spey/switch fishing the Yuba?

[DAVID95670]

I fish both the Airflo rage compact

have you ever put a nymph/bobber/indicator on this rage set up? If so how does it perform?

[TaylerW]

not the best line for indo fishing. It is not a "hybrid" line and is specifically built for down and across fishing. The taper is much different than that of a switch line. If your going to fish indo's alot, get a switch line....

[cyama]

Thanks for all the help everyone. Figuring out the spey world is so much different than other types of fly fishing... Seems like many of you like the rage compact. I will have to give that a try after I try out the new skagit head.

Chris

[DAVID95670]

Thanks for all the help everyone. Figuring out the spey world is so much different than other types of fly fishing... Seems like many of you like the rage compact. I will have to give that a try after I try out the new skagit head.

Chris

If you are swinging that skagit max is all u need for general purpose spey fishing.

Yeah I love my rage and flight but there ul8s not a big difference btw rage and skagit max. bunl3ss u r tossing heavy junk which on yuba not so much


I dont know if I want to add all the tips used with a 20 ft skagit max on a 5wt switch

[cyama]

I put the Skagit Max head on and it makes a huge difference. I can now cast nearly all the way to the other side of the river! The river isn't as skinny as I thought it would be at 500 cfs. Caught three fish one on a swung Jimmy Leggs and two on a hares ear soft hackles. River color is pretty good. A nice steelhead green...

[Larry S]

cy,
Looks like you correctly dialed it in. That's great!
Best,
Larry S

[cyama]

The tug is the drug!! Having fished lakes with intermediate lines and soft hackles and the delta with fast sinking lines it is a ton of fun to have that direct connection to the fish. I have always swung flies with the single hander, but the spey/switch for rivers is great!! The only other thing that is more amazing is having a big fish hit a swung muddler on the Trinity or Klamath. Everyone should be swinging. My advice is get out there and buy a few spey/switch rods!! Thanks again for all the important information!

[bigfly]

cyama, glad you got it going...if you thought fly fishing is information intensive.....
I fish the switch 75% the spey is a tad long for the T. Skulpin in a rusty tan 3". sz 2-6.
One thing, when the T is shallow, I will use the floater with a slightly weighted streamer w/6ft of maxima 8-10#
No snow on the ground in town, still snow on the hill for people with sports conflict....
As far as I know, there is no "tug" aversion therapy. Take it easy till you build up some tolerance......
Now........going fishing.

Jim

[Jed Peters]

The yuba was my first swinging river experience. First it was with a single hander swinging softies just under the surface during a caddis hatch, then it graduated to full blown two hander fishing.

Now, whenever I fish the yuba--it's nearly always with a two hander in the boat or in my hand (if I'm walking, which is rare).

Olive wooly buggers are the shit out there. They work well. I fish them typically with a tip.

Softies work with a floating line.

[BigKahuna]

I use a Switch Rod a lot on the Lower Yuba. Why? Because it's fun, I get to practice up on my spey casting, and I can do just about anything that I need to do on the Lower Yuba, although it will never replace a dry rod for presenting flies on top or in the film. I have a Sage TCX 5 weight switch , and a Sage Z-Axis 6 weight. I use the 5 weight in lower flows and the 6 weight in bugger flows. To me a switch rod is sort of a "fishing system".

I fish a lot out of the drift boat and walk and wade using a switch rod mainly using an Airflo Speydicator, I have this on a dedicated spool. This is a bomber "Indicator" type line. I use it for tight line nymphing (which I do alot), indicator nymphing, high stick nymphing, and swinging. It will turn over just about anything. I also match it up with Rio MOW Light Tips. I carry 10' floaters, 5' floater/5' T-8 and 7.5' floater/2,5' T- 8. I use the 5' floater/5'T-8 the most. I think this setup is really good tight lining. The Rio Switch Chuckar is pretty much the same design just a bit lighter, which isn't a bad thing just different. With that said I've used different full length integrated line line the Rio Switch, Buelah Elixer, Atlantic Salmon Steelhead and just an over sized (2-3 line weights over) Indicator line. I like the Speydicator the best. If I decide to swing small soft hackles or want to use it for throwing dries I'd use the Buelah Elixer or the Rio Switch. They are just more delicate. I have them on extra spools that I carry.

On another spool I have a 25 lb. running line and carry a head wallet with all kinds of heads. I carry Skagit Short heads for big water and going deep, and Scandi Short heads for lighter flows and smaller flies. I also use the Airflo Rage and the Airflo Switch heads. You just have to understand the where and why to use each and have them matched properly to your individual switch rod.

On another note, if I'm going to be swinging flies and working the downstream quadrant I'll bring out my spey rod. If you are going to swing flies you will be more effective, cast further with less effort.

You can read an article I wrote on Switch Rods for the Lower Yuba at http://flyfishingtraditions.blogspot...witch-rod.html
Big Kahuna