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[Carich980]

I've been chucking around a 9/10 spey for about a year now, caught lots of salmon, no steel head yet though. I want to get another lighter rod for Coho this season. I'm thinking of getting 4/5 weight Spey rod. I've looked at all the Switch Rods out there, but i don't get the concept behind them.

From what I've read and understand of Switch Rods you can cast overhand or spey with them but how often do people actually cast them as a single hand rod? And is there really any advantage of having the shorter rod length? From the way I see it if I'm going to be Spey casting 90% or more of the time wouldn't it make more sense to get the longer 12'2 (or longer depending on brand) Spey rod?

I've cast my 14' 9/10 like a single hand without any trouble, whats the advantage of a switch rod?

[HOOK]

I owned a switch rod and used it as such. I fished it with two seperate lines. A compact skagit for spey casting while river fishing and i used a Rio Outbound for two handed overhead casting, i tried single handing it once in awhile but it causes to much torque on the arm wearing out the body very fast. overhead casting it was very easy to reach 100' or more distances and 100 feet is about max for a spey cast with a switch rod. I fished this setup for a couple seasons and have since sold it and went to a short "true" spey rod and havent looked back since. I would only get another switch rod for beach fishing because it just makes everything so much easier.

Switch rods can do all the types of casting but only really excels at two handed overhead casting, spey casting with it takes some practice and really tweeking your casting style to make it work properly otherwise you will be over working yourself and like i said being that switch rods are 10'6"-11' for the most part its alot of rod to be single handed casting all day long.

I suggest looking at getting a small spey rod. perhaps something along the lines of the Amundson 1106 (11' 6wt) which is infact designed as a true spey rod but it can be used as a switch rod if your using the right line for overhead casting and being a 6wt its perfect for smaller salmon and steelhead 10lbs or less.

[RalphH]

The original idea of a switch rod was a long rod for  2 handed overhead casting of short heads. It reduces the amount of false casting and takes strain of shoulders and arms. Any rod can be speycast including single handed rods. Most switches will spey, skagit or scandi cast quite nicely. Switches are a little more versatile than speys but as Hook points out short spey rods narrow that gap.   

[Carich980]

I've decided to go with the Sage 5w 12'6 Z-Axis .

[HOOK]

oooohhhh  now thats one of the steely heart throbs right there, same goes for a Z-axis 6126 which is what i would go with if i had the cash. I like having a bit more stick to land fish faster, partly why i fish a 7/8 which feels like a 7 with a fish on but an 8 for casting 

I hope your fishing areas where you can fish a swung fly for coho because they smash them if its presented the right way. Most places however they rather a stripped fly in that stupid frog water they love so much. Its smart to carry the single hander along just incase OR just spey cast and strip like i do cause im to lazy to carry 2 rods LOL

if you like a fast action rod you will love the Z-axis if not you may possibly hate it 

have fun

[Carich980]

I got some time yet before I make the purchase for this year, But last season I was slaying coho and chums on a swung fly. Also stripping them worked pretty well for me too. I found that they mostly seemed to hit it on the swing and then if they didn't I would strip it Hard and fast about 3 pulls, pause and repeat. Then they would smash it. I'm only worried about a large spring taking my fly with the lighter 5wt. Spey rod at which point I'll break it off.

I haven't tried a fast action Spey rod before, my 9/10 is a Gloomis Dredger GLX maybe I'll get a course somewhere along the way where i can try one out first if not I'll just pick it up and learn to adapt as I go.

[HOOK]

if you want there is a spey tune up class at the Stave river this coming saturday (MArch 3rd) being put on by M&Y 12:30-5pm near the toilet bowl. Im not sure if they have rods/lines to try out though.if you dont need the rod anytime soon then i would hit the M&Y annual spey day April 14th where they WILL have loads of rods and lines to try out.

i thought the GLX was a fast action rod   

   

[Carich980]

I'll be there for both of those Spey Demo's.

http://www.gloomis.com/publish/content/gloomis_2010/us/en/fly/rods/steelhead___salmon/roaringriver_dredger.html

The rod i got in 9/10, I don't know how it compares too the Sage Z-Axis.

[HOOK]

if you read the action on the GLX it states medium-fast as a taper with medium power. basically its a medium-fast. as you can see the Z-axis says its a fast action

http://www.sageflyfish.com/rods/2-handed/spey/z-axis

you may or may not notice a difference between the two rods yourself, I have cast them both and do notice a slight difference but then i was also casting them directly along side each other using the same line systems. I was also casting alot of rods that day 


HOOK - will be at the M&Y spey day this year 

[Carich980]

After getting to cast a bunch of diffrent rods at the Spey day, I've decided to go with the Sage One Spey in 13'6 7wt for now until i at least get a chance to try out the Z-axis first hand. I cast a bunch of diffrent switch rods and couldnt find a single one that I liked, They just didnt feel right to me.. probably just because im so used to casting my 14' 9/10. The longer spey rods were definatley my preferance and the lighter 5wts did feel as though I'd be in trouble on a bigger fish possibly stressing them too much I guess.

I was really looking forward to casting a Sage Z-Axis but they didnt have any available only theTCX and VXP. The Sages I cast today felt best out of the brands I tried out.

I found the Sage TCX nice to cast as well which I was suprised after reading reviews about how its hard to cast and was supposedly designed as a Competion rod? I thought it felt nice and smooth and didnt have any trouble casting it. 

Can anyone with casting experience of the Spey TCX or Spey One tell me how they think it comapres to casting a Z-Axis. I dont know of anywhere to test one out unless a shop is willing to let me do so..

Thanks,

[HOOK]

I have cast a tcx and a z-axis and i did prefer the z better. I myself like fast action spey rods which is what the Z series are. the reason they didnt have any at the clave is because the Z-axis single handers have been discontinued and im sure they wanna bring out the newer stuff for people to check out. I have cast a Sage One single hander and it was extremely nice so im sure you wont regret your purchase at all.



 

[kingpin]

I have cast a tcx and a z-axis and i did prefer the z better. I myself like fast action spey rods which is what the Z series are. the reason they didnt have any at the clave is because the Z-axis single handers have been discontinued and im sure they wanna bring out the newer stuff for people to check out. I have cast a Sage One single hander and it was extremely nice so im sure you wont regret your purchase at all.

why didn't you like the tcx? they are ridiculously fast

[HOOK]

just didnt have the same "feeling" as the Z had. they are also both fast action rods.

[steelheadjunkie]

In every series of rods ( z axis included) as the lengths and line weights change so usually does the action of the rod. The 5126 z axis is not a fast rod, I would label it a medium action at the most, very similar in action to a GLX Dredger. With the Z Axis series the rods get faster as the line weight rating goes up. I have owned the 5126 z axis for about three years and it is still one of my favorites today.