Overhead Two-handed fly casting for Stripers near Monterey and Santa Cruz

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQDx1iDqYLg


June/July/August/Sept must be the timing?

[MHeuch]

What size two handed rods and lines do folks use for fishing Stipers in the Monterey bay?

[Lee Mitchell]

I have three Switch rods for Monterey Bay. Method 8 wt for Stripers, Method 7 wt for Stripers and perch and Method 6 wt for perch.

My preferred lines are Rio Outbound Shorts as it's hard for me grabbing thin running lines in the surf. I have no issue with running lines on the Delta or San Luis but in the saltwater it's another matter.

Most of the folks I fish with are using Spey rods with a mixture of integrated and running lines with the appropriate grain weights for their rod.

The majority of us cast OH but Mark Won has perfected Spey casting in the surf. It's pure magic watching him fish.

The Monterey Bay has a year around Striper fishery but we only get big fish (generally over five pounds or so) during the summer months.

I hope this helps

[BS]

I have three switch rods for Monterey Bay. Method 8 wt for stripers, Method 7 wt for stripers and perch and Method 6 wt for perch. My preferred lines are Rio Outbound Shorts as it's hard for me grabbing thin running lines in the surf. I have no issue with running lines on the Delta or San Luis but in the saltwater it's another matter. Most of the folks I fish with are using Spey rods with a mixture of integrated and running lines with the appropriate grain weights for their rod. The majority of us cast OH but Mark Won has perfected spey casting in the surf. It's pure magic watching him fish.

The Monterey Bay has a year around striper fishery but we only get big fish (generally over five pounds or so) during the summer months. I hope this helps

Nice first post Lee !!

Thanks for contributing.


Bob

[ICE]

Thanks folks,
I've been shooting line on the beach for a few seasons now from Santa Cruz to SF and have been considering the two handed set up for added distance. I've looked at the double overhand surf specific setups that have been advertised recently, but have always been intimidated by figuring out grain weights and such. Its seemed that a switch rod would do the trick but was never sure. So, double overhand casting with a switch rod is a thing?! Lost coast outfitters is the only shop "locally" now...... you all have given me something
to reconsider.

Great..........now for the research and funds.

Thanks again
J. Ice

I'll keep an eye out for you Lee

[Lee Mitchell]

Here are my line specs for the Sage Method Switch rods.

8 wt: Rio Outbound T-14 custom cut, 3 ft of head cut off to get to 476 grains
7 wt: Rio OBS 425 grains
6 wt: RIO OBS 375 grains

The Method isn't in production anymore so if you find a rod you like ask the fly shop or rod manufacturer what they recommend for OH casting. It's important you tell them it's for this purpose.

Good luck

[ARichcrook]

Hey Lee! Are we related???
Rich

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

ECHO Boost Salt fly rod series......$249

https://echoflyfishing.com/project/boost-salt/

[Odonata]

The Boost Salt series is actually different from the Boost Beach series. The Boost Beach are two-handed rods for overhead casting in the surf.

I bought a 7wt Boost Beach a few months ago. While I did pick up a 7wt Airflo Beach line in 7wt, I spoke to someone at Lost Coast Outfitters about using a shooting head system instead. They actually sell an outfit based on this rod, using Rio Outbound Short heads and 50# OPST Lazar running line.

For the 7wt they recommended a 9 or 10wt shooting head -- yes, that means 375 - 425 grains. I bought 40# Lazar as that is what they had at the time, and a 9wt / Sink 6 head. I did manage to catch a few surf perch on it in late summer. I like the way it casts with this setup.



I haven't tried the 10wt head in the surf yet, but it works at the casting pool, though I like the 9wt a little bit more.

As far as rod/reel balance I don't generally worry about that. I have a Lamson Remix HD 3.5 from a few years back, but for what it's worth LCO is selling Redington Behemoths with their outfits. I will say that I just sent my Remix HD back to Lamson for service after it started squeaking on retrieve ... I had been washing it in freshwater after surf sessions, but had never opened it up before. I think I should have opened it up and washed the internals out after it got dunked recently.

One thing I notice about my Boost Beach is that it has a pretty thin and fragile-looking tip. I did manage to break it (which also had to do with that reel-dunking session). Echo's service was prompt; for $35 and the cost of sending the rod back to them (Vancouver, WA -- across the river from Portland) I got a fairly quick tip replacement.

This has kind of opened my eyes to other possibilities. I recently splurged on the 6wt Redington Chromer that the guy in the video was using. It's a lighter rod than my Boost Beach and seems to overhead cast a 420 grain T14 head quite well. I have not actually fished it in the surf yet though. It seems to balance with my Lamson better than with my Boost Beach.

And the T-thing : it's actually grains per foot. Google will pull up the conversion from grains to grams and vice versa. So a 30' T14 head weighs 30 x 14 = 420 grains.

[Lee Mitchell]

Hi Rich
I sent you a private message.

thx
Lee