I have decided I need a Switch rod. I've been reading on them and searching on here but still have a few questions.

I want to use the batson IF1086-4 blank I think that will be all I will ever need. I've started fishing a bigger river that has some monster browns in it and is about 250 feet wide. So I think I might like the extra distance. But my question because I have never seen a lot of these except on the web how many stripper guides do I use 2 or 3? and with the handle it needs to be 2 handed style with a longer front grip but the rear grip do you guys build it straight on the blank or make it like a removeable fighting but? Also is there a noticeable spine to these blanks or do you not worry about spine and guide placement?

Thanks guys,
Ked Stanfield
Dry Creek Rod Co.

Shouldn't need more than 2 strippers I'd build it on it's straightest axis, not worrying about the spline.

Shouldn't need more than 2 strippers I'd build it on it's straightest axis, not worrying about the spline.

Ken
As for the handle, you can build it either way. With the use of removable butts the more user friendly way to go.
You make a short fighting butt for fly rod use and a longer butt for spinning use. You only need 2 strippers and I would suggest single foot ceramics for running guides (mono really shortens the life of snake guides).

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

Try this set up for starters it works well for me.
Rod Blank Model # IF1086-4
Butt cap: HDCCBC20F Forecast cork composite butt cap
Front Cap:
Rear Grip: RG4A-1875 4 inch rear, glue to blank
Handle Arbor:
Reel Seat: TRI-AH12M-LT-PG Alps Triangle Seat
Reel Seat Shim
Foregrip: FG11.0A-1875 11 inch for grip. I sanded a slight well seven inches up from the botom for single had casting
Winding Check: LTCWC365
Hookeeper: FHK-S Forecast folding hook keeper
Tip Top TCFTL4.5 Forecast tich large loop top
1st guide from tip top TCSNGP2 Forecast tich snakes
2nd guide from tip top TCSNGP2
3rd guide from tip top TCSNGP2
4th guide from tip top TCSNGP2
5th guide from tip top: TCSNGP3
6th guide from tip top: TCSNGP3
7th guide from tip top: TCSNGP4
8th guide from tip top: TCSNGP5
9th guide from tip top: XTCLXNZG12 Alps SS316 Tich plated light Alps XN with zirconium ring
10th guide from tip top: XTCLXNZG16
11th guide from tip top:
12th guide from tip top:
13th guide from tip top:
14th guide from tip top:
15th guide from tip top:
16th guide from tip top:
Guide spacing Specs(inches from tip, center ring over mark) 4.75-10.25-17-24.375-32.875-42.375-53-64.875-79-94.5

Karry Batson
Batson Enterprises Inc.
Ph: (877) 875-2381
Fax: (360) 683-3579
karry@batsonenterprises.com
www.batsonenterprises.com

Karry Batson Wrote:
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> Try this set up for starters it works well for me....
>
___________________________________________________

Can't get much better service than that!

I found this series of blanks to be quite straight and the spline is not at all severe. I'd align your guides as suggested earlier, but it will not matter much either way.

For a little different prespective: Many out here on the left coast just make the lower grip on our switch rods fixed as Karry suggested, not bothering with any removable parts. When casting two handed, whether overhead or spey, these rods reward a "tight" casting stroke with hands surprisingly close together and sigificant "pull" with the bottom hand. Longer grip arrangments have a way of encouraging us to spread our hands more than is needed, so I'd suggest you not overdo the overall grip length. Karry's recommendation is on the high end of what I would suggest. I personally think a 9 inch top grip is plenty, keeps the weight down while also mimimizing any effect the cork will have on the rod's action. It will also help prevent your using too much umph with the upper hand.

Batson did a great job on these blanks. They perform as well as or better than the best switch rods or blanks presently available. You will not regret building yours up!

~Bert

I agree about the 9 inch foregrip. I built on the 8wt. blank as a steelhead rod. 9 inches is plenty and helps me to remember that hand is mostly just fulcrum any way. Great blank. Had a friend who was fishing a T&T try it. He was impressed. The hard part was deciding which line to use. I settled on a RIO steelhead and salmon. Kind of a cross between spey and one handed.

I built this rod last fall and fished it this spring steelhead season. You will not be disappointed. I used 16 and 12 American Tackle Titans and size 8 SF titan cermics to the tip. 4.5" rear grip and 10.5" rear grip with a struble U-15HG reel seat. It balances with my reel about 8" into the foregrip. A 9" fore may be a bit to short if you like to have your setup balance at your top hand. I used a WF 8 while nymphing and the Rio Windcutter 6/7/8 spey line with interchangable tips. The Rio casts well with spey casting and well as an overhead with the tip 2 removed. Grain weight is 455 with that setup and I wouldn't go any heavier with this rod for spey applications, especially if you are going for distance.

Here are the Grain windows for the Rainshadow switch blanks for future refrence.

Switch Rod Grain Window

Model Low Grain Window High Grain Window
IF1085-4M 140 280
IF1086-4M 160 330
IF1087-4M 185 380
IF1088-4M 210 440

Karry Batson
Batson Enterprises Inc.
Ph: (877) 875-2381
Fax: (360) 683-3579
karry@batsonenterprises.com
www.batsonenterprises.com