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Another Rainshadow Switch Rod Thread (another newbie needs help)

Spey 
2K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  Gray Ghost 
#1 ·
Hi guys, a lot of my questions have been answered by many of the other posts on this topic, but unfortunately I am now only more confused. :beathead:
Here's my situation: I've been single-hand fly fishing for 8 years (mostly Rocky Mountain trout) but will be coming up to Vancouver Island, Washington, Oregon, and N. California for three or four weeks in July to fish for salmon and steelhead (and camp with the wife, too). I've never fished for steelhead, but am getting stoked after watching some shows, reading several books and researching on the internet. :D.
Here's my setup: I've got a Sage GFL 9' 9wt with a Lamson LP4 reel. Have three lines; a SA Mastery Steelhead 9WFF, and two 10 Wt saltwater WF, one floating and one intermediate sink. Also will be building a TFO TiCrX 7wt matched with a Pflueger Trion 7/8 lined with SA Mastery Redfish 7WFF (for the Gulf Coast flats).
Here's my question: I would like to build a Rainshadow switch rod (7wt?) to use on my trip. I plan on beach casting and swinging/nymphing/skating the rivers. I would like to both overhead and switch/spey cast. I know I'm asking for a lot, but I'd just like to know where I stand and what my options are. How would either of the two reels/four lines work on that rod? Would the 9wt line be too much? Would the 7wt not be enough? I'm not opposed to buying another line (Skagit/Scandi and changeable tips? Line weight suggestions for either of my reels?) if that's what I need to make it work, but with the price of diesel I'd like to save money when possible. Thanks for any advice and suggestions you guys can give. This forum seems to have the most knowledgeable and helpful members I've found in searching the net.

Aquaman
 
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#2 ·
Sounds to me like you have everything dialed in save the line for the switch rod. Go to Rio's site. They have a chart for line weights matched to blanks and skill level. Keep in mind that this is a Rio site so the line recommendations are for Rio products. If you don't like or use them, you can get advice from your local shop on a comparable line to suit your blank. Be sure you reels are salt water safe and even then, be sure to rinse them thoroughly after each use. The rod choice is up to you. Most guys use 6-9 wt. rods for the varying species of salmon. The switch seems the right size for steelhead and salmon but may be a bit heavy for cutts and resident coho depending on time of year.
 
#3 ·
Look at the grain window for that blank. Single hand lines are lighter than switch/ spey lines. You will need to match the line grain weight to the grain window for the blank. Personally I like scandi type heads on switch rods. Skagits and short heads will work fine just as well and comes down to a personal preference. I would stop in with your rod at All About the Fly in Monroe and try some lines to get dialed in.
 
#4 ·
The grain window on that rod, according to Kerry Batson on rodbuilding.com, is 185 to 380 grains. AFTMA (arguably very oudated rating system) grain weight window for a 9wt line (weighing the first 30' of line) is 230-250 grains, 10wt is 270-290. On that scale your 9 and 10 wt lines should fit well into that window and give you some flexible options with what you have. Adding a sinking tip or poly leader will add to the weight of the whole thing (again presuming you have 30' of your fly line out plus a tip of some sort if you choose/need to use one). I do not know the exact lines you have or their grain weights but they all seem to be withing that blank's window. I'm also not sure if your saltwater WF F and I lines are shooting head type lines with running line chasing it as you launch it downrange. You might like to have a stripping basket available for the beach fishing to aid in line management to keep your line off the water and away from any floating debris that could be around from the tidal movement. I'm only concerned that the TiCr-X 7wt might be more rod than your WF7 line can load without having to get out that line's full head. I have a TiCr-X 8wt that for all intensive purposes is a fast feeling 9wt in my opinion. I use it for Chum and have used a variety of lines on that rod. So far all that have loaded it well, with my horrible casting stroke, have been 9wt lines (Airflo 40+ floating and intermediate 9's, sharkskin magnum 9F, rio versitip 9) whereas the 8wts I've tried on that rod don't seem to get it loaded for me.

Sounds like a great trip upcoming for you and the misses. Sounds like you'll have a couple of new rods, ample lines to choose from, versitility and interchangability for all you hope to encounter. Best of luck.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the advice, Guys. I think I'm going to go ahead and get a Scandi-type line and put it on one of the Lamson spare spools to see how that balances the rod out. I've heard mixed reviews of the Rio lines, but lots of good ones of the Beulah lines. I've also seen posts about someone up there making custom lines specifically for the Rainshadow rods. Again, any suggestions would be appreciated. Also, how do they poly leaders work? I've used Rio Versitip lines for my 6wt and am familiar with that type of system, and it seems to me the poly system is similar to interchangeable tips. Part of the excitement of fishing for a new species is being exposed to new tools and techniques, but I'm still pretty clueless at this point (and I haven't even started tying Northwest flies yet!) I'm planning on getting a guide when I get to BC to show me how to put it all together, but would like to be as prepared as possible when I get there. Thanks again for the help.

Aquaman
 
#6 ·
FWIW I built a Rainshadow 10'8" 7wt Switch rod last fall (for under 130$) and went with the recommended line from Gary Anderson of ACR, Kerry Batson put me in contact with Gary as he designed the Rainshadow Swith rod that I have. It's 331 grain Compact Scandi at 26.5ft. Using a 6 foot poly leader it cast great and wasn't that hard to learn on. This was my first venture into two handed rods and my suggestion is watch a video or two and practice, practice, practice. I don't live very close to an area where lessons could be had except for Reds in the Yakima Canyon, and with time constraints the desire to try it out has been my teacher. Maybe some day I will get up there for lessons, but for now I'm still flailing away. I did catch three steelhead last fall on the Klickitat and several smallmouth on the lower yakima this spring and lo and behold one little salmon thus far.
 
#7 ·
A Summer switch rod line that All About The Fly in Monroe, WA recommends for the Batson switch rods, is the Guideline Bullet. It's a short integrated Scandinavian head line, 28', with a stout front taper that cast floating and sinking poly leaders very well. It will fish high or low on the swing with poly leaders great and nymph well when needed. A very versatile Summer switch rod line, because of its head dimensions.

http://www.nwsalmonflyguild.org/sa/index1.html
 
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