Switch or Spey?

[Peter E.]

So if I want to do some skagit casting or something a long those lines, should I go with a spey rod or could I use a switch? Think big river striper fishing with fast currents and deep runs.

Any thoughts would be awesome.

[Justin Witt]

I’d go with a Spey rod, all the way.  Just be advised that you are opening a door that leads into a maze of hallways; you’ll likely fall in love with the new place right away, but then you’ll get a little lost.  Once you navigate your way to the end of it though it will open up into a whole new space you never imaged existed…

Then maybe you’ll come back around to the switch idea.

[Zach Matthews]

Yeah go Spey.

[Justin Witt]

I’ll happily capitalize Spey, since it is the name of a river after all, but switch is going to have to stand on its own as a lower-case non-proper noun.

[Zach Matthews]

Any thoughts would be awesome.

Peter is definitely getting his money’s worth out of this thread.

[Peter E.]

I do every time. Keep it up, i’ll take thoughts on line selection too

[Tim Angeli]

I agree with Justin and Zach.  Spey sounds like the ticket for what you are wanting to do.  As far as lines, a Skagit taper with a head length of 2.5-3x the rod length would be a good place to start.  That should be fairly easy to learn with and will turn over a good size sink tip to get deep in the situation you mentioned.

[Zach Matthews]

This is an excellent learner line for striper fishing:

http://buy.scientificanglers.com/skagit-extreme-with-integrated-tip.html

It would be better if the tip was an INT instead of a fast sinker but there are plenty of places you can make it work and it practically teaches you to Spey cast by itself.

[Peter E.]

I was thinking this might be the best bang for the buck.
http://buy.scientificanglers.com/lines/spey-lines/skagit-extreme-head-multi-tip.html

Anyone have any experience with TFO’s Deer Creek rod? Or what is a good starter rod?

[brian carr]

Peter –

Living in the middle of the country it probably sounds funny for me to recommend a spey rod.

[Zach Matthews]

Spey is a bit of a different animal rods-wise from the normal market.

[brian carr]

Zach that was spot on!

[Tim Angeli]

Anyone have any experience with TFO’s Deer Creek rod? Or what is a good starter rod?

TFO’s Deer Creek rods are nice.

[Michael Phillippe]

I’ve been fishing the TFO Deer Creek rod for about 4 years now. Which is to say that I get to use it in the back yard for 2 months practicing for western steelhead in October for a couple weeks.

I think it’s a great value. The first year I had a regular Rio Spey line, spent hours studying Simon’s video and even had him give me a pointer or two. Never go the hang of it.

Then I stitched to Rio’s Skagit line with the multi tip system. Worked my way through Ed Ward’s video this time, and was fishing respectably the first season. I think the TFO and Skagit are definitely the way to go for a beginner.

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