Line for a Rainshadow 7wt switch rod?

The grain window on the Batson site shows 185 to 380.

Suggestions?

What are you trying to use it for? For beaches i would look at a stream xpress from SA or a Rio Outbound.

I have three of four different lines I have been playing around with on my 11' 7wt and am finding out that none are perfect for everything.

I put a 325 grain short skagit on it for swinging stuff and Rio's 6/7wt on it for indicator fishing and have been liking the way each of those handle for their intended purposes. In my opinion, the skagit lines make indicator fishing pretty cumbersome with all of the weight and bulk of the line towards the front. Mending constantly not only take a lot more effort, but it makes a mess of the water while you are at it. Double hauling with these skagit lines is a bitch as well.

The 6/7wt switch line is much better for indicator fishing but definitely doesn't load the road as well for longer casts, which I don't find myself doing much of while indicator fishing anyhow. The more even weight distribution makes mending and roll casting a lot more friendly. If I were to buy that line over again, I would probably go for the 8/9 and over line it a bit, but the 6/7 single hand casts very well.

Purely from the hip, check out the 275 grain short skagit from Rio and go from there?

Coley, your description is pretty much right on with what I've been reading on various rod-building and fly fishing sites. No one line seems to be the "one" so maybe it is a matter of getting the closest one... or getting a couple and using them for specific styles of fishing the rod.

I've seen the following suggested:
1. 360 grain Skagit head w tips
2. 7wt airflo speydicator
3. Speywerk scandi 27' 330 grain head with fused running line and 10' Rio versatips
4. 8 wt. Rio Atlantic Salmon and Steeelhead with 10' Rio versatips
5. 7 wt. Beulah switch line

If I can even get a close match, the line won't be the limiting factor.

-AP

Another note on the skagit shorts. They are selling the head+body and running line separately. In both sizes, the running line is super thin diameter and is tough to hold onto and generally work with mending, again making it less ideal than say something like the switch lines for indicator fishing.

I fished with Oliver tonight who just purchased a 11' 6wt Z-axis and fished it for the first time this evening. He put the 325 grain skagit short on it and seemed to be liking it really well. I whipped it around a bit and it did feel good, perhaps just a tad heavy, but some of that is preference I suppose.

Jeebus...anyone else remember the days when stepping up from "L" at the end of your line's description to "DT" was about as fancy as it got?

Don't even get me started on "WF"

Fish on...

Todd

Don't you mean WTF?

I think you should overline to 460 gr. and pick up the Rio Switch line that someone I know is selling...really cheap!

375 short otherwise.

Just for an update, I did end up buying the 7/8 Rio Switch line. I wish I was a better caster to give perhaps a more accurate review of the line but I will say that for what I used it for (fairly short-range nymphing), it worked very well. I also had the opportunity to switch it with the 6/7 Rio Switch line one day and the peformance (again for the nymphing application) was much worse with the 6/7.

We also tried the 6/7 and the 7/8 on a nice Sage Z axis 7wt switch and all agreed the 7/8 was the right fit. The Sage with the 7/8 was a straight-up powerhouse of a setup.

Your mileage may vary.

-AP