DLoop re the Meiser Rods I own
I have 3 of his 10'6" switch rods:
5/6
7/8
9/10
They cover a lot of the water that I fish in N. California and S. Oregon re smaller streams, lakes and fishing from boats.
His 5/6 is my trout rod for lakes and rivers. It is a great small mouth bass rod. It handles most small lake species and is great with half pounders.
When Putah Creek* reopens (large trout) next week, it will be my main fishing stick. The trout can be quite large (4-10 pounds) in some very heavy/fast water below the dam. My 7/8 is a little too big, and I have had two reel seats broken off my Sage 4 LL by big trout in heavy water. My one handed 5 and 6 weight rods which I have sold, often could not turn these big strong fish after I hooked them. You can hold the 5/6 sideways and really put the pressure on the fish, turn them or force them off the bottom. Much of the area has a canopy of trees behind you and over you. There is very little water that I can't roll cast, lob cast or spey cast with the 5/6. Like with all of his two handed rods, you don't have to wade out as far to cast and cover the water. Many times I'm barely in the water or fishing from the shore. This makes fishing this potentially dangerous to wade stream a lot safer and less tiring. The rod works well with size 20 flies to size 2 streamers. When I try to fish with two flies on my Spey rods, I end up hooking myself when I try to release a fish due to the limber rods. This is not a problem with Bob's switch rods.
The 7/8 is my small to medium stream rod for steelhead and the rod for shad fishing with a lot of other fishers in the American, Yuba and the lower Sacramento. I haven't used it yet on a drift boat on the lower Sac for big trout, but it should be a great rod. It is the main stick for one of Bob's friends who fishes for Stripers from a boat in the Delta. I prefer the 9/10 as my skills are not that great.
The 9/10 rod is for larger fish in close quarters and works great in a boat fishing for stripers. Even this old man can roll cast a Rio Striper 350 sinking head line to get the head out and then cast most of the line if not all of it with a size 2/0 fly from a boat. Often in the Delta, you need 60 to 80' casts. I can do that with the 9/10 from a boat. You have to remember that it is longer than the standard 9 foot single handed rods and to stand back from the gunnels an extra foot or so when battling a big fish.
I have a two spey rod/reel case. So I will often take one of Bob's switch rods with a similiar weight Spey Rods to the rivers I fish. That way I can cover the water from my boots to as far as I can cast a spey rod. Sometimes on the Yuba, the fish will come up beside you, behind you or right in front of you. You don't want to be fishing with a 14' Spey rod in those close quarters. Bob's switch rods are great for that situation.
*Putah Creek was closed last December due to the New Zealand Mud Snail. It will reopen this coming weekend. The fish have grown bigger, stronger and meaner during the closure. I plan to be on the water several times the following week with my 5/6.
