Switch Rods and Heads – Sage TCX and Rio Steelhead Scandi

Last weekend at IFTD we told you a little bit about two new products in the world of spey – TCX switch rods from Sage, and Steelhead Scandi heads from Rio.

We thought they were both pretty interesting, so we asked George Cook, Pacific Northwest angling stalwart, to make a few casts at the spey pond and tell us more.

NOTE: If you’re viewing this in a newsletter or a reader, click here to see George talk about switch gear on YouTube.

Here are the highlights:

• The TCX switch rods come on the heels of the very popular 7126-4 TCX (aka  The Death Star).
• Their 11’9″ length (pretty long for a switch rod) makes them more spey-oriented than overhead-cast oriented.
• They come in 5, 6, 7, and 8 weight versions.
• The Rio Steelhead Scandi head was brought out specifically for anglers in the Pacific Northwest.
• It’s basically a shorter version of the AFS head.
• It’s designed for more positive turnover of polyleaders in the 6- to 10-foot range.

More from IFTD

• Airflo Skagit Switch Heads
• Ross F1 Reel
• Diablo Paddlesports