The two-handed rod craze is now in full swing (pun), and new products that satisfy the appetite of switch and Spey casters are in high demand.
For covering big water in all-day casting, many anglers have cut down on fatigue with switch and Spey rods. In addition, when wading in deep water, the length of the rods allows for easy line pickup and control. Although I am not using such rods for the big waters of the Pacific Northwest, I have found that switch rods are the best fit for me when fly fishing the surf.
Like Pacific Northwest steelhead, the species of the California coast are often the fish of a thousand casts. These aren’t easy casts either – backcasts usually have to manage banks, jetty chaos, and the like, and forward casts must both be perfectly placed and timed, as waves have a way of completely wrecking a retrieve.
In my book, switch rods are the ticket to navigating these waters, and for my money, the Sage Method 9119-4 is ingredient number one in the recipe for surf fly fishing success. And the best line I have found to compliment this magic wand is the RIO Switch Chucker line.
The RIO Switch Chucker line is a breeze to cast (and great to cast in the breeze and wind), as its short, weighty head helps the line fire. The line’s name is appropriate: Like no other line, this feels as close as you can get to the ol’ duck and chuck, and casting heavy flies seems effortless with the RIO Switch Chucker. For a day of pounding the surf, this is the best line I’ve come across yet.
To check out the RIO Switch Chucker, please click here.
-Tim Harden
Disclosure: RIO Products is in a professional relationship with the Fly Fishing Guide Directory, LLC and the Venturing Angler. Though potentially benefiting from this relationship, we do not post what we do not believe to be true. To read more, click here.