MHX FSW115-4-MHX11'0'' 5wt

[robinfick]

A friend has just dropped off the above fly rod off at my house and asked me to see if I can cast it as he is battling with it. As two handed fly rods are rare in South Africa, info locally is not available. Could someone who knows this rod please advise me what type of two handed casting it is used for and what is the ideal weight line. I have never cast a two handed rod before but have studied a couple of videos on Youtube to get the idea.

 

[flav]

The grain weight window that MHX recommends on that rod is 280-320 grains for a scandi head, 325-350 for skagit, a 5/6 switch line, and a 6 weight (outbound) for overhead. I have a similar but slightly heavier rod, an 11 foot 5/6, that I fish with both a 325 and a 340 grain scandi, so those numbers are probably pretty reliable.

It's a switch rod so you can cast it overhead or spey style, but personally I don't cast my switches overhead except in the surf. What style of casting you're going to do with this rod really depends on what line you have on it, though, so that's what we really need to know.

 

[robinfick]

Thanks for that reply. Much appreciated. Now I know it is a switch rod and with the info provided, I can advise my friend what line to purchase. He was given a line (white head with a light green running line - one piece)and a head, olive green in colour so have no idea what type of line it is. He thought it would be easier to cast a double handed rod after breaking his shoulder bone. As I stay next to the sea, would the rod be able to cast overhead a SA Titan WF7F (233g)just to see how it feels?

 

[mcnerney]

Take a look at the videos in this thread and you will get a better understanding of lines/heads for switch rods, depending on how you intend to use them:

Trout Spey

That line you have, look at the front end, the head, if it is very thick it is a Skagit head (used for throwing streamers), if it looks more like a WF fly line then it is probably a Scandi head (used for soft hackles or dries).

Edit: Yes, the two handed rod would be ideal for use with his shoulder issue. I keep my casting pretty simple, I'm left handed so I use a Double Spey cast on river right and a Snap-T on river left. Last year I ran into issues with trying a Snap-T in very fast current, one of the forum members gave me the advice to just use the Double Spey right handed, so that is basically what I do now Its a pretty easy cast to learn.

 

[robinfick]

Thanks Larry. The head is very thick and relooking at the colour of the head, it is more off white (light beige)so suspect it is a Rio Switch line. Will give it a go tomorrow as wind howling here at the moment. Always keen to try something new as this old dog with 50 years of fly fishing has never cast a two handed fly rod. Then I can hopefully teach my mate.

 

[flav]

That titan would probably overhead cast nicely on that rod.

I'm not sure about that integrated line, but you're probably right in thinking it's a switch line. The head is probably easy to identify; if it's under 25 feet it's probably a skagit, and if it's 30 to 35 feet long it's probably a scandi head.

 

[robinfick]

Thanks for the inputs. Have now confirmed the line is a Rio Switch Chucker so now know what outfit I am dealing with and will research the casting methods on the internet.