# Two-Handed Rod for the beach?



## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

Is anyone using a two handed rod on the beach? I am looking at the 11'3" Loomis CrossCurrent 10wt.


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

I have been thinking about it ALOT!
However, I've been thinking more along the line of an actual spey rod!


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## Lappy_16 (Nov 5, 2007)

Whats the point? More distance?


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1265905435/7#7


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

I think I need a little more explanation on what you plan on doing to give a good reply. This can really go both ways. Do you plan on fishing from a boat or from shore? What is your target species? What other types of fishing do you plan on doing with this new rod?

Richard


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

> I think I need a little more explanation on what you plan on doing to give a good reply.  This can really go both ways.  Do you plan on fishing from a boat or from shore?  What is your target species?  What other types of fishing do you plan on doing with this new rod?
> 
> Richard


Beach fishing while wading in the surf.  I usually fish the surf with a spinning rod and jig or topwater for snook during the fall.  Was just wanting to try the two-handed fly rod for something different.  The reason is extra distance and less work casting than a single handed rod.


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

It's actually more work to cast a 10wt. Doing a 2 handed cast over hand will only spred the work between both arms. Your casting shoulder still bears the brunt of the force. I would say casting 2 handed with a 10wt is close to casting one handed with an 8wt.

When I beach fish for Snook most fish are still caught within the 40ft mark. I would stick with the 8wt.


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## DSampiero (Oct 18, 2009)

I have a 13'8" two handed 11/12 with Airflo 40+ beach line, fast sink tip and intermediate running line. It shoots 110 ft. of line without too much trouble, and when I dial in my form I've touched 130 ft. The extra length on the rod helps with false casting in the surf and/or with steep beaches behind you. Two hands spreads out the work of casting(as mentioned above). Sinking line is basically the norm as floating will get wrapped by waves and currents more readily, ruining your presentation or hook set. It's primary downside is landing a fish, you basically are forced to beach them if fishing alone. A stripping basket is a must! The nice thing about the sinking line is that even with larger flies not much (if any) weight needs to be incorporated in the pattern, the line will pull it down..

There is a leaning more towards Switch rods for surf fishing work than true speys. I think a lot of it is because they're a bit more compact, some say they punch the wind better, but punching into the wind is more about how tight your loops are.


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## Swamp (Jul 12, 2010)

I have to say I've cast two handed rods here and there and they are on my short list for "new" things to play with in salt water.  I've cast both over head and spey/modified spey  They are just a joy to cast to me.  For the salt you definitely want an over head casting rod.  As far as casting is concerned I hate to contradict I've found you can send out 100+ foot casts effortlessly with a well balanced shooting head system (some of the RIO Outbound integrated heads are wonderful).  The major disadvantages that I see are that you give the fish a bigger lever,  that is offset some because you have a longer handle as well.  Landing a fish can be a problem even with one of the "short" 12 footers, on the beach you just walk the fish up onto the sand but in a boat the rod is often longer than the boat.  It can be done alone and I've talked to people that do it all of the time but having a second person to land the fish is a real bonus.  Because of the lines and lenghts, I would not consider two handed rods to be a good choice for sight casting in shallow water (flats), but I'm sure someone is doing it and I can't really speak to that.  Now where two handed casting really shines is the already mentioned distance but also when you have to cast over and over again, like I said it can be effortless.  I have also talked to a few people with shoulder issues and they can cast a two handed rod all day long where as they can cast a one hander for a few minutes only.  The added height also gets your back cast up off of the sand and dunes (Spey casting was developed where anglers did not have room for a traditional back cast because of the high banks behind them).  I'd check out Dan Blantons Bulletin Board, there are a growing number of two handed casters fishing off of the beach.  Search the archives.

I should qualify that I have cast an 8' over head rod specifically built for bill fishing.  It was a short fish fighting tool (broom stick) that could shoot out as much running line as you had stripped off of the reel with one back cast.   This was all on grass though, I've never been billfishing, but it is more of a "sight" casting situation.

I can't really make a rod recommendation, but I want to get the two handed conversion kit for my TFO TiCrX 8 wt since I already own the rod.  If you want to go heavy they have a 12 X 12 two hander that I keep hearing good things about.  I will admit I'm biased toward TFO rods, but mostly because I know some of the guys, and I own a fair number of their rods so I am familiar with them.  It is getting tough to buy a "bad" rod from any of the big manufactures.  If you go to Blantons site search for Jay Horton, nice guy and he has been over head casting to stripers off the beach in New England for a long time.

Swamp


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

Thanks for all the info, I'm going to go cast a TFO 2-hander this weekend.


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

UPDATE: Over the weekend I got to cast a 13' 8wt Hardy and 11'6" 7wt Hardy thanks to my friend David from The Fly Shop of Miami. I got a short demo and lesson to get the basic casting stroke and was casting 100' almost every cast. With a little practice it should be possible to cast 120'+ even for my less than perfect casting. As stated in previous posts the effort to cast this distance is almost none allowing you to fish for hours without fatigue. I am almost ready to pull the trigger on a two-handed rod.


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## DSampiero (Oct 18, 2009)

7 and 8 wts? How big are the flies you plan on throwing? Ever try punching a big streamer into the wind with out enough line weight/energy to get it there? Also, I am well aware that there is much more surf in my area, but I'd imagine you still need a sink tip or intermediate... Not trying to get down on you, I just think you'll find a 7 or 8 weight out gunned on multiple fronts.


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

These rods are rated different than single handed rods. The 8wt two-handed rod is casting a 10wt Rio Outbound so it's really a 10wt in normal terms.


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## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

I've tried a couple of the new Switch rods and found them quite easy to use. You do have to get used to their different casting "form". Such as your lower hand holds and releases the line while gripping the butt. Was able to easily throw a 12wt 100 feet on land and not double hauling. I don't know how I actually could double haul when using a switch rod.


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

> I've tried a couple of the new Switch rods and found them quite easy to use. You do have to get used to their  different casting "form". Such as your lower hand holds and releases the line while gripping the butt. Was able to easily throw a 12wt 100 feet on land and not double hauling. I don't know how I actually could double haul when using a switch rod.


I got a short lesson from a certified instructor and he said no way to double haul or even a need. He could cast the whole line with one false cast, so it can be done. His casting form and stops are much better than mine that is the key.


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## palbronmz (Oct 24, 2010)

Here in northeast Florida, the past four years I have been fishing the inlets using a Sage 8126 lined with a Rio WF8F/I 315gr OutBound Short head Tropical and balanced using a Tibor Riptide.  With the wind, 120' casts launching large flys are easily obtained using one roll and one overhead false cast. The big advantage is casting for long periods of time does not strain the body.  Get yourself a Mangrove Shooter to manage the line and obtain distance while in the surf.


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

> Here in northeast Florida, the past four years I have been fishing the inlets using a Sage 8126 lined with a Rio WF8F/I 315gr OutBound Short head Tropical and balanced using a Tibor Riptide.  With the wind, 120' casts launching large flys are easily obtained using one roll and one overhead false cast. The big advantage is casting for long periods of time does not strain the body.  Get yourself a Mangrove Shooter to manage the line and obtain distance while in the surf.


Just got my Hip Shooter this weekend at the Fly Fishing Expo it is a must in the surf. Your set-up is very similar to what I am putting together. I have a Tibor Riptide to use and am only having to buy a rod and line.


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## palbronmz (Oct 24, 2010)

The line will be the most important componet (since most graphite rods perform very well). The one I noted in an exact weight designated for your rod weight with the short head gives me the results I want. It is a slow sinking line also. Floating line do not work well in surf. One draw back I should mention, for me fighting fish with a 2-hander is not as intense as the single. Like one huge shock absorber!


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

I have cast the Rio Outbound and think that is the line for me also. A little simpler than a shooting line/head combo. I may have to wait until next mullet run to get any fishing done with the 2 hander as we are starting to focus on Lagoon Reds again.


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## DSampiero (Oct 18, 2009)

Maurice try the AirFlo +40 Two handed Beach Line too! It's great stuff.


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

> Maurice try the AirFlo +40 Two handed Beach Line too! It's great stuff.


Cool, thanks for the tip I will look into them.


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

> > Maurice try the AirFlo +40 Two handed Beach Line too! It's great stuff.
> 
> 
> Cool, thanks for the tip I will look into them.


So what did you end up with? I'm still considering the same thing myself. Infact, I'm half-done building my 8wt 12'6" spey. I think I'm going to go with that Airflow line. I like there other saltwater lines.


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

> > > Maurice try the AirFlo +40 Two handed Beach Line too! It's great stuff.
> >
> >
> > Cool, thanks for the tip I will look into them.
> ...


I had to put the rod on hold till after the new year as we had to replace our A/C unit.  So there went my mad money for a few months. 

I have made my decision as to the rod and line, G. Loomis Crosscurrent 11' 10/11wt and the Rio Outbound line F/I 11wt.  I really like the integrated running line.


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