Switch rod project.

[Bob Riggins]

I am seriously considering building a switch rod for beach fishing.

[Zach Matthews]

Hey Bob –

If you’re talking about using your switch rod mostly to be doing beach casting overhead, I think I can recommend a couple series that are even more tailored.

[Andrew Barclay]

Bob
I am also looking to build a switch rod, and just haven’t really found many blanks.

[Michael Exl]

The switch rod that I have, I personally built. I used a 8110-4 Sage Z-axis blank. Here are some pictures of it.

This rod is an amazing overhand rod, but you do have to over line it with a 10wt. line to load it. I currently use the Rio Outbound 10wt. with a type 6 tip and have no problem shooting the whole line. You will also want to pick up or make a stripping basket if you are going to be using it for the surf. With rods like these though you have to pay attention to grain weights of the line. For an 8wt switch rod any where from 400-450gr. is about spot on. As Zach suggested skagit is a great way to go, you can use the line for both overhand and spey casting. I use a 400 gr. skagit with various tips, includign T-14. I have also thrown some of Rio’s Big Boys on it with out issue.

There are some building issues that you are going to run into though. The biggest being components, mostly the cork. I had to sand down a standard two-hander grip to get the right fit. These rods are still fairly new to most of the industry altough they have been around for a while.

[Bob Riggins]

Thanks Zach, you pretty much confirmed what I was thinking.

[rich knoles]

I use the TCR 9129 overhead. I fished it from the beaches and rocks in Australia this past spring. It work fantastically with the T-14. Long casts are no problem. I’ve only used it a little on Lake Michigan. Rio Outbound is another great line for this. Rich

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