Spey Line Preferences

[Dana]

I'm interested in getting a sense of which general line types are preferred by Spey Clave members

[fredaevans]

My highest priority is the one that has a fly on the end of it that makes Mr. Fish go "MUNCH!"

Actually, it's kind of strange; I can cast tips, WC's, DT's, TT's Aclrtrs ..... but I'm a complete klutz with the RIO Midspey. :rolleyes:

[L A Smithers]

Hi Dana I can `t understand how you failed to include the 120 foot double taper Sci Angler which is the only spey line of the bunch. If you cant cast one of these you arn`t a spey caster.:devil:

[Ghillie]

I too was kind of wondering why the venerable old double-taper wasn't on the list. Is it simply a sign of the times to cast off the comfortable old tried and true for the glamour of the new and improved/approved, hmmm. . .
Your user friendly DT still works wonders close-in, mid-range, and at some length when required. After-the-cast line control with a DT is second to none in my books. As a bonus, while hi-tech, engineered, hybrid line configurations garner attention in the spotlight on sex appeal, and in escalating prices at the till, the lowly DT often languishes in the shadows of the bargain bin = a great line at a great price. I'm a happy camper with my DT.

Cheers!

[GBSkunk]

Floating line = Accelerator
Sink tips = Windcutter

Didn't like the TT or the Midspey.

[Dana]

...well, I guess I was trying to be a little too "all-inclusive" in the long belly Spey line choice--I figured it would catch everything 70ft and up. But I will add it!

BTW, you can choose more than one if you like (I did...but don't tell anyone!)

[Dana]

...at the top of the page to record you general preferences!

[fredaevans]

long belly DT's. The line of choice with my Bruce/Walker 18' 10wt. Cast a short country mile, mend out even further. At the other end of the scale a regular 90' 8wt DT is a grand line on the 'green' Sage 136 7wt rod.

PS: Talked to Andy Zwan (fish-head on the Board) and he said he hooked up 48!!!!!!! winter steelhead out of his boat over this past 4 day weekend. Math test: Andy comes in at about 190-205#, about 6-3'ish. Question: how many concrete building blocks is it going to take before we're assured he will never be 'found?'
:smokin:

[silverdoc]

Dana,
So how do I retract my vote for a 70' belly, & cast a vote for the DT?:D

[Nooksack Mac]

Dana, I think we need to have a re-vote (and no, my name is not Al Gore). The addition of DT lines makes for a much more valid set of alternatives, and the poll hasn't lasted long, or gotten a vast number of responses. Let's record the results to date, then do it over with all five choices.

[pescaphile]

Agree with the need for a recount! It's a completely different poll now with the addition of the DT then what we started with.

And if there is a new poll, how about poling separately between full floaters and sink tips?

pescaphile

[Hammer]

a DT wet-tip!,,,and i also cast my vote for `goob with the mid-spey' i never found a rod that liked it=:confused:

[David Dornblaser]

The Poll let me vote for TWO lines. Is it supposed to allow you to do that?

- David

[JDJones]

How about Skagit lines? Seems there may be a significant percentace of users not showing here.
Do I get to vote twice? Once for long bellies and again for Skagits?:D

[FLGator]

Depends on the time of the year and my delivery...

Long bellies for the early season and all of my dry line work.

Skagit heads for winter tip work.

Chris

[David Dornblaser]

Do I get to vote twice? Once for long bellies and again for Skagits?:D

I did not get to vote twice but I had two selections checked when I hit submit.

- David

[Barry]

I'm just a regular boring windcutter guy...............

[Rick J]

JD - I'm assuming skagit falls under the first catagory

[David Dornblaser]

I am amazed how high the per centage is for long bellies. It would be interesting to see how that breaks down between the US and the UK.

- David

[Grampa Spey]

The omission of the Skagit lines probably invalidates this poll.:confused:

A friend and new comer to the two handed rods asked his Mrs Santa Claus to buy him a Skagit 450 for Christmas. In the second week of December with my help, she placed her Skagit 450 order at the local fly shop. The line was apparently on back order until the first week of Feb..

The Outbound Floaters are being used by many of us with our lighter two handed rods. My son and DIL tried to order two of the OB floating lines for two of my rods for Christmas, and they ran into a similiar backorder problem shortly after Thanksgiving. He finally got the lines a couple of days before Christmas. The floating 10W works very well with my Sage 5120, and the floating 8W will probably never leave my Meiser 5/6 Switch rod except when I put an Outbound 8W intermediate on it for deep fishing from my boat, the shore and Shad this May/June. With these lines, I can Skagit, Double Spey, Snake Roll and overhand/head cast with minimal effort.:)

The OB intermediates are rocket launchers :saeek: for surf casting, shore casting at ponds/streams and the shorter two handed rods in a boat.

Since last summer, when I discovered that my floating tips could be used with my Skagit lines, I have only used the floating and sinking tips from my WC's, MS's and GS's. The rest of the lines are collecting dust along with my floating MS and Cannon lines. I doubt that I'm the only one in this situation. ;)

[sva01]

The omission of the Skagit lines probably invalidates this poll.:confused:

According to the date of the original post, commercially-made Skagit lines were not yet available. It seems that the poll would have been valid when it was posted.

[Bob Pauli]

Dave,
I am with you. Isn't it amazing how rapidly Skagit lines found a place in our kit? According to the poll on an adjoining thread, 58% of steelhead fishermen in the US and Canada used a Skagit line in 2005, the very year of introduction.

Blink, and the Spey world passes you by.

[speyhead]

Still a fairly consistent average with those other polls of similar make-up, oops added up the wrong column...81.05%

[Grampa Spey]

According to the date of the original post, commercially-made Skagit lines were not yet available. It seems that the poll would have been valid when it was posted.

'You are correct re the date of the poll'

The date didn't show up on the poll page. It showed up in Dana's reply.

[Grampa Spey]

Dave,
I am with you. Isn't it amazing how rapidly Skagit lines found a place in our kit? According to the poll on an adjoining thread, 58% of steelhead fishermen in the US and Canada used a Skagit line in 2005, the very year of introduction.

Blink, and the Spey world passes you by.

One gets the feeling that the Skagits could become the SUVs of the Spey lines.

Shortly after you and I tried out the different Skagits with our different rods, I was advising spey newcomers to buy a Skagit and some tips to use and basically a floating WC or MS line for use where a dry fly or intermediate fly was indicated.

Then, last summer Chris Andersen of Sage and a few others were suggesting we use floating tips with our Skagits. It works. ;)

All we need is a Skagit, some sinking tips and a floating tip which match the Skagit line to cover most of our waters. Flyshop USA is now selling Rio 15' WC tip sets without the WC line for the Spey New Comers who don't own WC or MS lines with tips or the one handed Versa Tip lines.

Most of us know how well the Skagits cast sinking tips from 15' tips to your Big Boys. The Skagits do the same with the floating tips during the windy parts of the day. They :saevilw: just smash through the wind with the floating tips and big bushy dry flies.

[SSPey]

the earliest published mention of Skagit casting that I've found referred to specifically as "Skagit casting" is 1994 (Steelhead Journal #3), though people were certainly using lines of that ilk before that. I know that I was building "skagit" dredger heads for tips before RIO marketed them, and I haven't even been at this very long at all. I think the "blink" is more of a wink ;)

[Grampa Spey]

the earliest published mention of Skagit casting that I've found referred to specifically as "Skagit casting" is 1994 (Steelhead Journal #3), though people were certainly using lines of that ilk before that. I know that I was building "skagit" dredger heads for tips before RIO marketed them, and I haven't even been at this very long at all. I think the "blink" is more of a wink ;)

The creative and adaptive guys of the Pacific Northwest are like the skunk works creators in aviation.

[Bob Pauli]

Good point, Steve.

[Woburn]

Skagit line = scando shooting head+integral running line ????

Blink and youve just reinvented the wheel:hihi::saevilw:

Sam

[speyforsteel]

I run a 8/9 Airflo Skagit head and it has no running line attached and a skagit head is not a scando head though if your gentle you can cast a skagit head underhand style(very clunky, but fun),try too cast a weighted intruder and 13 feet of t-14 with a standard 8/9 scando head,not fun.:eek: :Eyecrazy: :confused:
I do like skagit lines with some front and back taper, a chunky tapered scando line could be sweet.

[Interceptor]

Windcutter, mid spey, and scandi heads,

:D

Int

[macrograndspey]

I'm interested in getting a sense of which general line types are preferred by Spey Clave members
The new development and techology with your spey lines. I prefer grand spey lines, over the new developed wind cutter series. To maximize proficiency [active throw.]

[Rainforestspey]

I voted for shooting head, but it really depends alot on the rod. I fish a long belly on my summer rod.

[Jamey McLeod]

Skagit line = scando shooting head+integral running line ????

Blink and youve just reinvented the wheel:hihi::saevilw:

Sam


minus 200grains

[tweedside]

Some years ago I talked on the 'phone to a very knowing rod maker and fisherman in the Seattle area. My complaint was that no-one (other than a couple of UK makers) was then making what I considered to be real spey rods . What I was told shocked me....that the great majority (then) of American & Canadian double hand rod fishermen used shooting heads or the shortest head so called spey lines. Fortunatly this seems to have changed since people such as CND have become active. I believe that the newer Burkheimer and Meiser rods are also moving in that direction. And I also firmly believe that a good rod should be capable of delivering a good performance when overhead casting. To spey cast is as often as not totally unnecessary and unless performed smoothly and without disturbance can ruin the water for anyone following behind.....If you mess-up an overhead cast the resultant mess usually occurs behind the rod tip, away from fishable water!

My preference is for long head & DT lines.

[Chas]

For late fall and winter magic the Skagit. For summer and early fall dry the Airflo Delta 600 gr tactical spey. So, why no mention of Skagit?

___________________
It is all about the hunt
Chas

[sean]

This poll was posted 02-20-2002. I think skagit had another year before it came in vogue. The skagit guys were definitely using custom made lines then but it was still a pretty small group of folks. The mass produced skagit lines were not being made. I bet a repost if this poll would produce wildly different results.

-sean

[phunkysalmon]

for a relative newcomer, but alas, not an option above. I sense a "hanging chad" in the future.

[Andy Wren]

Two votes from me ,first long DTs and the my new Carron 75 head intermediate ,adds yards and even my boy can double spey it of a B&W 16 and hes almost 15 and not very muscular .

[Saginot]

Carefull.....
Some of your friends and fishing partners read your posts!

:hihi:

[MJC]

Yesterday I went down to the river with one of my favorite people to cast an 85' Carron on a Sage Z-Axis 10160. Very nice by the way!!.

Today I went down to the river with a customer to try a switch rod with an integrated shooting head and a Scierra scandi rod with a Vison head, also a very nice casting setup! I was happy enough with my casting but my God all that stripping just about wore me out. For the type of fishing we do here on the Clearwater I will stick with those long bellies.

[Klem]

I have students learn the Basic Casting Stroke, correct faults and Loop control with a DT. The line makes the student perfect their stroke. I fish a 52' head for most of my Oregon streams and long bellies for the long distance stuff.

I will check my technique and brush up my stroke with a DT line. It is a good tune-up tool. To be a controlled Spey Caster, you must refine with and be able to cast the Double Taper Line.

Klem
Still learning and on the Journey to Spey Land

[David Dornblaser]

I see that this poll was started in 2002. It would be interesting to see what the break-down is in 2007.


- David

[K.W.Boozer]

If you would have asked me a few weeks ago I would without a doubt voted for a skagit line, but after playing around with a CND GPS 9/10 line in both the floating and full sinking models the other day forget shorter belly lines unless you absolutely have to use it. You don't have to do all that stinking stripping of line and I was able to turn over a very heavily weighted bunny spey tied on a size 2 Tiemco 7999 without any issues on both lines. This is without a doubt my new personal preference on large rivers like my home river. For smaller rivers I would have to say a Skagit or Airflo Delta taper would be my choice...

[Saginot]

Could not agree more!
This is my 3rd season w/ the GPS and I love it.
And although I prefer to avoid loops on my floating lines when possible,
the floating head works great as well and the loop is negligable.

I will have a Skagit rod on board for Hell's Canyon wind and perhaps cold water monster flies...but beyond that...no thank you.

Michael

[David Dornblaser]

Kory,

I would think that GL's use of Skagit is pretty low, particularly among those anglers who fish in the winter and fish frequently.

- David

[K.W.Boozer]

Kory,

I would think that GL's use of Skagit is pretty low, particularly among those anglers who fish in the winter and fish frequently.

- David

I liked a skagit line so much before due to the fact I could run a huge sink tip and get down as deep as I ever wanted. It also allowed me to turn over very heavy flies both of these things I could not do with my Delta taper. For below freezing temps. I used my Delta. Now I will use my GPS lines for below freezing temps and probably most of the rest of the time as well. I do plan to add a DDC to my arsenal as well, but once again you will end up having to strip lots of line which is something I really would like to get away from when I can.

[Saginot]

Please define DDC

[K.W.Boozer]

Please define DDC

It's a Guideline line that is very popular here in the Great Lakes tribs. Here is the item description from the Irish Angler website. Very nice casting line even though my underhand casting is some of the worst I have ever seen.

Power Taper DDC Connect, Two Handed
The DDC CONNECTconsists of an 9,5 meter main belly(Float or Fast Intermediate), that can be connected to three different Double Density tips: Int/S1, S2/3, S4/5 on the Floating Belly or Hover, S1/2, S2/3 on the Intermediate Belly. The reason for choosing an Intermediate main belly is that it carries the tips much better and that it handles wind and bulky flies with ease and the swing speed is much slower with a belly which is below the surface, even a little. This is an extremely good line to cast and it is easy to pull out of the water for a new cast. Conveniently, it also covers most encountered fishing situations without changing bellies

[Saginot]

February I am making my first trip to TDF
Long rods (16/17') I am told "ain't gonna cut it..."
I am thus rushing into some level or proficiency with a multi-tip system in a Skagit or Scandi system.

Your information is most helpful

[David Dornblaser]

Michael, can't you use a line like Delta down there? It might be easier for you adapt to after moving from your long rods. Just a thought.

Enjoy your trip, please post lots of pics.

- David

[topeti]

Hi Dana!
This is very interesting. Especially for me from Scandinavia!

[Tyke]

I voted for the long belly spey lines, why oh why did Rio stop producing the Accelerator Spey line? The 10/11 intermediate head [actually about a wet 1 & 1/2] absolutely flew out on a 16f t 9/10 Bruce & Walker Norway speycaster
& was perfect for shallower beats on the Tweed in October.
I did'nt get tied up in yards of running line either , only needed to manage about 25 to 30 ft of it to be achieving a comfortable distance & covering fish, Stripping 55 to 60 feet in behind a short head is a recipe for disaster where I fish as the current [which is strong tight to the bank where you have to wade against the marginal vegitation about 5 inches below the top of high chest waders] will twist the running line in the water & large loops in the hand catch in the vegitation, which is enjoyable when fish are showing in front of you.
I've got a grand spey [Original model 10/11] & its good but needs a step up to a more powerful rod & its a floater so no good when the [fast] intermediate is required.

So come on Rio, how about an updated Accelerator - Out of my group of friends several others also would buy them as their old ones are wearing out [ Lines I mean, although in 1 or 2 cases.......]

Regards, Tyke.

[Speyducer]

Please define DDC


DDC for the guideline heads stands for 'double density compensated'

Mike

[Smolt]

I fished a DDC full sink 3/4 (Ithink it was 3/4, but may have been 4/5) for the first time on April 24th on the Muskegon. I am sold on that line for fishing deep. Easy to cast and control, even for me.

[caihlen]

Airflo Delta Long


Exclusively


Ken Campbell
Bigfork, MT

[tweedside]

For general mixed range fishing a 70-75' head line with a decent longer back taper. (That way one line suits a better variety of rods) Or even a DT if max sdistance is not critical. Also a regular few hours with a DT fixes all of those timing problems you get with short head spey lines...until we try too hard again, overgrip the rod and get it all wrong again!!!

[Sharkskinned]

I use mainly Skagit and Skandi heads. I like stripping, because I catch several fishes by doing it. But I like to cast with long heads. I mainly do skill practicing with those, but rarely fishing.

[LoloPass]

I love Vision Ace shooting heads. The length is 2 1/2 times the rod length with grain weight dialed in to match the rod, spot on. Casting is accomplished with a short stroke and a great feel as the rod loads. These things launch off the rod tip. Shooting line is so much fun I'm out there chucking yarn when there's no fish in the river.

[fredaevans]

PS: Talked to Andy Zwan (fish-head on the Board) and he said he hooked up 48!!!!!!! winter steelhead out of his boat over this past 4 day weekend. Math test: Andy comes in at about 190-205#, about 6-3'ish. Question: how many concrete building blocks is it going to take before we're assured he will never be 'found?'
:smokin:

Andy Zwan (and his fishing partner, whose name is long gone from memory); anyone seen/heard from him? Been at least two years since I've seen any reference/post. Fellow/partner were really something to watch in action; you did not want to follow them through a run. Both were 'vacuum cleaners' with a single hander fly rod.

Sorry for the minor 'hijack.'

Fred

[David Dornblaser]

Since this thread was started back in 2002? it would be interesting to lock it and start it over, with some minor tweaking of the line categories. I would think that the replies would be different.

- David

[pcknshvl]

Since this thread was started back in 2002? it would be interesting to lock it and start it over, with some minor tweaking of the line categories. I would think that the replies would be different.

- David

I think David has a very good point. In talking to Aaron and others, it seems that heads are more and more popular. I, for one, sold my CND line, since I never used it, favoring my heads instead.

What do you think Dana?

Tom

[mgignac]

After seeing the poll results and reading thru the posts, it seems there is a discrepancy. Clearly, double tapers are least favored on the poll but chatted up quite a bit on the posts. I voted for DT's. I like the versatility and eliminating most of the stripping necessary with the shorter heads. I've not used a true long belly and imagine it may have similar 'adjustability'.

[Andy Wren]

Fairly sure I would have voted DT way back , now it could be almost all of the choices ,yet to try a skagit ,
Only use DTs as a back up and on smallest of rivers these days !

[papuidaho]

I prefer the long belly lines, but have used many of the others in different situations.

papuidaho
North Idaho Speybum
Larry Krumpelman

[Wind Not]

Dana--you northern devil! What an insideous idea to create a poll that mimics the typical US election. Lots of complaints about the unsatisfactory choices, the ability to vote often, and calls for do overs.
:chuckle:

[speycasting]

long belly more 85'
XLT Belly 100' is fantastic :)

:roll:

[RYB]

I've voted for Dt. 'Cause I could make a choice in a very short range of lines suggested... Only DT line(to my mind)stands "closer" to real Spey Line concerning the length... With its 100 feet at least.
But this year I've been too lucky getting new CND Tournament Shooting Head. It is 35 meters head with weight of ~80 gramms. Now I have four longest line(as I can get it)ever: Carron 105, XLT Competition and this wonderfull CND TSH & DT line. After months of comparison made through costant casting, places in "my hit parade" are as follows: 1 - CND, 2- Carron, 3-DT. As for XLT- the line appeared being devoted mostly for Speycasterbodybuilding & arms' power increasing. For sure it is a good PVC coach in some particular technical aspects, while self educating but not for a pleasure of casting.

[speycasting]

:tsk_tsk:

with a long belly a child poses his fly has 45 meters with an incredible facility and without effort :chuckle:

:roll:

[Raf]

Difficult to choose only one flyline.
I like to use the most practical for the river in which I'm fishing and it doesn't automatically mean a flyline could cover any situation even in the same river.

Best Regards
Raf

[Spey_Ghillie]

Hi Guys, just joined the Spey Pages and have read some facinating threads.

If I had to choose one line for Speycasting, it would most certainly be a long bellied (eg. Carron 85') type. Perhaps the 75' head for sub-surface work. As a more traditional Speycaster I prefer to pull-in as little line as possible prior to casting therfore a longer head (belly) makes perfect sense.

Looking forward to contributing in the future.

Jock Royan
www.speyghillie.co.uk

[Thalweg]

This is the best casting/finesse line series for my hands.

[Bob Pauli]

Spey Ghillie

Mr. Jock Royan,

We are happy to welcome eminent Scottish Spey casters to this board. Should you and your mates find time, we welcome you to San Francisco's Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club's Spey O Rama Spey casting championship in future years. Your countrymen have contributed mightily to North America's fishing knowledge and we hunger for more.

And I like your canine preference.

[UpperDelaware87]

love the dt, but when casting long, I go short.

[kensp1947]

First time fishing with a guide Scott howell, He got me into skagit set up when i was having al sorts of trouble with a mid spey. Watched him and Ed Ward do some casting on the rouge. He has helped set up all my rods and that is what i stick with. they are all set up with cheters spliced on and balanced for each rod size 5wt to my 8 wt. works to where al i do is change sink tips or floating tip and they all perty much cast the same no mater what rod or what tip. I have most of the time 3 to 4 spey rods in the boat with me each ste up a little diferent for dif. runs. On the d most spots you don't have any room for much line behind you ( d loop ) tight lines ken the junkie

[Andy Wren]

Had a couple of days with a DT floater recently ,this on a rod thats mainly used with scandi type heads,was a real pleasure to fish with ,matched with a furled 10ft nylon leader and wee flys on a 5ft tippet turnover and presentation seemed superb,sadly the stale salmon were not interested.
Felt I was covering the water as well as I would have done with a spey line ,maybe not the distance I could have got with a head but was fun to fish!

[speydog40]

I learned to cast years ago using a DT line as thats all we had at the time. Things are much easier nowadays with the vast selection of Spey and Shooting heads available.
I find myself using mostly Shooting heads these days as they are so much fun and a lot quicker to change if wanting to swap to a different density etc.
I also use Mid spey lines and tried a 68' floating line this season thats very nice.

Speydog40

[geoffvl]

If your using scandis and skagits and have a rod long enough to through 65' bellys I completely recommend it. YOu won't want to go back to the shorter heads.

[patrick r]

I'm interested in getting a sense of which general line types are preferred by Spey Clave members

I like a clothes line with size 24-26 waist womens panties hangin from it on a sunny day... I love fishing a long line as well~

[klickrolf]

Prefer long belly lines, especially the Wulff triangle tapers (airflo long deltas are good too), it's really enjoyable to watch the loop unfurl as it straightens out...I don't believe they are the best fishing lines though. I usually end up cutting the front taper off so I can turn over larger flies...which creates other issues.

Just ordered some lines from Airflo and found they don't offer a DT at all...at least in a spey line. Don't know if this is true of the other major line companies or not.

Here's a question that I'm hoping someone can answer. Is a regular 90' DT8F the same or close (in weight...grains I suppose) to a line designated as a "spey" line of say 120' DT8F? Wondering if they would be of similar weight if measured to the first 60 or 70 feet. I realize WF lines are quite different but thought the DT's might be about the same if weighted in equal lengths. Anyone know?

[dtx]

:tsk_tsk: Hi,no doubt long bellys!!:hihi: