Tamar Rod Choice

[kevzim]

I'm looking at suitable rods for next year - with a view to dropping some heavy hints to my wife over the rest of this month.
Currently have sufficient singlehanded rods that suit smaller rivers (10'#7, 9 1/2 ' #7,#8,#9 ).

I'm after some advice on whether I should be going down the 12' switch rod route, or bite the bullet and step up to a 12 or 13' DH in a suitable line weight (#8?).

My salmon efforts next year will be on the Tamar: Launceston AA, Passport/Booking office beats, and a few days at Endsleigh if I'm lucky.

Any thoughts / advice very gratefully received,
Many thanks,
Kev

(Going to have to put some effort into contributing something more constructive than questions to the forum over the weekend - I have a plan forming!)

[Pete Tyjas]

Hi Kev,

First off, I am not sure that there are a whole bunch of switch rods out there that are 12ft. It may well be that you are entering the realms of the "true" double handed rods of 12ft and up. To me, the definition of a switch rod is something that you can use either single or double handed.

I have an 11 and a bit foot switch rod that I use purely as a short DH rod on rivers I fish where tree canopy or bank might be an issue and my longer rod will struggle. Rod manufacturers have crept up the length of switch rods a little from the 10 1/2fters I first played with a little while back. They are now nearer to 11 feet which again suggests that they are more readily seen as short DH rods.

Whether you choose a switch rod or 12/13fter I'd do some research on line choice for the rod and check the link below for some great advice on line selection if you haven't already seen it. If you get the right combo life becomes so much more fun!

www.rioproducts.com/spey-central/spey-line-recommendations/

Mike Barrio also spends a lot of time and effort on designing some really good lines too.

www.flylineshop.com/barrio-fly-lines.html

Hope that helps a little.

Pete

[kevzim]

Thanks Pete.
Barrio lines tend to be my first port of call and having spent the last couple of hours browsing they are where I'll be headed for a spey or switch line.

I was thinking of one of the longer (11'+) switch rods so am really in the realms of lighterweight doublehanders. I must admit I don't like the idea of singlehanded casting of a switch rod for any length of time (9'6" is about my ideal for SH rods, and the upper limit of comfort in sustained use).

Just at present I am unsure whether to go for an 11'switch or longer DH to fish the Tamar stretches I mentioned. I've never fished Endlseigh and get the impression that it's bigger water than those I'll be fishing in the beats of the Tamar that lie further upstream. Given that I'll spend more time further upriver I should purchase with that in mind and compromise on Endsleigh I suppose.

All the best,
Kev

[Pete Tyjas]

Hi Kev,

It is a fun and interesting dilemma!

I have to say I haven't fished Endsleigh but have walked a little of it a few years back. My guess would be if you were cute with line choice you might just get away with an 11fter and certainly a 12ft would see you through most situations. The 11fter would also give you that extra flexibility should you need it for further up the river though.

I have the Redington CPX switch rod and the Redington Propector 13ft 7wt rod that if you would like to have a chuck with you'd be most welcome. I also have some shorter DH rods from Vision and Sage too.

I think you might be south side of the moor but at this time of year I have a little more time on my hands and if you'd like to meet at somewhere like Roadford you can have a try of these rods?

I know JB is a switch rod fan and has the Barrio line, perhaps we might have a mini DH meet!

Pete

[JB]

I do like the Barrio switch line on the 10' 6" Beulah.

I've never fished the Tamar for salmon so I don't know if a short double hander would be all right - it does seem fairly open in terms of the banks so perhaps a true double would work?

That said, a switch would open up the possibility of fishing the Duchy for salmon when the Tamar's blown.

[Deleted]

If you had to choose just one rod for fishing SW rivers I would opt for a switch. As Pete mentioned matching this up with the correct line will give you so many options when casting in many of these rivers has to be somewhat none standard on account of trees, vegetation, etc. I do a reasonable amount of salmon fishing mostly in Scotland and a where a switch rod is adequate it is so much more a joy to use and the body does not feel tired at the end of the day which can be the case with traditional DH rods

[kevzim]

Firstly - thank you all so much for all the advice. It's all been much appreciated and has given me several avenues to explore - I've spent an unhealthy length of time researching all those mentioned online last night and this morning.

The true conclusion won't, I fear, be achieved until I have a few seasons under my belt. That said I am inclined to go for a lighter and shorter true DH in the first instance. Whilst a pretty competent single handed caster I reckon I'll be best off developing spey casts and the rest of the doublehanded repertoire on a "true" DH rod. I must admit ebay has influenced that decision a little.
However - gn has given me just the précis that sums it up - if I had to have one rod only - a switch.

Needless to say - as the correct number of rods an angler should own is n+1... I will undoubtedly end up with both!

Pete - the idea of a mini DH meet certainly does appeal, and thanks so much for the kind offer of a "testdrive."
I'm West side of the moor not too far from Tavistock. At present I'm on crutches and can't drive let alone cast unfortunately.
Once I'm back to mobility I have a shedload of work to catch up on and will be away East for much of December - so really would be looking at somewhen over the festive season at the earliest before I'm free to blow some cobwebs away.

I have an inkling that no matter what I'll have a rod of some description to try out by then so if anyone fancies hooking up between 27th Dec and 4th Jan I'm keen. I will certainly spend a day or two on Burrator over that period as if casting I figure I might as well be fishing!!!

Thanks again,
Kev

[Pete Tyjas]

Let's see if we can get a DH meet up sorted out for either between Christmas and New Year or in Jan some time. Sounds like it might be fun.

Pete

[billyfish]

I would be interested if you promise not to laugh. I'm sure a few of my friends would like to come along. We usually go down to the Exe at Countess Weir over the low water period. As it's a biggish river and quite shallow you can , in a sense ,fish from both banks. Ie. right hand up or left hand up. Plenty of free parking as well.
Colin.

[Pete Tyjas]

Sounds like it might be fun and dependent on weather etc it would great to meet up, throw some lines and talk fishing.

I am away early Jan and like Kev am now recovering from an op myself but am doing my best to be fighting fit as soon as I can. If there were a chance of a between Christmas and New Year I'd be up for it!

Pete

[kevzim]

Well... just had to resort to using the end of a bottle of Stolichnaya to get the sodding epoxy off my digits, but handle has been painstakingly reamed out and fitted along with reel seat. Reckon I'll be varnishing whippings tomorrow evening and ready to test cast at the weekend. Which will give me a couple of hours practice before opening day on 1st!
Kind of hoping it's a Devon Minnow opening day at present...
Still got to set about the Spey rod once the Switch is done, but awaiting a reel seat delivery for that one so unlikely this side of Easter.
Must say I'm getting proper excited about the season ahead. Only 13 sleeps to Salmon opening day, and 14 after that for trout!!! With the flyfair before both.
Tightlines

[sevilla315]

I only fished the Tamar once and that was for 3 days at the Arundell Arms and its waters.
Although there were some fairly wide sections that would certainly warrant a 12' or even a 13' most beats I fished could easily be handled with a single hander so I would say a 11' or thereabouts #8 (DH scale) with a shooting head setup (Scandi with various poly tips) would be the way to go as you can shoot long distances with them. Skagits are good for tossing sinking tips and/or heavy flies and beats with vegetation very close to the bank.
Good Luck!