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I have been reluctant to get with the program with either a spey or switch rod until last week. Dave Drennen, Bellyboat for those who remember back that far, took out a group from the board years back on the American for a spey clinic. I took advantage of Dave's offer. I think I used a borrowed 6 or 7 wt 12-13 plus foot Sage back then and wasn't too impressed, so didn't pursue it. Of course, I didn't cast that well back then, primarily a wrist casting trout, small coastal stream steelhead and salmon guy. Never really needed to throw for distance and considered myself primarily a finesse chuck and duck caster.
That all changed last week. Had a chance to do some switch and spey work while on the Deschutes over three days. After working my 8 wt as a single handed spey to get the job done swinging flies, I started moving in the direction of 2 handed spey. I asked a buddy that had quit for the day if I might test out his new and now idle switch rod just to see how it cast. I stepped into the river from river right, got in a good position for a downstream presentation, began stripping off line, and added a couple of roll casts to get the head past the rod tip. While my partner looked on, I only got in couple casts while working the kinks out on the anchor point before sending the line quartered downstream. At the end of the swing on the third cast there was that familiar sudden stop and tightening of the line. I felt the undeniable grab as my partner watched from streamside as the line went immediately straight. It was kind of embarrassing and totally unbelievable at the time just as it is now. Wasn't sure if I should pass the rod off to my partner, seeing how he had not caught a fish on the rod to date. I quit on a high note after releasing the fish.
Not much of a work out casting-wise, but it was enough to get me asking more questions about lines. I think he had a Rio Skagit on the reel. It seemed to turnover just fine and shoot line. The reason I am putting this out there, there was another fellow along on he trip that had the same rod but the wrong line. I think it was a Beulah Elixar line but we were later told it had too long of a belly when cast. They switched out his line on the river and it improved the cast- didn't pay attention to what line he used. I never got a chance to cast the other switch rod and instead focussed on a 7 wt spey the rest of the trip. So, how do you balance a line with a rod without purchasing more lines that you don't need like my friend did or will do in the foreseeable future?
I need another rod like a hole in the head. But with steelhead season just around the corner. . .
Lets see if the white screen kicks in.
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