Does anyone know the grain window for their switch blanks? Have any of you built on them? What could you compare their action or taper to? Is it compound or progressive?
Thanks in advance for the help!

Eric

I built a 7 wt and like it a lot, especially considering the price. I put a SA wet tip WF-200-S on one spool and a standard WF - 7- F line on the another. It works OK for me, but there may be something much better that I should be using. I'm just getting started in two-hand casting.

I've built and fished this last season with a 5 wt. and 7 wt. Rainshadow switchers. Lots of OH casting with shooting heads and WF floaters off the beach. Not much river fishing but the 5 is a bobicating, bugger swinging, Czech nymphing trout vacuum. Per Batson the 7 wt. grain window is 185-380 and the 5 is 140-280. Batson has builder spec sheets with guide spacing on their web site. My 5 is happy with a #8 Airflo 40+ WF floater and 9 wt. shooting heads with a Rio Powerflex .030 running line. The Airflo does underhand casts nicely and OH casts OK without overloading the rod. The 7 wt. works with 11 wt. heads and a 9 wt. Steelhead taper floater or my GPX in a pinch. Probably a short Skagit line about 400 grains is a good start for the 7 depending on personal casting preferences and what tips you run. Don't have a Skagit for the 5 but guess 300 grains. These are nice medium fast rods that can cover a wide range of fishing situations. Kinda the Swiss Army knife of switch rods. They are a terrific value and I think Batson has delivered a value/performance winner. I had the pleasure of talking to Kerry at last years High Point show and he was very enthusiastic about these rods. Bought the 7 wt. and got a Batson ball cap thrown in. Anyway, as a beginner get some casting instruction, fish the heck of the Rainshadow, try other rods and then you'll have a much better idea of rod performance to look for in a higher end rod (you'll want more rods, right).

John

I'm interested in building some switch rods. however, I went to the Batson site and also their downloaded pdf catalog and could find no references to switch blanks. Did you build on the Spey blanks ? If so, which ones ? Any other blank suppliers worth investigating, anyone ?

Thanks for your help
Tony M

I have the 7 and I like it with 225-275. Your preference may vary...

Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]

Thanks for the information. Not my first spey or switch rod. I have a little more of a relaxed cast so full flex mod actions suit me best. Sounds like this one is worth a try on 7wt side. For the $ looks llike you cannot beat it. Thanks

Tony, For a spey blank you cannot beat Bob Meiser's blanks, he is located at the left here! R.B. Meiser Rods.