[JCS]

Hello all, I've been reading these posts for over year now, but finally today is the first post!!!! Great info, great site..... SO I'm building a new switch rod, my first switch rod. A Dan Craft FT 1008-4, I have a Loop yellow, 12'3 for a 9wt that I'm learning to chuch heads with, so I want the FT to be the new "everything" 8 wt.
I'm thinkning something along the lines of a Rio WIndcutter with tips, but not sure. I know the grain window for this stick is 280-380, but I'm still not sure which line to try on it. I've read that most people seem to use the WC without the tip 2, so that's more like a shooting head set up. Most of my of my fishing is in rivers for salmon and steelhead, but also throwing from the beach in the salt!!
Many thanks to Mike at Redshed for offering to send me some lines to try. I may still take you up on that offer!!!! So what do people who own this rod use on it? I've seen some post that the Rio Skagit head works well, but even the 7/8 is 450g, isn't that just way too much?

 

[wrx_canoe]

1008

Welcome JCS,

I built a 1008-4 FT from Dan. I have both a two-hand handle and single hand handle for it (spey and salt for bones).

I've only used the following lines:

1) SA Quad-tip WF8 - okay - consistent 60' casts
2) SA short-head 6/7 with 15' Rio 109gr tip - okay - bit heavy
3) I now have a Rio 5/6 with tips which I'll try soon

FYI -

1) SA Bonefish WF8 - good
2) Royal Wulff WF8 - good

Not sure if that helps. The 1008 is much slower than the 908 (my friend has the 908 and I also built a 909 FT). For a switch rod the slower blank is better IMHO.

Good luck,
Preston

 

[JCS]

thanks for the reply, I was wondering about the 5/6 wc, let me know how it goes. I do have a 6/7 short head SA on another rod, will give that a try.

 

[MJC]

[/QUOTE] 2) SA short-head 6/7 with 15' Rio 109gr tip - okay - bit heavy
[/QUOTE]

wrx_canoe, Was the SA Short Head cut back or were you fishing that tip right off the end?

 

[wrx_canoe]

update

Update,

I tried the 5/6 today (tips model). I used the heaviest 'grey' tip, type 6 I think. Worked very well. Not too heavy like the 6/7. Cast nicely with about 15' of yellow head *behind* the tip (some was even on the reel). With the short 10' rod I tried having the entire yellow head out but it was way too much (I guess the line is designed for 13' rods). I used both a size 2 beadhead bugge and a number 5 Tiemco 7999 rabbit fur type streamer. No problem casting the flies.

Was mostly doing snap-Ts and single speys. Easily cast 45'-50' without trying. I played around with upper and lower hand and found a scandi-style lower hand kick was very efficient.

The river was small so I never did try going for a long distance cast. My guess would be if I nailed one I could cast it 70'ish.

As a bonus a hooked and landed a 20lb fresh Chinook. Took me 30 minutes to land. Way undergunned.

MJC,

re: SA 6/7, yes, I have it cut off 12'. I didn't weigh the grainage of the removed 12' of floating line. It handles the 6/7 with tips however it feels like it's overworking the blank. 5/6 is much better. Royal Wuff 8WF Floating was way too light.

Hope that helps,
Preston