Do people really use their switch rod to indicator fish?

[Pvillarr]

I know it can be done but it seems like a lot of single hand rods have a faster rod action and lighter swing weight than a switch rod. If you do use your switch rod to indicator fish, how do you fish it? I imagine arm fatigue might be more of a factor indicator fishing with a switch rod.

[TaylerW]

An 11ft switch is deadly with an indicator. You can also put a ton of pressure on a fish using the lower grip as a fighting butt.

[Jeff C.]

Peter, I use a 5110 Sage Z-Axis for indicator fishing. I can mend it one handed all day with no fatigue.

[Pvillarr]

Peter, I use a 5110 Sage Z-Axis for indicator fishing. I can mend it one handed all day with no fatigue.

Thanks for the reply guys. I guess I need to try my switch rod with a regular fly line to see how it goes. I have the TFO Deer Creek #5 switch which weighs 6.55 Oz so it is almost an ounce and a half heavier than the Sage 5110.

[MThompson]

I bought a 4wt switch last fall and Andy suggested the Rio Switch Chucker for my first line. It can be used both for Spey castinng as well as indicator fishing. Haven't tried indicator fishing yet but I believe it would be very effective on certain rivers.

[Jeff C.]

I used an Atlantic Steelhead line on my 5 wt Z-Axis for years and just started using a Switch Chucker. It’s great for Spey casts with an indicator rig but doesn’t mend as well at distance as the Atlantic Steelhead line.

[PV_Premier]

I use my 5wt switch rod for bobber fishing at Pyramid and in higher water. I also like it during the egg bite to help keep a lot of line off the water and get long drifts. Good lines for this include the Rio switch line (not switch chucker) and the salmon/steelhead indicator lines. If you're using a single hand line on a double hand rod you will want to go 1-2wts heavy (eg, 7wt SH line on 5wt switch).

however I also have a 6wt 10' single hand rod and a 4wt 10.5' single hander and for my run of the mill trout indicator fishing I like those better.

[Mark Kranhold]

Stick with single hand for your bobbers. Keep Spey.. SPEY!
But think about it , you could toss a red worm under a bobber on a spinning rod and have the same results, Indicator is a deadly method but really is that take you want; sitting there for the the bobber plunge. If you want numbers for genetic clones I guess feel free... kill the clones! If you’re in search for memorable fish that jolt you out of those swiniging blues, keep with swinging those thousand casts! I’d take that over staring at your bobber all day and cast stack mend stack mend stack mend. I guess with that being said I would take 1 fish all season that chases down my swung fly( fresh aggressive fish) over a hero portfolio of bobber fish! I ran into this to manny times on our rural river... hey I’m going to give This run a rest for a little bit before I fish it again. When he goes back in and pluck some off the reds with his indicator one more time! Please folks it’s not about numbers, stressing fish out . It’s about aggressive gene pool fish, catch and realese . Yes our hatchery system still is fucked up but we still have an aggressive gene pool to swing flies tooo... fish on

[EricO]

What about single handed spey casting with 9' rods or shorter? Many of you tried it?

Been watching videos of OPST and their short commando skagit heads...they use anything
from a 7'6" 3wt to a 9' ft 6wt with either MOW sink tips and heavier flies, or floating lines and
small flies like soft hackles. They can launch some line.

The casting sure looks fun. Would think it would be great on the Big Truckee when you're tired of
Indo'ing or if you just want to swing through deeper water, or swing in general.

Eric

[Pvillarr]

I own a few Opst commando heads. They are amazing.

[EricO]

I own a few Opst commando heads. They are amazing.

They look hella fun. What rod wt do you like to use them on?

[Pvillarr]

Single hand and switch line weights 6-8


They look hella fun. What rod wt do you like to use them on?

[SST Flies]

Switch rods to bobber fish are very popular here in Oregon. Especially on the Rogue!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

You can adjust up about 2 line sizes to compare a Switch rod to a single hand fly rod as far as power and line weight goes.

#4 Switch = #6 single hand

#6 Switch = #8 single hand