[david.schotzko]

Want to get a 10'6 to 11ft switch rod for trout and bass. I've no experience with the lighter 2H rods - do I want a 3, 4, or 5 weight? Are 3's and 4's too light for bass flies and poppers? Is a 5 to heavy for trout dries?

Thinking about this now because the Cabelas LSi 5 wt has hit the bargain cave. I think if it came in a 4 wt I'd jump on it, but not sure about a 5...I was thinking lighter.

Advice?

 

[David1123]

David1123

My first two handed rod was a Deer Creek 4wt. switch rod. The line I used was an 8wt. Wulff Ambush line, thinking back the 7wt. Ambush line would have been better choice on that rod. It will cast your average hair bugs with ease. Its also a good rod for Trout. Smaller flies it will spey cast very well, but when you get to the larger Bass flies overhand casting only. If the fish run a little larger get a 5wt. On the 5wt. I use an 8wt. Ambush line. Polyleaders work very well with the these lines. I have both rods and enjoy them a lot. Hope this helps.

 

[Neil W]

Just starting to use the sage one 4116. Only used in still water so far with a Rio Scandi short VT 4wt. Fishing small dries and emergers it was pretty good and hoping to try the ambush 7 or8wt next. I just like spey casting and this light spey helps me do it and fish appropriately for the size of fish

 

[sixheads]

David,

You might want to consider Meizer's new Ultra-Lites 10' switches from 2/4 to 6/8 wt's. Amazing stix !! Just might be what your looking for.

Enjoy The Spey Journey,
sixheads

 

[athabascae]

Beulah's 10'6" 4/5 wt classic switch has been discontinued and you could probably find one for around $250 or so if you look around.

I wouldn't worry too much about 3, 4 or 5 weights, manufacturer's ratings are all over the map. I'd suggest focusing on what lines they throw, and for average-sized trout, smallmouths, and grayling, I'd be looking at rods in the sub 300 grain range. For me, the sweet spot is 240-270 grains.

I've moved through a few trout-sized speys in recent years and have settled on that rod and an Anderson 11'7" 3 wt. Both use the same lines (240-270) and are excellent rods. I give the Anderson the nod for swinging (my favourite spey rod), but the Beulah is more versatile. It's a great rod for both overhead and spey casting.

There are many other fine choices out there that are good with 300 or less grains. For examle, the Beulah 11'7" 5 wt platinum is probably a great rod too for your intended applications.

Tom

 

[peter-s-c]

Add the Loomis PRO 4X 10' 6" 5 wt. to the list.

First a word about the line rating -- this rod will actually single hand, overhead cast a typical trout 5 wt. line just like a 9' 5 wt. This is a good test of a light switch rod line rating, for it it takes a much heavier overhead line to work, that tells us something about the rating.

In practice, I've found that the rod has an extremely broad range of lines that it will handle, so we can use a 5 wt. trout line to cast dry flies, or use an 8 wt. and Spey cast streamers, or a 6 wt. and a bobber, or a 360 Skagit head and T8 tips. Want finesse? Go light. Want distance? Go heavy.

Though I've had a few, I've never been a fan of light switch rods until this one. All of the others I've owned or tried were actually much heavier rods in disguise or wimpy noodles. This rod is not a stiff stick, yet it has guts to push line way out there. It's soft enough that a 10" bass puts a deep bend in it. The rod is so much fun with bass, that it has become my favourite smallie stick. I've tried using switch rods for bass before and never liked the experience, but this rod has changed my mind on that subject.

This video is not actually about the rod, rather about Spey casting heavy flies using light lines, but it does give an indication of what it can do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abEitXmVGkw&list=UU0MyLWujJ6RFahi321qfpnQ

 

[david.schotzko]

Echo glass switches

Thanks everybody.
I'm thinking of holding off until I can try out the upcoming Echo glass switches. Anybody had a chance to cast one in those weights? I've found some previous threads mentioning the 3wt and the 7wt...

 

[gormaci]

Winsotn Micro Spey

I had a pleasure to handle a couple new Winston MicroSpey rod and fell in love with them. I ordered lightest one- 3 weight and hope to use it for classic wet fly swing with classic wet flies (trout), also longer-higher nymphs/flymphs, emergers.. I hope to be able to match it with relatively light DT trout line.. perhaps as light as DT6....Will see. My first impression was GREAT!!! Nice deel flexing sweep sticks. Check them out if you have a chance.
I did some "trout speying" before with variety of "regular" rods such as stiff stick Scott S4 1004 (described as 4, it is more like 6 in reality) with DT 7 line. Works nicely but bit to fast/too quick/much to dynamic to my liking.
Checked Echo glass rods but did not like them- I would be carefuller with longer glass.
(Looking for comment on line matching with MicroSpey- by the way.)

 

[karnage]

5116 switch

I have a sage one 5116 switch it is a solid rod and can get the line out with poly/versa sink tips or T8. I use it for summer steelhead and trout

I would love to find a 3wt for trout

the 5 wt switch is large for a 2 lb or less fish
if find it way to heavy to switch into nymphing with it and too long if on a boat or in tight quarters to nymph with it