Saltwater Fly Fishing with Double Hand Rod

This is my third consecutive year flats fishing in Maldives with Switch rod using Spey techniques. I must say I have really grown fond of Spey style fly fishing in the salt and probably would not be going back to using single hand rod any time soon ;-)

Switch rod is really a wonderful invention and development in fly fishing. Paired with modern short head Spey line, it is just an amazingly efficient fishing and fly delivery tool. Pre Switch rod and mini Spey era, I would be ripping my arm off, hauling and battling wind and crazy projectile like  Clousers, trying to reach the distance. Doing that whole day for eight consecutive days can really put serious strain on arms and shoulders. With Switch rod, this problem melts away.

From the perspective of battling fish, Switch rod truly excel in my opinion. The 11+ feet length of the rod makes fighting smallish fish sensational as it amplifies every tug and struggle, giving the fish leverage advantage. On the other hand when hooked onto a monster, the butt strength of the Switch rod kicks in, complemented with high fore grip, provide superb efficiency for the battle.

During this trip, I used my trusty Sage ONE 4wt switch throughout. This rod never fail to amaze me with its versatility. Paired with Lamson Speedster 3.5 and the Wulff Ambush clear head 350 grain, It handled everything from spunky Spangled Emperor to Giant Trevally with aplomb.

There was a single day that I did switched over to my brand new Sage ONE Switch 6 wt but that rod broke while casting... big disappointment. Paired with 400 grain SA Skagit Extreme, it was performing really well earlier in the day but somehow folded near the butt in the afternoon while casting. Fortunately I could continue fishing with my buddy's Sage ONE Switch 5wt and that is another  jewel of a rod. Paired with Wulff Ambush 400 grain, the setup zips through wind with ease and was a real pleasure to cast.

This year was a great year in Maldives for clocking up mileage for my Sage ONE 4116 and Lamson Speedster 3.5. Lots of good size Trevally were caught this year including a 22 lb GT. The 4wt setup performed flawlessly each time and this gave me great confidence and satisfaction.

I have not given my Lamson Speedster reel much of a review but this reel deserves more than a passing  mention. It is extremely light for a super large arbor reel and balance nicely with the ONE 4wt. The sealed drag is easy to maintain and is consistently smooth with no start-up whatsoever. This year, the Speedster's drag was put to a real test when it was squeezed tight to stop the charge of a 22lb GT. I am  really impressed that it managed to put the brakes on the GT without palming. I am sure the smoothness of the drag also plays a crucial role in preventing the break off of the 16lb leader. Kudos to Lamson!

Note: You can access all my blog post on saltwater spey by clicking on the "Saltwater Spey" link located on the right hand side under Labels.

SAGE ONE 4wt Switch Rod Review

Saltwater Spey casting in Maldives

After some quality time with my new SAGE ONE 4116-4 and fishing with it extensively in my recent saltwater fly fishing trip, I think it is time I write a mini review on this rod. From the onset, I really like how this rod zing out the 350 grain Wulff Ambush line but that did not quite prepare me on how well this mini Spey rod perform in Maldives. For this trip, I matched the rod to a light weight Lamson Speedster reel and a 350 grain Wulff Ambush clear intermediate sink head.

We had 8 solid days of flats fishing in Maldives and I used the SAGE ONE 4 wt everyday except for day 3 when I decided to switched over to my trusty TFO Deer Creek (6wt Switch rod) casting the same 350 grain Ambush on Lamson Speedster. After just a few hours however, I began to feel weighed down and started yearning for the ONE. It also made me wish for a stiffer tip on my Deer Creek after noticing how much better the SAGE ONE 4116 turn over the fly with the final kick of the tip.

Anyhow, I switched back to SAGE ONE the very next day (and thereafter) and was happily feeling light again. Throughout the 8 days, this rod performed flawlessly in all kinds of condition. I know some may consider a 4 wt switch rod  too light for saltwater but in the case of ONE 4116, I think it is a champ for flats fishing.

I met condition where storm wind was so strong that it made it impossible to cast directly upwind but tightening up the loop with ONE 4116 was easy and that made it possible to cast quartering up-wind.

There were also situations where strong cross wind  from right/left shoulder made it impossible to set the anchor for the poke. In such cases, I found the Double Spey to be godsend. Just send the fly down wind, set the anchor upwind, sweep and go.

I casted Charlies, Clousers, crab fly, baitfish pattern throughout the trip and the ONE 4116 handles it all with aplomb. For heavier flies, I just have to remember to bring the anchor further in when doing the Speed Poke. That gave me a deep enough D-Loop / power to lift the heavy fly.

The ONE 4116 is light, fast recovery and yet regressive enough to feel the rod load. When a fish is on, I like how the rod bends well down giving a great feel. In short, the rod not only cast well but it also fish well. Overall, the SAGE ONE 4116-4 Switch is a winner.

Note: You can access all my blog post on saltwater spey by clicking on the "Saltwater Spey" link located on the right hand side under Labels.

Landing Bonefish with Sage ONE 4wt Switch rod

**Jul 2015 update:
Here is a review done by Simon Gawesworth on the Sage ONE 4116 switch rod.
<http://www.speyborn.com/gear-reviews.html>