Spey vs Switch

[el.Pereh]

I'm looking to get one of these rods for the fall river season next year. While I like the utility of the switch rod I've heard that they can be harder to perform spey style casts when learning. Is a real concern? I'd prefer to only buy one two handed rod for the time being.

I'll be using it mostly in the squamish and lower fraser tribs if that makes a difference.

 

[winephart]

I heard the same thing prior to buying my first double hander. I don't cast like a pro but I think that some of the comments that you see on line advising not to pick up a switch rod until you are proficient with a full spey are overstated. Yes if you are proficient with a full spey, then using a switch rod will be easier to pick up. But a learning curve is a learning curve.

Its probably more important to think of what type of water you want to cover. I fish mainly the Cowichan and the Stamp and as neither is a monstrously big river, I fish the switch most times. A good idea is to try to test one of each on a river. Some shops will lend demo rods, if not ask a friend with a switch or a spey to help you out.

 

[thehook]

i picked up a switch rod not long ago for my first double handed rod and i really enjoy it, the most confusing thing for me was what line to put on it.

 

[Bear]

You can overhand cast with a regular single hand line but it will be difficult to perfoms spey casts. The weight of the line is important to the spey cast. In my opinion a switch rod is a fancy name to describe a rod you can single hand cast using two or one hand. I have a Sage 8150 spey(two handed) rod and can single hand cast that. The Spey Cast was developed to enable one to cast without room for a single hand cast.

 

[Sharphooks]

The Spey cast was developed when fly guys found themselves with limited room for any cast, whether it was a single handed cast or an overhead double handed cast. It's basically a roll cast where one uses the water in front for an anchor point rather then the empty space behind.

For the most part, it utilizes way more body movement and joint activity then necessary and should be used sparingly, if at all. On top of that, it's a hugely disruptive exercise that flies in the face of sober and prudent fishing strategy. People who glorify the cast and somehow think it's a style of fishing rather then just one of several casts that can be used when there's limited back cast room are of course left thinking that distance is the absolute key to catching fish.

They fail to realize that the reason they seem to catch fish when there's all that distance involved in their casts is because using the water in front as an anchor point rather then the air behind has consequences: the commotion and ongoing perturbation of the river as groups of these guys move downstream with that cast push fish further and further out into the flow---they are basically spooking fish and in so doing, the distance thing becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy---I catch fish on long casts so therefore, I must always make long casts because that's when I catch fish.

I avoid people fishing who "spey" fish like the plague--they're a menace on the river. They might as well be throwing stones into the holding water, yet somehow they think they are refining a hugely mysterious and complex art

I remember watching UK guys fishing the Spey (a river well known for steep banks and limited casting room) . The most common cast to solve the problem of a cut bank directly behind? A simple overhead cast. Clean and simple. No obnoxious kersploosh in the river with that "D" thingy. And they caught fish in close which I took notice of right away. Once I figured that out and applied it to my steelhead fishing when I moved to the West Coast, my catches tripled.

Never saw a guy utilize a spey cast on the Spey.

Lesson learned.

 

[thehook]

Your rant has nothing to do with the op's question.
El perch you should check out speypages no one will complain about the noise you make on water and there is lots of good information there

 

[eroyd]

A spey rod is a little easier to cast when you have room, but a sub 11' SR is a lot handier and not all that much harder to figure out, plus a SR is great for double overhand casting when room allows.
Don't worry, after you've covered the close water at rod tip, you will only be "ripping" already fished water close in front of you, the area where most single handers have to wade up to their bellies to effectively overhead false cast. boo hoo.

 

[Lipripper]

Yuupppppp

I didn't quote the whole thing... In fact, I quoted none of it.

With all due respect Sharphooks.. Your rant sounded like the people you chose to avoid...

El perch, like said before the hardest part of a set up is the line...

 

[kimbyote]

If you're starting out, I would recommend trying a classic style spey rod first, then switch. Reason being that Spey rods are typically slower in action vs a switch, which is beneficial to a novice because the slower the action is, the more forgiving it is trying to learn how to spey cast. Switch rods are typically fast action to handle both one hand or 2 hand casting. Mind you very few ppl actually one hand a switch, but it can be done. Anyways, the faster the action, the more spot on you'll need to be with your cast.

I recommend that once you have mastered casting on a spey, bump down to a switch if you find the spey is too long of a rod for your liking.

But if your up to the challenge, you can try Switch first.

Finally if you're interested in getting your line out there a bit more with a roll cast on a one hand, consider Rio's Outbound or Airflo's forty plus. They have a short shooting head infront of the running line. I have been using the forty plus for 2 years now and notice I can get an extra 20ft in my roll or double haul casts.

 

[el.Pereh]

Thanks guys, I'll hit my my friend who has both to get a feel for it.

 

[onemorecast]

Thanks guys, I'll hit my my friend who has both to get a feel for it.

I find the versatility of a good switch rod amazing. I use my four piece 11ft sage z-axis 8wt with short skagit head spey line on small to mid size island rivers and it works great. I can also use the rod to center pin fish for a change of pace (I was looking for a 4 piece center pin rod and realized I could use a 11ft switch rod and it works great) and if I'm beach fishing I can throw on a single fly reel with clear intermediate line. So basically three rods in one (which may justify getting a really good switch rod).

I also agree with sharphooks to some extent as I have fished with spey casters that spend way too much time and effort trying to get that long cast when all that is needed on many BC rivers is one short to medium cast. Load, throw, and let er swing into the zone. My advise is to "start" with a short skagit head in the 20-30 ft range and get used to casting this distance which combined with sink tip and leader will give you an effective 50ft distance which is often all you will need. Once you get the feel for loading the road it won't take much to trough out additional line if necessary. If you hit the squamish in the fall the skagit/switch set up will work great for pinks, chum, coho, etc. To me the beauty of Spey is not having to wear out the rotator cuff with all the hauling on a single hander and if I can get my fly into the zone with one cast instead of four that can increase hook ups significantly. Simple, efficient and effective.