Gorge Fly Shop Blog: Airflo Switch Streamer

The wait is over!

Let the games begin! The wait is over for the New Airflo Switch Streamer. Airflo recognized a need and delivered! And now we're off to the races as we watch others scramble to come up with a worthy contender. That is the emotion I feel at this moment in time of writing this.

Trout Spey is a growing market in the two hand fly fishing segment of this sport. More and more anglers are learning the benefits of the spey cast whether you choose to use a single hand rod, switch rod or an all out spey two hander. And why not! Why would an angler not want to swing streamers that entice reaction bites on sink tips that get the fly to where the fish are and do it without needing shoulder surgery at the end of a day of single hand rod double hauling? Two hand trout angling is an effective delivery system of streamers on sinking tips that is easier on your physical body parts and most of all it's fun!

Spey casting does have some learning curves but much of it can be alleviated with lines that are designed for the technique, match the rod they are intended for and provide deep loading that ultimately helps you learn to feel your way to great casting.

Steelhead junkies Tim Rajeff and Tom Larimer also trout fish. Together they went out trout fishing and talked to others who are trout fishing with two hand rods and gathered the ingredients needed to cook up a line that would meet the demands of today's trout anglers. Various fragments of lines were chopped and welded into functioning prototypes that were secretly being deployed on backcountry trout waters across the nation by a select few trout junkies that had been sworn to secrecy.

Winston BIIITH-MS - Microspey

Behind another set of closed doors a carbon fiber and boron marriage was taking place with one goal in its purpose, Two Hand Trout! Not a switch rod! Not a downsized steelhead spey! But a true trout action two hander specific for the purpose. And guess who had his hand in this making? Yep, Tom Larimer.

Sure there are a lot of great trout size two hands rods on the market today and plenty of trout size two hand lines to load on them, but when have you heard of a line made for a specific rod or a rod made for a specific line? The marriage of the Winston Microspey and Airflo Streamer Switch line is no accident!

Now I know that many of you out there will resist what I tell you. You'll be out to prove me wrong. You have your own ideas different than mine. After all freedom of choice and freedom to explore your curiosity is what makes angling an attractive sport! The desire of angling freedom we all seek and if you're a lucky few to persevere you occasionally find it in some unsuspecting river or stream.

My point is you don't need a Winston Microspey rod to enjoy the benefits of the Airflo Streamer Switch line. While the two could be the perfect union the beauty of this line is it works great on all trout size spey rods. Breath new life into any switch rod sitting around collecting dust or strip off that nymph line and get your streamer game in gear. Spring is here and the streamer bite is on!

Specs -

Tungsten Sink Tip

Current offerings are 300gr to 420gr in 30gr increments. Head length ranges from 18' to 20'. Skagit by design but tapered to be just friendly enough with polyleaders for dry lines or intermediate sink tip work. Airflo pulled out all the technology including PowerCore for increased sensitivity and positive hook sets, SuperDri that repels water, dirt and scum better than any material in the history of fly lines and like all Airflo lines 100% PVC Free.

The Airflo Streamer Switch features an integrated running line so no more loop to loop hassles when an overhead cast is appropriate and no loop to rod guide interference when a turbo charged brown trout is in hot pursuit of your "hand tied, the night before, new favorite" streamer pattern.

My line matches for the Winston Microspey are 330gr for the 4110 and 390gr for the 5116. The 330gr is also a great match on the Sage ONE 4116

So loop on some Airflo T-7 or T-10 Tungsten sink tip, tie on your best pattern and let the games begin!