Question about 5wt switches for trout...

[Larry S]

O. My,
Some free (and maybe useless) advice from a 2H novice; if you're going to try a light weight spey/switch rod ( 5 and under,)
look at the higher priced rods. Lots of the rods available will suffice for steelhead, salmon, stripers, etc.
Best is to get to an expo or spey clave to try out various set-ups.
Hope you keep us informed.
Best,
Larry S

[O.mykiss Hunter]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and giving advice. There are some very good points made from everyone. Due to how subjective this subject is I guess the only real way for me to find out is to try it out first-hand.

[Gene S]

but is a 5wt switch too big of a gun for trout in the 12"-15" range?

Depends on the rod, but in normal conditions I would say yes. But when casting in strong winds or throwing tips and T-stuff with larger offerings the 5 weight is a better choice. Even then not all 5 weights are created equal. For example a Burkie 5115 is more of an Alaskan big trout rod compared to the Sage TCX 5119 or Beulah 117-5 weight. My preference for your targeted fish under normal conditions using trout poly's or mono with smaller wets/soft hackles would be an ACR 3 or 4 weight 11'7" trout spey which can handle 20" fish in short order. Most of my trout fishing with a two-hand rod is with scandi heads/lines in the 280 grns or less range. Strap on an Abel Switch clicker and it's off to the races....

[Mark Kranhold]

If I am fishing for trout in the 12" range I prefer my ACR 3-wt. A 5-wt is a lot of rod for such fish. Much less a 6-wt.

Having said that, when targeting large trout with tips and big flies, i.e. bunny stuff, articulated streamers, in high flows and windy conditions, I have used up to a 7wt without feeling like a complete nut, though some of my fishing partners may disagree on this last point. With a short 7wt spey, it can be hard to even know when there is a small fish on. Yes, it is possible to snake-roll a trout.

EXACTALY! Remember a 2 hander compared to a single hander is generally two line sizes up. Depending on your body of water you fish and know what you may tangle into is up to you, ive been taught and schooled my self! I will fish a ACR 2wt Spey for half pounders to Mt. Trout just like the old days of a 4wt single hander before the 2hand revolution. I will agree that there is nothing like fishing and casting a 2 hander all day ..Way more enjoyable. If you really are targeting 12-20" fish I would recommend a sub 250 grain rod like a Anderson 1172-1173, these will cast dryline to tips! You will not find to many true trout speys like Gary's!

[bigfly]

Fishing my 6wt switch all over.....(as long as flows support it....)
The T, Yuba, etc.....
I'm definitely not targeting 12-15" fish, but land them a lot, even when selectively seeking pigs.
Personally, I want my stick to be rated to the biggest fish I will catch, not the littlest.
When I hook a big resident fish (or steel), I don't want to run around with my hair on fire.........
We enjoy the fight of a fish, but to me, the goal is to think of what's good for them too, not just extended play.....
I'm with Big Kahuna, use a bigger stick, land them fast......

Jim

[Don Powell]

Fishing my 6wt switch all over.....(as long as flows support it....)
The T, Yuba, etc.....
I'm definitely not targeting 12-15" fish, but land them a lot, even when selectively seeking pigs.
Personally, I want my stick to be rated to the biggest fish I will catch, not the littlest.
When I hook a big resident fish (or steel), I don't want to run around with my hair on fire.........
We enjoy the fight of a fish, but to me, the goal is to think of what's good for them too, not just extended play.....
I'm with Big Kahuna, use a bigger stick, land them fast......

Jim

Just back from the middle Trinity and Klamath at Orleans- sad to report that no adults were caught other than witnessing a guided boat indicator fishing taking a 27" steelhead at Pigeon Point; but, before that I hooked a 12" juvenile on my Ross Reach 11' 3" 6 wt switch with a Hardy Bougle 3 3/4, 350 grain Skagit head and 10' T-10 sink tip tip that ripped line off the screaming Hardy that gave me unadulterated pleasure! Several days later at Orleans Bar, it was windy and I was happy to be casting a Meiser Highlander Classic 12' 6" 4/5/6 with a Skagit 340 with a 12' floating tip which when I cast well lasered and when I didn't had the tip blow upstream from the wind- never mind, big mend and get it fishing... I landed 6 juveniles, most of which jumped twice when they felt the steel, then ripped off line, once again, Hardy songs... I landed 6 juvies that afternoon and respected what Nature gave me and was glad that I had brought a set-up that allowed me to fish/cast in demanding conditions and still enjoy a "fight" from each and every one!
In summary, one needs to not just match the set-up to the size/weight of the fish, but to bring a set-up that allows one to cast in challenging conditions and still enjoy the "fight".