
Echo Boost Beach fly rod with coho salmon on end of the line really I swear!
I’ve been fishing ECHO’s Boost Beach Rod, the 7 wt, for a few months now. This is a great rod that Tim has, far as I’m concerned, hit it out of the park.
I’ve fished this rod with both #7 and #8 Airflo Beach lines – I’ve also fished it with a RIO outbound and a Cortland Blitz 350 gr line. I’ve fished the Boost Beach in the estuary and in the ocean from dory boats. Marty Sheppard casts this rod with a sustained anchor, but I use an overhead cast. Marty makes it look easy, and I’m sure I could also if I really tried to.
I’ve caught spring chinook in the estuary on the Boost Beach; silvers in the ocean, black rockfish and lingcod in the ocean.
The 7 wt Boost Beach is 12 ft 1 in long and the price is a shocker in a good way.
Advantages of the Boost Beach? This rod is a genuine advantage when I’m estuary casting in a wind. This rod allows me to cast without smacking myself in the head with a Clouser. The long length of the rod makes fighting a fish a ton of fun because you REALLY get a bend in the rod and it will cushion your leader from sudden surges by the fish.
I would recommend this rod highly for anyone fishing from the beach, especially, because it will get your back cast up over the grass, rocks, sand, oysters, and what not behind you.
My biggest trouble with this rod is figuring out what size fish I should be targeting with the 7 wt. I’ve caught sea run cutthroat of 12 – 16 inches on the rod and felt that the fish were not at all overpowered.
I’ve also caught 6 pound silvers and 10 pound spring chinook and didn’t feel like I was under-gunned. I’m convinced that this is a striper and sea-run and surf perch rod. It darn sure is a black bass and lingcod rod.
My single reservation is that the hook set on larger fish should be accomplished with a strip set and not with a trout-set. I have not had a problem with setting a hook with this rod, because I have not had a grab from a big king on this rod. Simply stated, I think the rod is not stiff enough to set into a bony mouth on a lift the rod trout set.
I should also note that I prefer to fish lines that are far heavier than ECHO recommends for this rod series. In practical terms this means that you could probably fish a number of lines and do not need to obsess over the precise gr wt of the line you spool on your reel when you fish this rod.
I’m available to answer any questions you may have about the ECHO Boost Beach rod – in my opinion this is a great fly rod for multiple purpose use and offered at a great price too.
Jay Nicholas – October 2017
Jay, I have a couple of more buddies who want to purchase Salmon Fisher’s Journal. Please get me the info to pass on. Thanks for your continued advice.
Thank you David, I think we have communicated by email but if not please call the Shop and they will give you my phone number! Best Regards: JN
Hey Jay:
Have you tried an OPST commando on this rod?
I bought the 7 weight and am struggling to make it really hum. I think I like it. I’ve fished it with the Airflo Beach 7 and 8. It is pretty good, but I’m not quite getting it to feel powerful. Could be the two hand thing is messing up my overhand casting. I had hoped to gain a little distance in Puget Sound, but so far I’m having getting a tight loop that shoots well.
I’m casting about as far as my comfortable max w/ the beach line on a single hand 8 weight. Some less effort, because no double hauling and less false casting, but not as much line speed and authority.
I want it to work, but it isn’t quite there for me yet, especially if running a weight closer. Suddenly I have tailing loops again (or it doesn’t quite shoot the way I was hoping).
I apologize for being so slow to get to these comments. I do not know about the commando on the beach boost – I think the rod is not really intended to be cast with such a short-head line, and I would sure not expect tight loops with overhand casting and the commando head. Tim at the shop might have a different take on this so you could give him a call and ask. Personally, I like the beach line on the beach rod. JN
I was wanting to get this rod to fish the Texas Surf. I’m looking at the 9wt I love fishing the surf but sometimes a conventional fly rod is not adequate in some tidal and weather conditions. How is this rod for distance?
Called the Boost for a reason. Tim Rajeff designed it specifically for distance.
I am considering the boost beach for surf fishing and perhaps bay fishing as well on the Texas coast. Are you still happy with the performance of this rod? Any suggestions as to lines and grain weights? I’m thinking a 7 weight should work.
Hi, recently purchased this rod after reading your review and it’s been great. I got the 8 wt and am using a rio outbound short 8wt head on it. It performs decently without any wind but doesn’t fee like it fully loads. As soon as the wind picks up it doesn’t seem to be able to cut through as much. Was thinking of switching to a 9 or 10 wt head and wondered if you have any suggestions?
Hi Jay,
Great article, hope you’re still responding to comments after all this time but hear goes.
Just curious, you mentioned at the beginning that Marty Sheppard casts the boost beach with a sustained anchor. How did he have the rod lined for that? I’m running a 510gr intermediate skagit head with a 10′ poly leader and Rio shooting line on the 9wt rod, and can overhead cast that pretty far in the surf but it sinks fast and is tough to pick up off the water. But overall LOVE it for surf casting.
Now I’m wanting to make this dual purpose as a spey rod so I’m planning to pick up another 500gr floating skagit and throw on a MOW tip. Does that sound like what he’s running? I’m probably going to try all this regardless, but my concern with sustained anchor casts on this rod is the stiff action. Usually spey rods are much slower action to flex deep into the blank, and since there aren’t any recommended grain rates for this rod as it’s technically not marketed as a spey rod, it’s a challenge to find the right weight line. Some trial and error involved.
Thanks!