Loomis cross-over rods?

[slimfishin's]

I was curious if anyone out there has any experience with single/double handed crossover rods, such as those offered by G Loomis:

http://products.gloomis.com/gl/produ...=1138478647943

Anyway, the website is not a reflection of their current products, as they recently came out with two new crossover rods: 11' 7wt GLX and an 8wt version. The claim is that you can use them as a single hand rod, or when conditions call for it, cast them as a spey rod. For example, the 8wt performs well with a 7/8 short belly spey line.

It seems like there might be some great reasons to have one in California for places like the Feather or American where a lot of nymph fishing is done, or if you want more flexibility in how you cast.

I'm curious if these rods have actual functional value? or if it would turn out that they don't really do any of the casting styles well. Does anyone have experience with these types of rods?

SF

[bubzilla]

Very practical rods. Take a look at Bob Meiser's "switch" rods. Not really a new idea.

http://www.meiserflyrods.com/s2h106-switch.html

As far as "casting styles" goes, they do the one that counts very well: they get the fly to the fish. Just happens you can do it with one hand or two with them.

[Cal]

I have used a Loomis 11'6" 8/9 (FR138889-3) fairly extensively for about a year.

I use it primarily for casting shooting heads over on the coast and use it two handed the majority of the time. Casts a 10 wt shooting head easily. I can cast this rod all day with no fatigue. Even though I really enjoy double hauling, two handing the 11'6" is so efficient, I find that I don't miss double hauling. I would also recommend this type of rod to anyone who has blown a rotator cuff or had some other shoulder injury which increases fatigue or limits shoulder mobility.

I have heard that Steve Rajeff designed this rod and that he casts it one handed all day, but....that dude has massive forearms.

Spent one day casting the 6/7/8 windcutter with this rod, w and w/o an indicator. Used that particular line on that day because it was already on a reel I had with me and I had not had the time to buy the recommended long-belly WF9. I still have not cast the WF9F.

This rod feels fairly light (when casting two handed) but has plenty of backbone. I landed a 15 lb Chinook with it last summer.

[Terry Thomas]

Gary Anderson also has "switch rods." Give Jeff a call at the shop. I casted one on the Rogue and it is very impressive...my fishing partner ordered one on the spot!
T.

[bubzilla]

You might want to check out the Beulah switch rods, too.

http://www.beulahusa.com/products.html

[Jeff Putnam]

Switch rods are extremely practical and useful and I dont understand why more anglers aren't using them. These rods probably scare some defiant anglers who aren't accustomed to the longer bottom handle and may have been told that "spey rods long or short, are designed to cast long distances and require you to learn some type of difficult, foreign, casting technique". We should begin by defining spey casting. Spey casting is the most effecient form of fly casting (no matter what length of rod). The length of spey rod is mainly related to the distance you're casting (wider rivers=longer rods). Switch rods tend to be shorter than your typical spey rod. These shorter rods are gaining a larger audience every year (month really). East coast striper fishermen and west coast surf guys cast over-head with shooting heads. Imagine how far you can cast a shooting head from a beach with an 11 foot two handed rod, while using the rod's length to hold the line above the crashing waves during the retrieve. Nice! West coast steelheaders along with the Great Lakes steelheading community, where dead drifting methods are extremely popular, are really pushing the switch rod movement. Assisting in mending techniques with its longer length, combined with its inhereant nature to perform really cool "roll casts" (we call it - "spey casting") and allowing you to fish rivers like the Trinity where the fly- hungry-willows are poking you in the butt while just waiting for that 3 o'clock back cast to deliver them a new hanging ornament. Dont forget... these rods can be cast with one hand. WOW! Sign me up. jp

[Brett]

I bought one of Gary's first switch rods (although I don't think that was his intention). I have an 11 1/2 ' 5/6, which throws a 10 weight SA Tarpon line really well. Adam & I tested other lines and weights, and this one seemed to work the best. It also throws 28 feet of T14 really well, too. I have used both lines here on the Texas coast. Having that extra length when wading is a plus, and I can fire off about 75' with a shooting back cast. Love it!

[slimfishin's]

Thanks for everyone's comments. Given the amount of positive feedback, I think such a rod might be a valuable addition to the quiver of rods I'm packing already. Being a gear junky is really a debilating illness indeed.


SF