Switch vs spey recommendation

[coastalcutty]

Hi all, my first post here. I'd like to get into swinging for steelhead. I have a 7 wt single hand that I use for micro Skagit using an OPST head. I understand the basics, but want to get a two handed rod for bigger water and hopefully bigger fish. I would like to fish a range of water, both summer and winter. The Wilson, Trask, Nehalem, Nestucca, but also the Deschutes, Klickitat, and maybe even the Rogue. Sink tips and floating.

I stopped by Big Y in Hood River to ask some questions today. I was pointed towards a switch rod, 7 or 8 weight in roughly 11 foot range. The Echo Swing Switch was highly recommended. He said that in recent years rods are becoming shorter and more moderate action, and switch vs spey is really just about the length.

I just wonder if this is sound advice, or if a full spey would be better? Do folks here use switch rods for these applications? Which way would you go?

 

[Rob Allen]

Hi all, my first post here. I'd like to get into swinging for steelhead. I have a 7 wt single hand that I use for micro Skagit using an OPST head. I understand the basics, but want to get a two handed rod for bigger water and hopefully bigger fish. I would like to fish a range of water, both summer and winter. The Wilson, Trask, Nehalem, Nestucca, but also the Deschutes, Klickitat, and maybe even the Rogue. Sink tips and floating.

I stopped by Big Y in Hood River to ask some questions today. I was pointed towards a switch rod, 7 or 8 weight in roughly 11 foot range. The Echo Swing Switch was highly recommended. He said that in recent years rods are becoming shorter and more moderate action, and switch vs spey is really just about the length.

I just wonder if this is sound advice, or if a full spey would be better? Do folks here use switch rods for these applications? Which way would you go?

Easy, Burkheimer 8128-4. It's a heavy 7 in function. Not too much for Deschutes summers but still heafty enough for tips and heavier winter fish..

 

[Pink Nighty]

Hi all, my first post here. I'd like to get into swinging for steelhead. I have a 7 wt single hand that I use for micro Skagit using an OPST head. I understand the basics, but want to get a two handed rod for bigger water and hopefully bigger fish. I would like to fish a range of water, both summer and winter. The Wilson, Trask, Nehalem, Nestucca, but also the Deschutes, Klickitat, and maybe even the Rogue. Sink tips and floating.

I stopped by Big Y in Hood River to ask some questions today. I was pointed towards a switch rod, 7 or 8 weight in roughly 11 foot range. The Echo Swing Switch was highly recommended. He said that in recent years rods are becoming shorter and more moderate action, and switch vs spey is really just about the length.

I just wonder if this is sound advice, or if a full spey would be better? Do folks here use switch rods for these applications? Which way would you go?

I use an Echo 8118 Swing and am a big fan. Light in the hand, which matters over the course of a day compared to my 9140 brownie. Its not the sweetest caster ever and wont win many awards, but it has covered me in many situations including swinging, nymphing and stripping.

 

[Salmo_g]

It's easier for most people to learn to Spey cast with a longer rod, 12' or more, than with a switch rod that is typically 10 1/2' or 11' long. A longer rod will make it easier to cover larger rivers with longer casts.

I have an 11 1/2' mini-Spey or switch that I use on small streams, but I use a 12 or 13' rod every where else.

 

[coastalcutty]

I use an Echo 8118 Swing and am a big fan. Light in the hand, which matters over the course of a day compared to my 9140 brownie. Its not the sweetest caster ever and wont win many awards, but it has covered me in many situations including swinging, nymphing and stripping.

Thanks for the first hand review of the echo. That or the 7117 were recommended. What about it doesn't make it a standout caster?

 

[coastalcutty]

It's easier for most people to learn to Spey cast with a longer rod, 12' or more, than with a switch rod that is typically 10 1/2' or 11' long. A longer rod will make it easier to cover larger rivers with longer casts.

I have an 11 1/2' mini-Spey or switch that I use on small streams, but I use a 12 or 13' rod every where else.

Why is longer generally easier to learn on? Covering more water makes sense to me. I appreciate the help!

 

[coastalcutty]

Easy, Burkheimer 8128-4. It's a heavy 7 in function. Not too much for Deschutes summers but still heafty enough for tips and heavier winter fish..

Thanks for the recommendation. I think that one is a bit out of my budget though

 

[G_Smolt]

Why is longer generally easier to learn on?

Fly casting is all about timing, and spey casting doubly so. The short answer is: a shorter rod requires better timing and technique than a longer rod.
My advice (probably worth less than $.02) is to learn on a long rod.

 

[RCF]

Which is better for old, well used shoulders?

 

[Pink Nighty]

Thanks for the first hand review of the echo. That or the 7117 were recommended. What about it doesn't make it a standout caster?

So the echo was my first two hander and I learned to cast on it. When I finally tried my brownie, I immediately added 25ft to my cast with way less power from me. The echo prefers a faster stroke with more oomph in my experience, but that experience is admittedly limited.

That said, 14ft is a LOT of rod and I find when I'm not on my big local river (skagit) that I prefer the shorter rod as it allows me to make the shorter casts I need in tighter quarters. If I'm only going to be throwing 60-70 ft, I use the shorter rod.

 

[SurfnFish]

You got excellent advice, a switch is a great rod for OR coastal steel. My go to was an 8wt 11' Deer Creek Switch matched with a Skagit Short and sink tips, and would not have wanted less rod with the bigger Stuc' steelhead I tangled with.

 

[coastalcutty]

Fly casting is all about timing, and spey casting doubly so. The short answer is: a shorter rod requires better timing and technique than a longer rod.
My advice (probably worth less than $.02) is to learn on a long rod.

I'll take it for the $.02. Inflation after all!
Joking aside, I appreciate the guidance and I'll keep this in mind

 

[coastalcutty]

So the echo was my first two hander and I learned to cast on it. When I finally tried my brownie, I immediately added 25ft to my cast with way less power from me. The echo prefers a faster stroke with more oomph in my experience, but that experience is admittedly limited.

That said, 14ft is a LOT of rod and I find when I'm not on my big local river (skagit) that I prefer the shorter rod as it allows me to make the shorter casts I need in tighter quarters. If I'm only going to be throwing 60-70 ft, I use the shorter rod.

My friend told me I was going too fast and not using enough finesse with his rod when in tried it. So maybe that's fitting for the Echo

 

[DanielOcean]

I cant recommemd anything on catching but as far as rods and gear goes i made every mistake in the book so what i suggest is get a modern 7wt spey. It is not necessary at all to spend a crap ton of cash on a rod. Big mistakes also is changing rods constantly and it will delay your progress. Pick one rod and learn it inside and out. Practice is most crucial.

 

[DerekWhipple]

I'm surprised they pointed you towards a switch rod as a first timer for swinging, I thought a 13' 7wt was the standard beginner stick.

When you decide to fish longer lines, you will have more options with a standard length rod. You'll also get longer casts with a longer rod which is helpful on bigger rivers. I guess if you are hunched under canopy far up the Wilson, then yeah, a switch rod might be better, but you might as well go back to the single hander.

Speaking as someone who started with a switch rod, buy an affordable spey rod at least 12 feet long, and spend the rest of your money on casting lessons. It's worth it. My switch rod is a backup, and never gets used anymore fishing the rivers you listed.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Why is longer generally easier to learn on? Covering more water makes sense to me. I appreciate the help!

The long rod being easier to cast is generally true but not as true as it once was. The real metric of ease of casting or how sensitive one must be with timing and power application is best measured in the head length to rod length ratio provided the weight is right. Modern heads are shorter. Thus Spey rods have shortened over time as well. Better casters will be able to deal with a larger head to rod ratio.

As far as selecting a two handed rod goes I always advise a full Spey first and a switch as a niche tool for an already comprehensive quiver for those right tight spots and specialty situations. That said you will often find a switch in my hand. They are imminently useful with a variety of lines and applications even on large rivers. Large rivers often mean boats. Boats mean I have a selection at my fingertips. If I'm walking in on a large river I will normally take a Spey unless I know I'm fishing close or a high bank side where compact is key. Where you are fishing should guide your selection of one over the other. You will own them both in time. That's just the way it goes.

 

[tomb]

Easy, Burkheimer 8128-4. It's a heavy 7 in function. Not too much for Deschutes summers but still heafty enough for tips and heavier winter fish..

7125 burkheimer…light enough to enjoy 12” trout…heavy enough to land 17lb steelhead and throw 12’ of T-17…thoughts rob?

 

[Rob Allen]

7125 burkheimer…light enough to enjoy 12” trout…heavy enough to land 17lb steelhead and throw 12’ of T-17…thoughts rob?

Having been in on the development of that rod as a light weight summer steelhead rod, Deschutes, Grand Ronde type rod large fish and t-17 makes me cringe, hard.

But we were always surprised by what people were capable of doing with the rods.
At the time that rod was developed the standard winter rod throwing 15ft 150 grain tips was a 14 from 9/10 wt.

 

[SurfnFish]

Just an FYI, the OR coastal rivers the OP mentioned are under 50' across in most places, the banks tree and bush lined, the best holding seams often just a few yards off the banks.
Horses for courses...

 

[skyriver]

I'll comment since my first 2-hander that I was successful on was a Redington Chromer Switch 7116-4. I bought it based on the fact I had tried a big 14' 8wt spey rod in 2010 and just didn't enjoy it at all. It just felt awkward and really big for the rivers I fished like the Sky, Snoq, Stilly, etc.

I went with Red's Fly shop (Craig) recommendation and it worked out. It has a 400gr OPST Commando head with 10' medium (T11) tips, including a floating tip on the Chromer. It does very well on a variety of water.
It can be fished 2-handed, but also single handed. It can boom over head casts and I do single-hand spey with it all the time. It's just big enough where single-hand spey could tire you out if you do too much.
It's also a good rod for nymph/bead rigs if you do any of that. I don't really enjoy that so I haven't done it much, but I do have a Rio InTouch Switch 7/8 (460gr) specifically for that purpose. It can turnover a buoy.

A couple years ago I had noticed that most spey rods were down in the 12-13.5' range so I thought I would give it another try. Last July, I bought a sweet rig from @Jeff Dodd here on the site. It's an Allen Olympic 7126-4 spey with Rio Skagit Flight 500gr. It feels much bigger than the Chromer Switch, but is a delight to cast and is nothing like that 14' behemoth I tried so many years ago. I actually just ordered a Rio Elite Skagit Max Launch 475gr for it as the Skagit Max (and now the Max Launch) was the evolution of the Flight. It should cast even better with it. Maybe not smoother, but definitely farther.
I can use the same 10' T11 MOW tips that I use on the Chromer, but the 12' OPST tips are even nicer. I have the floater on there right now and it is delightful.

The switch is definitely more versatile, which might be valuable on the rivers you mentioned. Also, it's a foot shorter than the spey rod in the tight stuff. I lost a really nice March fish on the Skagit when I was up against the brush and couldn't bring the rod back while she sprinted towards me. I may have had a chance with the 9' 8wt doing single hand spey. Which I do with my 4-7wts.

If you're doing well with that 7wt single spey I think you could pick right up with the switch. That may have been why they suggested the switch. That and maybe they just want to sell them.

Good luck and don't get discouraged if the first few times don't go well. I know my first few switch trips were NOT pretty. Haha!

Stacy