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Swinging for trout is fun, but....

3K views 11 replies 11 participants last post by  eroyd 
#1 ·
I really need a small switch rod. I have never fished one, but I think they would out fish the single handers I have been using on the Williamson. How delicate can you be with small switch rods? Here is one of the fish I caught last week on a single hander.


 
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#2 ·
Hi Nate,

Nice catch that one, I use my regular 2 hand rod on water the size I see in your picture. Many people feel that a 7/8 or 8/9 rod is too heavy but I enjoy even 12" fish on mine. I keep a 12 lb tippet and don't mess with them much unless I get hold of a big one. When the big one comes I have the correct rod to land them quick. I guess the only places I use one hand rod now are truly too narrow for the Spey rod.

Ard
 
#3 ·
Well, as with any other equipment, how delicate a presentation you can make with a two-handed rod depends a lot on the rod weight, the leader, the line, and the fly. Asking if a two-handed rod can make a delicate presentation is a lot like asking if a single-handed rod can handle a salmon. :confused:

In the world of finicky trout, there are advantages and disadvantages to a two-handed rod. For example, I think you would agree that one factor that can contribute to a stealthy approach is a long leader. Do you suppose it is harder or easier to manage a long leader with a longer rod? Consider the lightest trout Spey rods made by Anderson Custom Rods (ACR). These are 11’7” rods, other manufacturers market rods of this length as “switch” rods. They are available in line weights down to 2-wt and 3-wt in a “spey” rating, take lines that are not that much larger in grain weight than typical trout lines, and as such are capable of fairly delicate presentations, assuming that the caster uses them properly. The length is sufficient to make a notable difference in the effectiveness of handling a long leader and also in the ability to fish at distance. By “fish at distance” I am primarily speaking of the ability to obtain longer drag free drifts and make effective hook sets, not casting distance, though that is often improved as well, particularly under practical conditions with obstructions behind. A longer rod means you can hold more line off the water which translates into less drag on the fly and faster hook sets. This in turn means you don't have to wade as close to the fish.

I regularly fish these rods with 17 – 18 foot leaders and flies as small as #18.
 
#5 ·
Trout Spey

I have an Anderson Custom rod 11'7" 3wt and absolutely love it for trout fishing. I have caught many fish the same size as the one in your photo with this rod and it handles them no problem. But at the same time the rod has an amazing feel to it and can make delicate presentations or heavy nymphs.

Good luck with your endeavors!
 
#6 · (Edited)
I been using my Deer Creek 5/6 12'6" for trout and even a 8" wild trout will put a nice bend on the rod and using a 9'-10' 5-7x leader will make it even better. I have also used my friends Echo TR 12' #5 and this is even more fun and exiting since the extra oomph lets your 5 weight Airflo Scandi compact or my favorite a Tactical Steelhead Designed by a great guy and Jedi caster and fisherman Dec Hogan cut through the wind if its one of those days the wind is not helping. I would go wit the Echo TR 12' #5 or the Echo Dec Hogan 12'2" #5 it's a deeper flexing rod but has plenty of backbone for even 20" fish if you know how to fight them properly. My advise! Don't short change your self with a Switch rod a 12+ DH Rod in a light weight designation with let you do what ever that shorter rod would and the extra length will help you a lot with line mending, control and if you ever get to some bigger water with Sea-Run or Lake Run fish will make your fishing more enjoyable. I have used a Switch Rod and didn't find NO! Advantage over my 12 footers and I was able to cast just as well I tight quarters and over hang. One more thing Go with Echo they make great Rods a great Price and their Warranty and Customer Service is the best! You will not regret it.
I wish you the best in your fishing endeavors. Eric R
 
#7 ·
Hi Nate,

"out fish a single hander" - is not what I get from using two handers for Trout. Personally, the benifit I enjoy most, is the use of two hands, rather than one for spey casting, along with prefered all around for down and accross presentations from top water to deep.

Bill
 
#8 ·
Thanks for all the advice guys. I fished with my 6wt switch and I did well in the wind chop but as soon as the Williamson went glassy I couldn't buy a fish with the heavy 6wt and had to go back to the single handers, I think I could make a 4wt work. Switch rods are a great tool but I am going to have to figure out the whole presentation thing for fishing emergers to rising fish. It would be cool to have one rod that could fish small tips in the fast water then switch lines to fish the frog water. I think a 4wt switch would work awesome for that.
 
#9 ·
5 wt 12' Decho

I bought a 12' 5 wt Decho from Poppy at Redshed last year and used it on the Madison, Yellowstone, South Fork of the Snake in Montana and Idaho and use it on my home rivers in Vermont. The tug is the drug and I love swinging small speys, Dees and soft-hackles with the rod.
 
#10 ·
Nice fish Nate.

Why do you feel switch rods will "out fish" the single handers?

To answer you question: Delicacy in presentation is all about how delicate you want to get and choosing the corresponding taper, leader and fly. If by delicacy you mean to say as light weight as possible for the typical trout with the occasional piggy to 20+ inches: I say 2/3 weight two-handers.

I jumped on the trout two-hander bandwagon years ago with 11-12.5' 2/3 to 5/6 weight rods and while it was fun casting to trout in the same fashion as for Steelhead, I never felt they out-fished the single handers in any way. By that I mean I didn't catch more than before or the next person on the water and I don't mean I reached water that others and myself couldn't reach with the single handers. Obviously, the extra handle will not result in more hook-ups. I found myself casting those rods less and less with two-hands but of course: feeling the the extra swing-weight more and more. So, I stopped using and sold-off the light two-handers altogether and got back to the 9.5 and 10 foot 5 weights when swinging in rivers and streams, or a six weight when dealing with wind, and actually look forward to the next trip spey-casting 9.5 to 10 foot 7 weights for Steelhead right along with the 13.5 to 15 footers.
 
#11 ·
Trout fishing....

There is nothing I love more than throwing meat for trout.

Using a light 2 hander to do so is super fun. I basically use 2 different rods for trout fishing WRT the 2 hander. Sage one 4116 and the z-axis 6110 also the 7110 but that's for steelies...

The 4116 i use for "smaller" trout and or presentation. #4 - #10 streamers with a skandit or scandi line, the odd big bugger/small sculpin on a skagit. This rod is REALLY fun. I don't use this rod if I know or expect large trout are around. The biggest fish to date on this rod was perhaps 16-17" and it bent it plenty.

My 6110 is whati use for bulls... I'm tossing a 3-5" lead eyed monster sculpin on a T11 tip and using the 6 is much much easier. It's light enough to bend on a small fish but has the cojones to handle and angry sea-run bull.

The rod I have caught the most trout on this year? 4100 single hander.... For dead drjfting nymphs, stripping fry or fishing slack/frog water, it's HARD to beat a single hander...

For me it comes down to what I'm fishing that determines the rod. Swinging meat eliminates the single handers, then it's the size of the meat I'm swinging.

It really is too much fun.

Jon
 
#12 ·
I fish the very reasonably priced Echo SW 4wt. Love it! Can't say that I ever use the bottom grip. I found my biggest error was to over power the rod, which is almost impossible not to do with true two hand casting. Still, I go through the "spey" motions with a one hand grip and it launches a scandi way out, or rolls it almost as far. If your in a situation where there is no back casting room it's the way to go, but, if you want it will rocket with and overhead cast.

My biggest trout so far on it was 24" in still water. Adequate for subduing the fish reasonably quickly. The 4lb Bass the other day I dare say was a bit much.
 
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