skagit set up number

[GVspey]

Have a 13ft Deer CREEK..following the 3 times skagit length for casting..My question; with a 27ft Rio skagit,5ft of cheater,and 10ft of sink tip,gives me 42ft!!Is the 10ft cheater part of the 3 times equasion on proper skagit ,or need a longer cheater???Anyone make a 10ft cheater...thanks

[Steve Egge]

you do NOT need a cheater with that rod.

Remember that the 2.5 - 3.5 rod length formula is just a guideline AND it INCLUDES the length of your sink tip ... with a 27 foot head you should be right on at 3x the rod length with 12 feet of sink tip ..... perfect. 13x3=39 (27 plus 12 = 39)

You should be able to go up to 18 feet (45 feet) and down to 6 (33 feet) feet with not much problem and still be close to the 2.5 - 3.5 rod length window. Ed Ward (who came up with the formula) has lowered the low number down (2.25?) but you really have to set your anchor and slow down.
search his posts on this (riveraddict).

Steve

[TheWaker]

Steve is spot on. I fish the 7130 Deer Creek rod a lot and do not use a cheater and fish tips from 8-15 ft easily.

However,some people do fish it like you have it, 27+5'cheater+10ft sink tip getting you to 42 feet. Many like a sinking,5ft density compensated cheater as an aid to keeping the sink tip down better.


Mark

[Rick J]

it is truly amazing how little effort it takes to cast a skagit system as you step down to the lower limit of the line/rod ratio. It is much easier to consistently place your anchor and it takes little effort to send out a cast - your just need to let up on the gas so you don't blow your anchor. Ed points out that you should not be accelerating though your D loop formation - you start abruptly angling out towards the river and keep that same speed throughout the d-loop formation

[Ian Broadie]

No need for cheaters or anything like that with with the Deer Creek 7/8, I have cast heads from 500 to 600 grains with little or no trouble all with the same set of 8wt tips. With the new designs for Skagit heads that have recently come out the 3 to 3 3 and 1/2 rule and cheaters have become less and less of a necessity.

Just remember with that rod a little lift in your back cast, bottom hand pull (as little top hand as possible), and watching your D loop will allow this rod to pretty well cast itself.

Thanks,

[SpeySpaz]

I have that rod and I like a naked 550 with 10-15' ft of tip.
SAWEEEEET.
Just fished it on the Hoh the other day with a 15' Type VIII and a copper tube.