Newcomers to salmon fishing, and particularly those who have trout fished, will often ask why it is necessary to use a double-handed rod. The answer to this is firstly that in certain instances it’s not! Small rivers, lochs and big rivers in very low water are often better approached with a single-handed rod - say a 10’ 7wt. This will allow a more gentle presentation of the fly at close quarters in shallow water.
However, double-handers come into their own when you need to lift longer lengths of line, control and mend the line as it crosses the stream and fish with large heavy flies. Most DH rod ranges include models from 13’ through to 15’, longer rods are available but increasingly the trend is towards shorter lighter rods. The main reason for this is the huge improvements that have been made in speycasting lines in all their various styles making it easy to cast good fishing distances with the minimum of physical effort.
Switch Rods are a relatively new concept and have become very popular in recent years. In reality there are only two groups of fly rods – single and double-handed. Switch rods are short double-handed rods (11’-12’) that give the option of casting single-handed should the need arise (hence ‘switch’). Any salmon or sea-trout angler will find a switch rod a useful addition to their armoury, and get much enjoyment using these lightweight and versatile double-handed rods, particularly on smaller rivers.
The last decade has changed the way we fly fish for salmon almost beyond recognition. There has probably been greater experimentation and development in this area of the sport than any other. This has led to three distinct styles of modern spey casting evolving and has made tackle choice a little more complicated than it used to be. To optimise your choice of rod you need to consider the type of rivers you will be fishing and the style of casting you will use.
Having said that, the boundaries between these two types of rod are becoming increasingly blurred. New carbon fibre technologies allow faster tip recovery to be a feature of through actioned rods.
These are:-
Not long ago 15ft was the default for most salmon rods sold in this country. Today an increasingly high proportion of sales are taken by 14ft models as anglers realise that the longer rod will not help them in most conditions. In fact, the lighter weight will keep them fishing effectively for longer in any given day. 13ft rods are popular for smaller rivers and low water conditions.
Like most kinds of fishing you will find that trying to use the same rod in every situation will compromise your enjoyment and performance. Most anglers have a small armoury of rods from which to choose the right tool for the given conditions.
The table below will give you an idea what will be best for the kind of river and the time of year you intend to fish.
High water spring or autumn big river - eg Tay, Tweed
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15ft
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Low water summer, big river - eg Spey
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13ft or 14ft
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Small spate river, after summer flood - eg Taw
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13ft
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Medium river, normal flow - eg Wye
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14ft
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Sea trout medium river - eg Dovey
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13ft
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Grilse fishing, summer flow, big river - eg Aberdeen Dee
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14ft
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Guide by Sportfish expert Allan Shephard AAPGAI
For more help and information on purchasing your new double-handed rod please contact Sportfish on 01544 327111 or [email protected]