The rise in popularity of Spey rods for big fish in big rivers over the last decade demonstrated a two-handed rod will cast where there’s little room for a proper backcast, into distant seams where a drag-free drift would be impossible with a regular fly-fishing rod. Advances in fly rod and fly line technologies have evolved hand in glove with technique to make casting a properly designed Spey rod a whole lot easier. But for trout fishermen, who needs a 16-foot rod? Enter the Switch rod, which offers the best of both worlds—allowing you to make conventional, single-handed casts or two-handed, Spey-style casts when your backcast room is limited. A Switch rod also works better when you need extra rod length for mending and line control. Saltwater anglers have found that longer Switch rods make it easier to cast over the surf, as well, enabling the angler to reach cruising fish beyond the breakers.
