down to Watts and play for a couple of hours

[Tim R]

thanks for all the input - my company is giving me a gift certificate to spend at Bill's so whatever I get will be through him. I am hoping the river flows will be down during the open house in a couple of weeks - plan to pick up any of the rods Bill happens to have available to test drive and head down to Watts and play for a couple of hours

I always liked the idea of the Redington Cpx 7 and 8 weight switches because they are 11'3"- close to a foot longer than your average 10'6" switch- and I've owned a couple Redingtons speys including a 1266 cpx which was a nice casting rod at a good value.

[Grampa Spey]

Greg Schuger used to be the fly guy for Sweeney's in Napa. Greg grew up in Oregon, and he was a guide in Alaska at various lodges.

Greg may have been the best steelheader I have ever seen.

His rod of choice for California, Oregon and Alaska, and by working at Sweeneys, he could have had any rod, was the Sage Z Axis 7110.

His annual catches and releases with that rod and the floating line below bordered on the obscene. I lost count of the big steelies he caught one day on a drift on the Trinity. We both from the shore caught and released a Steelie in the 10 pound plus range. The fish were hot, jumped, surged and charged around in high water after a big rain the day before.

Many members of Greg's cult in the shop and fly club made the ZAxis 7110 their rod of choice.

I have a Z 7110, and it is an incredible rod for our waters. It can handle hot 10# steelies in fast and swift water and in tight conditions re trees, bushes and rip/rap. It is a great shad rod, and I use it for Stripers from a boat and from the hard to fish shores of the Napa river, and when wind is heavy on the ocean for my 5/6 Switch rod.

Greg's line of choice was the Rio Steelhead and Salmon WF10F. This line can be fished from a drift boat, pontoons, wading and from the shore.. I have seen Greg OH this combo 100' from the shore or catch a lot of Steelies from a drift boat. Good casters can OH this rod with the SH or Skagit line 90-100' if they have room behind them for the cast.

I use that line, a 550 Skagit and the Rio Outbound Short WF7F/I with various sinking tips.

The MOW intermediate tips work well with this rod.

We are fortunate to have so many choices. Test drive them at the SpeyaRama or at Kiene's.