Make the switch We put the latest switch rods to the test on Cumbria's River Eden
Glyn Freeman has fished for 40 years and is a guide and casting instructor based in Carlisle (cumbria flyfishing. co.uk). He is an AAPGAI Master instructor.
Clive Mitchelhill is a full-time fly-fishing instructor and guide on the River Eden (border gameangling. co.uk). He is an AAPGAI Master instructor.
I
N ITS correct form a switch rod is a short, light doublehander designed for fishing for sea-trout and grilse in small, overgrown rivers or low-water conditions. In normal circumstances we do not recommend them for single-handed use as they are less user-friendly than a single-handed rod. A switch rod is matched to a shortbellied fly-line, which can carry a sinking tip adequately. It will present a 76 August 2016 www.trout-and-salmon.co.uk
fly well at long and short distance. When choosing a rod for this purpose be wary of long, single-handed rods with extension handles because they can be balanced incorrectly for spey casting. The most important factor in getting the best from a switch rod is to choose the right line. Single-handed lines are rated on a different scale (AFTM) to double-handed lines (AFFTA); the latter being much heavier. To help ease this confusion many manufacturers use
gram and grain weight ratings on their rods, which tend to be more accurate than traditional line ratings. We tested the rods on the Grinsdale Beaumont beat of the River Eden, near Carlisle. Conditions were good, a bright day with a light north-easterly wind. Each rod was tested with shooting-heads with a separate running line: the Guideline Power Taper (PT) Compact (7/8 wt, 33 ft head) and Rio Scandi Short (both 7 wt and 8 wt, 34 ft head).
Airflo Airtec Switch
Snowbee Diamond 2 Switch
Length: 11 ft 3 in Rating: 7 wt Price: £189.99
Length: 10 ft 6 in Rating: 8 wt Price: £219
The most affordable rod in the test, relatively easy to cast and quite forgiving. Maybe not as fast or crisp as some of the other rods. It worked best with a long smooth progressive casting stroke, which helped prevent too much bounce through the tip. Of the two lines we used it liked the lighter Rio Scandi Short better than the Guideline PT Compact. This is a forgiving rod that we felt would suit up to medium-ability casters, but especially someone who is new to switch rods.
This is a medium to fast rod that performed well with the Rio Scandi Short 8 wt line. Although it liked a faster stroke than some of the rods on test, it also liked a longer progressive forward stroke. We felt that there were more comfortable casting rods in the test that offered a little more accuracy, but it worked well enough.
V ER DICT
An affordable heavier-line option where bigger flies may be required
V ER DICT
A good fishing rod that will do what you need it to
Contact
Contact
Tel: 0871 911 7045 Web: airflofishing.com
Tel: 01752 334 933 Web: snowbee.co.uk
Daiwa Lexa Switch
Length: 11 ft 3 in Rating: 7/8 wt Price: £275 The Lexa needed a fairly easy casting stroke when used with the 8 wt Scandi short. While it put out a nice line, it didn’t recover as quickly as some of the other rods in the test, therefore it lacked a little accuracy. However it worked best with the lighter 7 wt Scandi line, which made it a little crisper in its action. It would certainly make a nice rod for more delicate work with this lighter combo, and is yet another good choice for someone’s first switch rod. Despite having an extension handle, this rod was able to perform as well as many of the rods in this test.
V ER DICT
Easy-tocast action that would suit smaller flies and lighter fishing Contact Tel: 01698 355 723 Web: daiwasports.co.uk
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SWITCH ROD TEST
Orvis Clearwater Length: 11 ft Rating: 7 wt Price: £299
A good value-for-money rod with a middle-tip action that feels very crisp: the tip recovers well when casting. We both felt that this rod would suit a wide range of casters from beginner to advanced because it puts out a nice line without trying too hard. It’s rated for a 7 wt line and worked well with the Rio and Guideline shooting-heads. It has a very user-friendly feel to it and is an excellent all-rounder. V ER DICT
Excellent value and performance to suit most casters and fishing situations
Airflo Rocket
Another quite forgiving Airflo rod but a little over gunned when paired with the higher-rated 8 wt Scandi Short, making it feel a little clumsy and inaccurate at distance. It performed far better with the thinnerprofiled PT Compact, but even better again when we dropped down to the lighter 7 wt Scandi Short (although this line was still a tad heavy). Like the Lexa we felt it would have appreciated a further drop in line size just to sharpen it up a bit more.
V ER DICT
Another good lightline option for low water and small flies
Contact Tel: 0333 400 4177 Web: orvis.co.uk
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Scierra Futuro
Length: 11 ft Rating: 7/8 wt Price: £299.99
Length: 10 ft 8 in Rating: 8 wt Price: £299.99 The Futuro is another rod that has a relatively userfriendly action and initially we felt it would suit a range of casters with its medium-action feel. However, when we returned to it, as part of our shortlist, we found that it lacked the crispness and accuracy at longer range that was displayed by some of the other rods. It works best with a slower, longer casting stroke and offers a good amount of feel through the handle. We found it performed best with the PT Compact line, and it has the potential to be yet another good choice for someone new to switch rods.
V ER DICT
Another good option for someone new to switch rods
Contact
Contact
Tel: 0871 911 7045 Web: airflofishing.com
Tel: 01827 59659 Web: scierra.com
Snowbee Geo Nano
Vision Switch
Redington Chromer
Length: 11 ft 6 in Rating: 7 wt Price: £329.99
Length: 10 ft 8 in Rating: 8 wt Price: £349.99
Length: 10 ft 9 in Rating: 7 wt Price: £439
The Chromer preferred the 7 wt Scandi Short over the heavier PT Compact, giving it a nicer feel during the casting stroke. It is very accurate and casts a nice line with good loop control but requires good timing to get the best out of it. The polymer gripping sections on the top and bottom handle seem like a very good idea, especially for wet, cold or slippery hands. A great rod for the more experienced angler, but maybe not ideal for a switch rod novice.
Another precise rod with a faster action. It performed best with a bit more pace in the forward delivery. We felt that this rod would suit the more experienced caster who would know how to get the best out of it, because those new to switch rods, especially faster-action rods, will often miss the speycast anchor if having to apply more acceleration to the delivery. We found it worked best with the Guideline PT Compact line.
Both the 7 wt lines we used in the test felt too heavy for the Geo although the lighter Scandi Short performed better, especially when applying a longer smoother stroke on the forward delivery. This gave the rod a more through-action feel, which can be a definite advantage for those new to casting a switch rod, but offers a little less accuracy for those who know how to use them correctly.
V ER DICT
A good rod for the beginner or improving caster with a longer stroke
V ER DICT
A good choice for the angler that likes a fasteraction rod
V ER DICT
A faster rod, precise and accurate
Contact
Contact
Contact
Tel: 01977 681 300 Web: guideflyfishing.co.uk
Tel: 01977 681 300 Web: visionflyfishing.co.uk
Tel: 01752 334 933 Web: snowbee.co.uk
SWITCH ROD TEST
MacKenzie Atlas
Guideline LXi
Length: 11 ft 4 in Rating: 8 wt Price: £450
Length: 11 ft 6 in Rating: 9/10 wt (7/8 for double-handed lines) Price: £599
We both liked this rod very much. It has a similar feel to the Guideline LXi and because the tip recovers quickly it is very accurate at distance (where required). It is a lovely rod to cast once you find the sweetspot and we felt it would suit a variety of casters (including those on top of their game) – it has a nice positive feel throughout the whole cast. Glyn suggested it might suit the more experienced caster a little better than the Guideline. Its six-piece construction means that it should fit in a suitcase/travel bag.
Another rod we both liked a lot, making it very difficult to choose between the MacKenzie Atlas and the Guideline LXi. Clive preferred the LXi for its slightly easier action, which he felt made it appealing to a wider range of casters. It loads nicely, picks up well and can handle a fair amount of overhang (running line outside the rod tip). It is accurate at distance and you could fish with it all day without having to think too hard about your casting. Confusingly, it is rated 9/10 for singlehanded lines so make sure you check the grains/grams to match the right double-handed line, in this case a 7/8 weight. This is a five-piece rod that may be more portable than the other rods on test, bar the MacKenzie.
V ER DICT
Glyn’s favourite – a rod that offers high performance without having to put too much thought into every cast
Contact Tel: Scott MacKenzie, 07771 330 729 Web: mackenzieflyfishing.com
V ER DICT
Clive’s favourite – a great userfriendly all-round option for casters of all abilities
Contact Tel: Jim Curry, 07973 291 367 Web: guideline.no
LTS Switch
A very nice, light and responsive switch rod that doesn’t require too much thought to cast. It has a relatively fast action but behaves quite differently with the two lines, preferring a longer, slightly slower stroke with the Rio Scandi Short and a faster stroke with the Guideline PT Compact. It will put out a good line with both shooting-heads without much effort, although we felt it doesn’t quite recover as well as others in the test. It’s definitely a rod you could put on your shortlist.
V ER DICT
A light, versatile and userfriendly rod
Contact Tel: Reid Hagelin, +47 926 80 990 Web: lts-flyfishing.co.uk
Sage Method
Orvis Helios 2
Length: 11 ft Rating: 7 wt Price: £630
Length: 11 ft Rating: 7 wt
Length: 11 ft 9 in Rating: 7 wt Price: £829
Price: £795
The fastest and most powerful rod in the test. It is well balanced and light in the hand. Long, smooth but pacey strokes work well and help to deepen the bend in the blank when casting, but it also performs with a shorter, more meaningful stroke that requires good technique to get the most from the blank. A precise casting rod in the hands of an experienced caster. This highperformance tool may not be the best choice if you are looking for your first switch rod.
The Helios 2 is another faster-action but responsive rod that performs well with a variety of casting strokes. It feels light and comfortable in the hand. The tip recovers quickly for accurate casts, and it can put out a long line where required. It is another rod that will handle a fair amount of overhang. This also made our shortlist of rods, but was just pipped at the post as we took into consideration some very subtle comparisons in feel and performance.
V ER DICT
V ER DICT
Another very nice piece of kit that offers good performance
A fast and accurate rod that will hit long distances in experienced hands
Contact
Contact
Tel: 0333 400 4177 Web: orvis.co.uk
Tel: 01977 681 300 Web: guideflyfishing.co.uk
CONCLUSION We tested a good variety of Switch rods that all performed well in their own way and there could be good reasons for you to choose any one of them depending on your particular casting style, ability, and how you intend to use it. That said, we had to make a decision and in the end we felt the Orvis Clearwater offered the best all-round performance of the rods under £300 because in our opinion it would suit a wide variety of styles and fishing applications. The MacKenzie Atlas was our pick of rods priced £300 to £500, as it offers a high level of performance while being easy to use, with the added bonus of being a sixpiece rod, which is ideal for travel and ease of storage. The Guideline LXi was our favourite of the premium rods, although every one of them performed well. The LXi had the advantage of being the most adaptable to the widest range of casting styles and techniques while combining high performance with ease of use.
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