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Got A Switch Rod For X Mas And Need Some Help Please


Vitalshok

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Hi there I got a 6 weight switch Rod for christmas from the wife and I'm a virgin on the topic so I'm looking for some info please. first off is there any good books or DVDs out I can purchase?I understand you need a large arbour reel is this just a basic reel or is there a particular reel I should be looking into.I see there is a million lines and sink tips as well any recommendations?im going to continue to google all the info I can find but any help would be appreciated

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Went to fish tales today and had the best service I have had at any outdoors store.The gentleman set me all up and explained every question I had.I just need some input on floating lines for drys any info would be appreciated it would be cool skateing some stimmys or something if that's possible

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  • 3 weeks later...

hmm if you are just looking for a straight up dry fly line I would just go with a standard WF floating line. check the grain weight on the rod to match it up but the standard is usually 2 lines sizes higher for switch. Aka 6 wt switch would use an 8wt line.

 

Personally I have a 5wt switch with a Skagit line. which is a blast to practice spey casting and a really light switch line that can get away with casting large dries but usually using it to nymph.

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I got most of the lines to get going but was still wondering what lines I should look into for dry fly.Im thinking rio switch chucker will do but just wondering if there's any other options.please help

Are you talking about skating dries like a stonefly or dead drift dries like a caddis or mayfly? For skating, a skagit with a floating tip will do the job, but a scandi will be a lot more subtle. A switch rod isn't really a good tool for dead drifting dry flies that require a delicate presentation...

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Go to FishTales and sign out the Airflo Scandi loaner kit,you might be pleasantly surprised at how delicate a presentation you can make with a Scandi line....ie;I'm fishing a Beulah Platinum 11'7 5wt Spey w/300gr Scandi and no trouble at all to OH cast with it and land a #18 caddis as softly as my SH 8' 3wt or any other light rod for that matter....plus the ease of longer casts and super mending control with the long rod is awesome,this rod really does anything I ask of it on the Bow from swinging weighted streamers and wets on mono or polys to skaters to tiny dries....my other rods collected a lot of dust last year.

I don't know anything about the Dually,but sign out the Scandi kit and try a few lines on it,probly in the 360-420 range...maybe start with 390?

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Landing a size 18 softly is a different story then delivering a size 18 softly to a dinner plate sized target at 30-40 feet, without frightening the fish.. The fact of the matter is that a switch or two handed rod won't do virtually everything. Including those fish tipping on tricos at 100 feet in the middle of the river...........

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  • 3 weeks later...

I got into the switch rods 6wt to start off with I was using rio switch chucker which is an amazing line but I did however find that using rio mow tips helped casting as the head on the line is 25 feet and with skagit casting they say it should be 3x the rod length correct me if I'm wrong... But usually I have been using either the 10 foot mow that is 5 feet float and 5 feet of either t-8 or t-11 works for me but maybe someone may correct me and I learn something even better.

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Right tool for the right job...I have 2 speys, a switch, and 5 single hands. You won't see me breaking out any of the speys/switches unless i'm on the west coast

The Bow is as big and bigger then many of the west coast rivers that I've fished.I fish Spey on the Bow 90% of the time.

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Bought some switch chucker today put all the other heads for sale.i guess how you choose to fish any River is your choice big or small.whats wrong with a challenge every once in a while.I enjoy nymphing with my switch cause I can get some really good distance which helps when your fighting ice shelves. And Any areas you can't get to.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I heard that Switch Chucker was good for nymphing since the handling section can help you mend better.

 

Another line that is good for switch rod is the Royal Wulff Ambush, the taper design is close to Airflo Rage compact, and they come with just the heads and complete full lines.

However, if you thinking about dry fly presentation, you might want to consider Scandi type heads. I have the same spey rod as Vagabond, Beulah Platinum 5wt 11'7" Spey, I am using Beulah Elixir V2 300 switch version with and 10ft versileader for it. Really good for touch and go cast and will do sustained anchor casts as well. Unlike Scandi heads; the Ambush is not Air Jordan. It will turn over the fly rather quickly.

 

The new SA Switch Adapt is pretty similar to Ambush, with bit longer belly than the Ambush which probably will give you better loop stability and won't turn over as quickly as the Ambush.

 

Please note that I am still learning how to 2H myself and at times still getting that smack in the back of the head for being too fast and too aggressive with my casting, so don't sue me over the above opinion.

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Personally I have not really liked any of these new "switch lines". For nymphing I only use Scandi heads for both single and two handed rods. Airflo Compact Scandi for two handed rods and Guideline Bullet lines for the single hand rod.

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I find nymphing with compact heads,whether Scandi or Skagit ,is fine at close to medium range,but for distant drifts the running line isn't conducive to ease of mending.I've considered picking up the full length Speydicator line,but can't really justify it for the little amount of nymphing that I do,plus consider it would require having to carry a dedicated spool.....but for an enthusiastic 2H nympher,it seems like it would be the answer?

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I think the current trend in switch line is they now come with integrated running line which work perfectly fine for me since I strip the head all the way in before casting it out.

The heads are also more like hybrid heads so you can Waltz and Salsa with it.

 

Although, I am not doing a lot of 2H and just recently down to just 1 Echo switch (I've just sold my Beulah Platinums 6wt switch and 5wt spey) I am still keeping the same 2 setups.

1 Reel with 25# OPST Lazar running line for floating heads and 1 reel for Ambush intermediate.

 

Speaking of mending running line for nymphing; I am sure you've heard of a guy name Steve Godshall out of Medford, Oregon. He has what he called the Mend Master running line, and he'll splice custom head to meet your rod and your fishing needs.

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