[Popsicle]

Back in 1989/90 Jim Green of Asotin County Washington showed me a cast that he referred to as a "switch cast" that was based on a down stream ending swing, picked up in a overhead backcast, coming up to the down stream shoulder, shifting across body (while back cast unfolded behind) coming to a stop at the upstream shoulder (river left format) with a forward cast returning to a down stream 45 degree position. Jim used this cast extensively on the main stem Snake, below Grande Rhonde as a floating line damp fly technique. With all the conversation regarding the switch cast, of late, is there history of switch cast be it European or North American? furthermore was Jimmy Green's version simply a hybrid airalized version of this cast?
Looking for some history on this cast?
Thank
G.Cook

 

[NrthFrk16]

:whoa: Damn...now I have to watch what I say!!

 

[Dr. Swing]

There is some info on this cast in the RIO booklet which comes with their lines. Not having one in front of me, I can't quote it for you unfortunately. I believe they do credit Jim with inventing this cast, but as always I could be wrong

 

[doublespey]

Grant Switch?

Hi Pops,

I'm cutting and pasting from a thread that ran about 2 weeks ago. I'm quoting Dana Sturn's response as to what a Switch Cast actually is.

"Essentially, and to perhaps indulge in oversimplification, if you eliminate the "rod tip dip" out of your single spey thus moving your rod tip in a horizontal path and have minimal anchor you are doing a Grant Switch. The original single spey as described by Grant and Jock Scott in Fine and Far Off had an up-down-up (the "rod tip dip") motion as the line is swung round to form the D loop, and a lot of line was placed on the water.

I think that most of us tend to do more of a Grant Switch than a classic single Spey, but we call it the single Spey, which may or may not be entirely accurate. "

There's plenty more where that came from. Try using the "Search" button at the upper right of your screen.

Hope this helps,

DS

 

[andre]

George,

Dr. Swing is correct there is a reference in the Rio booklet that comes with new lines. Jim references this cast being demonstrated by Jim Green I think they were on the Snake.

Brian, I asked the regarding the Grant Switch vs the single spey. If you read "FINE AND FAR OFF" you will understand where the question comes from, see Dana's message.


andre

 

[doublespey]

What is a Switch

Andre -

George seemed to be asking what the history of the Switch cast was and how Jimmy Green's Switch cast might fit in.

I posted Dana's discussion of the Grant Switch (yes, I was aware that it was in relation to the Single Spey and thus out of context) as highlighting some of the discussion of historic references to Switch casts that might have been of interest to him.

Since George is intimately familiar with Rio products, I assumed he'd also be familiar with the blurb contained in the booklet and was looking for something more.

And yes, I am familiar with "Fine and Far Off" and was not attempting anything by my Cut and Paste of Dana's comments other than to suggest that there had been plenty of discussion of switch casts and a search of past threads on this board might prove useful.

DS

 

[Dana]

Jock Scott and Alexander Grant discuss Switch Casting in detail in Scott's Fine and Far Off (pp. 85 - 117). What we know as the Switch Cast today (aka Live-Line Roll Cast or Forward Spey or Improved Roll Cast and probably a few others too) seems based upon Grant's highly efficient version of the single Spey, what Jock Scott called the Grant Switch. The main differences between the Switch and the Grant Switch were the live line in the Grant (line leaves water on backcast), the horizontal movement of the rod tip and the minimal anchor in the Grant, and the fact that the Grant allowed for a wide angular change. The Switch cast seems more like a long classic roll cast with a two-hander, where the line is dragged back along the surface to form a D loop before being powered forward. This of course made for limited directional change.

I have not heard the term Switch Cast applied to overhead casting before, but what George describes as Jim's technique makes sense as a Switch cast, because there is a switch occuring between the backcast and foward cast. In spey circles though I believe most people would think of the liveline roll cast first, then possibly the Grant Switch, when the term "Switch Cast" is used.