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[Spawn Sack]

Hoping for some solid advice here. I'm a little unsure of what I should sell, and what to buy if I sell. Anyway...

So I spent all day today fishing my new single hand spey line. The Royal Wulff Ambush Triangle Taper TTAM8F. Using it on my 8wt, 9 foot rod. I LOVE the line! Man does it ever bomb line out with just a good roll cast! However, as I feared, the extra work my right shoulder is doing is bringing back an old rotator cuff injury

For years I have only been fishing a 2 handed rod when I fly fish, but I (foolishly) thought a single hand spey line would not be too much work for the old shoulder. I was wrong. After some ice and ibuprophen it is fine, but I can tell if I keep fishing this rod/reel/line it is going to be no good for my shoulder.

So I am thinking of selling the line. I still have the spool and the box with price tag on it ($119.98 + tax). I was thinking of asking $100. Fair price? I can't prove that I only fished it one time though...

Now my dilemma is...will this reel work on a lighter 2 handed rod? The reel is a Redington Behemoth 7/8. It weighs 7.5oz and has a 4 inch diameter.

http://www.redington.com/fly-fishing-reels/behemoth

My only 2 handed rod is a 13"6, 8wt. I love it!!! But, it's a bit much for pinks and coho. Plus the 13"6 is so damn long I find it really hard to land fish after fish, esp if fishing solo. I used it a lot last year for pinks and at times wished I had a shorted 2 handed rod. For steelhead the big rod is no problem as if I get one on my fishing buddy(s) drop everything and it's a group effort to land/tail it, so rod length is not such a big deal.

I'd like to get a shorter 2 handed rod, hopefully that will work with this reel! I haven't researched rods yet, but I'd like to get something in like a 6 wt or so....maybe 11 feetish?

I'd love some feedback on it this reel will "work" and some good two hand rods it would pair up with suitable for pinks and coho etc. For anything bigger I'll just drag out the 13"6 meat stick.

[Spawn Sack]

I forgot to add, I bought two Airflow Polyleaders to go with the WA line. They are both "salmon/steelhead" 10 feet. One is clear intermediate 1.5ips and the other is slow sinking 2.6 ips.

I'm not sure if these would be useable on different, shorter, 2 handed rod? If they kind of match with the s/h line, and of are no real use otherwise, then I'll sell them with the fly line.

I have the MOW 10 ft medium tips for my 8 wt spey rod and I love them! However I think their grain weight would be too heavy for a lighter 2 handed rod?

[BNF861]

It depends what rod you chose to go with obviously, but if you go with an 11' 6wt switch that reel should work fine.

I had an 10'10" Echo 6wt switch for quite a while before buying an 11' Meiser 6wt that I have now. According to specs the reel I use on those rods weighs in around 6oz. empty. I also often used another reel I had on those rods that was 9.7oz empty that was fine but slightly heavy so I would say your reel should be in that weight window and should be fine on a rod around that length/weight.

I agree that the longer rods are not a great rod for coho and best left to swinging for steelhead or chum. A switch rod is great for pinks. Cast and swing and then strip in, they will take through the swing and strip. In my opinion, a single hand rod is still the best option for coho as they often will follow a stripped fly nearly to your feet, but a switch would be the next best thing to save your shoulder. With a switch for salmon, I would probably go with something with a short head and an integrated running line, such as your Wulf Ambush but in a heavier size, or a skagit short head to maximize the amount of stripping which will help with coho. Depending what rod you go with, in a 6wt you will probably be around the 390ish grain weight for a skagit which will cast your 10' med mow tips just fine, i regularly toss 8-10' of t8-t11. The rod would be well suited for targeting bull trout on certain systems too.

Depending on budget, I would recommend taking a look at an Echo SR61010. I had and used one for a few years and absolutely loved it. Only reason I don't still have it, I replaced it with a similar sized Meiser so I traded the 6wt echo for an 8wt. The meiser looks prettier but performance wise that echo was a pretty close comparison. I have owned a decent amount of high end fly rods (quite a few sages, a burkheimer, couple meisers) but also own a few echo rods that I think are one of the best bang for the bucks right now and warranty is fantastic should anything happen to it.

[Stantonius]

Sounds like a 6wt switch for you is the way to go. MY fly shop has a good price on the the Dragonfly Excalibur switch 11'. I picked up a 7wt Excalibur for $140 plus taxes. Really decent rod and casts a 7wt switch Chuker line really nicely. Have a look at them, and for $140 you can't really go wrong.
Good luck!

[Spawn Sack]

Awesome replies guys, thank you. Quick question...what, if anything, is the "difference" between a switch rod, and a spey rod? Is a switch just a shorter, lighter spey rod that one is able to cast single handed if they wish. For example, my 13"6 8wt rod is classified by Redington as a spey rod. However on their site they also have a separate category of switch rods. I'm a bit confused.

http://www.redington.com/fly-fishing-rods/dually

Say...the 6wt spey is 12"6 and 6.2 oz, whereas the 6wt switch is 11" and 4.7oz. I am assuming they are the same power (6wt), but the switch, being shorter and lighter, is castable with one hand?

I'm not really sure what I would want. I like that the switch is shorter which would make landing a lot of pinks (doing the old high-stick tail grab) and so on a lot easier than a longer rod. The 12"6 I think would be too long. However, I'm thinking the 12"6 would be easier to cast?

And how about the type of line for each rod? Do you need to chuck a certain type of line on the switch?

Honestly, I know as soon as I start single handing any rod in the "salmon weight" category it's going to aggrevate my shoulder, so whatever I buy I'm probably only going to two hand cast it.

[Spawn Sack]

Sorry and what about the Airflow poly leaders...should I sell them with the Ambush line? I'm guessing they are too light for a heavier line/rod? I know the tip helps dig in and load the rod, and I'm guessing these are meant more for my 8wt single hand and do not have enough weight to load, say, a 6 wt switch/spey?

[BNF861]

Essentially the term "switch rod" refers to a short spey rod. Switch rods usually range from roughly 10'5" to 11'3". Anything around 12' and longer is a spey rod.

Although switch rods can be single hand cast, in anything larger than a short light weight trout spey, you probably wouldn't want to. People think with the term "switch" they are good for both but generally they are designed to be two hand cast with your typical sustained anchor and touch and go casts or in some cases (beach) two handed over hand cast. If single hand casting an 8wt is hard on your shoulder, you definitely don't want to be single handing a longer switch. Your shoulder wouldn't last too long. Think of them as a short spey rod.

You already have a larger spey rod for swinging a fly for other steelhead and other larger salmon, it really sounds like a switch rod would work well for you instead of single hand casting for pinks, coho, bulls, summer runs, etc. A longer spey rod has the potential to cast further, but with a switch I bet you will have no problem casting way further than you ever have with a single hand rod with way less effort. An added plus with switch many make pretty decent centerpin rods if you are on a fishery where you might want to gear fish or fly fish and don't want to pack two rods

As for lines, what line depends on what you want to cast. Skagits (they come in regular skagits as well as even shorter head skagits) will cast mow tips and T material tips with whatever fly you want, big or small. An advantage for your target species is a skagit is a short head which will allow for more stripping that for strictly swinging is annoying but for species that will follow and attack on the strip, is a plus. Scandi lines are also popular and are a joy to cast and have more finesse on smaller water but are more suited to smaller flies and polyleaders.



If you are in the chilliwack area, you are welcome to meet up at the river and make some casts with my 11' 6wt with a couple different lines and see if that style of rod may be suited to what you are looking for.

[Spawn Sack]

BNF861, thanks man awesome info! Alright, now I think I get it. With what you said in mind I think I'd definitely want a switch, not a lighter power (6 wt or so)  spey rod.

I'd want something that I could still get by with if I hooked into a chum or spring, but is more purposed for coho and pinks. I'd probably want to go no more than 11 feet as I find any longer it's hard (for me) to tail a fish and release it. I have an 11"6 gear rod that I rarely use for this reason. Plus it's a bit on the heavy side. I pretty much only use it on the Fraser. My 10"6 Sage 2106 is my go-to gear rod. Great rod to fish with and I find the length perfect to slide a fish up near my feet, tail it, pop the hook out and bye bye.

Anyway, I'll PM you my email. I'd love to try out your switch rod. In the event it's not for me better to find out before buying something then having to sell it I live in Sardis close to the river.

[halcyonguitars]

Just a quick thought on the reel...

Since you know you won't be using a switch rod one handed, does the weight of the reel matter?

[clarkii]

Just a quick thought on the reel...

Since you know you won't be using a switch rod one handed, does the weight of the reel matter?

Yes, in the sense that the reel helps balance the rod.

It is not required but certainly helps as your muscles can be relaxed as you do not need to counteract how the rod hangs if it is not balanced.

[halcyonguitars]

But if you're using both hands all the time anyway?

[halcyonguitars]

I mean, it only needs to balance when you're using it as single hand rod...

[Spawn Sack]

But if you're using both hands all the time anyway?

Yes you are using both hands when you CAST a 2-handed rod, but, when the fly is swinging you are holding it with one hand (right hand for most ppl) and your other hand is either doing nothing, or you can use it to strip line. So, if your reel is say too light, your right hand will feel like you are holding the tip up through the entire swing. This is tiring on the wrist/forearm. If the reel balances the rod nicely you can hold the rod with one hand during the swing with very little effort.

[Spawn Sack]

I mean, it only needs to balance when you're using it as single hand rod...

Nope. It needs to be balanced somewhat well for swinging and casting. I have never tried to cast a very unbalanced two handed rod, but Ive heard it feels weird and sucks.

Ive never used a switch rod although I plan to buy one down the road. I have been told that even thought the rod is called a "switch" rod, and you can in theory cast it one hand, you probably don't want to. At least a salmon weight switch rod for any length of time. Rather, a switch rod is just a term for a shorter 2 handed rod, designed to be casted primarily 2 handed, where you want to fish tighter spots where a long bomb cast is not required.

I like the idea of a 10-11 foot switch rod as I think it'll be easier to land+tail fish with the shorter rod, I can fish closer to other ppl as I wont need as much room for my cast, and so on.

[halcyonguitars]

I see your points...