I've been intrigued to build one of these rods but have not done a lot of research. On the surface, they appear very similar. What are the major differences between the two styles? What makes a switch a switch and a spey a spey?

Thanks,
Paul

Switch rods can be easily casted over hand, single handed, with normal fly lines. Spey you can not cast single handed unless you have guns like Popeye :) I'm sure more post to follow but I thought I would start with the basic reasoning.

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

Paul,

Fly rod families are best defined as either single handed or two handed.

Two handed fly rods offer the caster the assistance of the lower hand, single handed fly rods do not.

Switch rods offer the assistance of the lower hand in line delivery.

For this reason, switch rods fall into the family of two handed fly rods.

Actually any single hand fly rod can perform a change of direction ~ anchor point delivery ... A Spey cast.

A successful Spey cast is simply a matter of executing correct line management with any fly rod, utilizing line systems that will have the correct grain distribution within their tapers to enhance this particular delivery style.

If the caster is performing a Spey cast with a 3 ounce 6' 9" 2 wt single hand fly rod: By basic definition that rod is then a single hand fly rod performing a Spey cast.

... At that point I guess one could call it a "Spey Rod"

Bob Meiser



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2009 07:41PM by Bob Meiser.

Paul,

I just went through the same mental exercise, not that I have any great use for the long rod. Most of my fly-fishing is on small streams where normal “dry fly casting” is just about impossible, so I have used roll casts and make do casts that seem very much like the Spey style. To learn more about this style I decided the best way was to use a rod designed for it, and possibly use it for lakes etc.

Anyway, I ended up getting a Batson RAINSHADOW IF1266-4 Spey rod, and am very pleased with this 12 and a half-foot monster. With the 6-weight line, I believe I could manage this one handed for tight situations. The rod flexes well into the middle and I know it will throw great loops. If it weren’t for the cold and deep snow I would be giving it some real tests. I was a bit worried that the graphite would have too much tip action, but Batson seems to have done a great job in giving this rod a more traditional flex. I have no doubt that their switch group would give you the same. Looks like FUN.

Paul Moody -The world is good-natured to people who are good-natured.
-- William Makepeace Thackeray

Hey Paul,
I had read about these long two handed rods and like you became intrugued with them but living in S. Florida I'd never seen one in action. Well about a year and a half ago, I took a trip up to Bremerton Washington to see my son stationed on The USS John Stenis, one of our largerst air craft carriers. While he was on duty one morning I took a ride up to Olympic National Park and saw several guys using Spey rods in the rivers up there. WOW, I had to get me one of those thangs! Long story short, I went home and built a Batson #F1267/8-4 with some help from the guys here. Since I've used it for snook, redfish, baby tarpon, sea trout, and a load of other flats / mangrove critters! What a blast i'm having with it! I must say I get a lot of questions as I said, you don't see to many of them down here. I wish I had built one years ago! Good luck!

Snooker Pete

You got a lot of good info on the previous answers so I'll probably not add a lot.

I have both a spey rod and a switch rod that I use on the Deschutes and other rivers. The switch rod is in the neighborhood of a 6 weight that is awesome for nymphing for trout, but I can also use easily for summer steelhead in two handed mode as needed. My spey rod is longer and beefier so as Karry said, tougher to use in single handed mode.

You can make spey casts with any rod as Bob describes. The switch rod allows easy changes between methods. It's not so easy to use a long spey rod with a long rear grip for OH casting as easily as a switch.

Terry