Rio and OPST sell floating tips, someone more knowledgeable can figure out the optimal length and grain weight for a 600gr skagit and a 14 foot rod. I know some people regard a skagit with floating tips as uncouth (they are more clunky for sure), but I use them sometimes when I want to skate a dry first thing in the morning through a spot, then switch to using a sink tip without having to carry another head or reel.

 

Rio and OPST sell floating tips, someone more knowledgeable can figure out the optimal length and grain weight for a 600gr skagit and a 14 foot rod. I know some people regard a skagit with floating tips as uncouth (they are more clunky for sure), but I use them sometimes when I want to skate a dry first thing in the morning through a spot, then switch to using a sink tip without having to carry another head or reel.
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Yes it's the weight and length I am trying to figure out. As I said I am not concerned with clunky at this time

 

600 grains on a 14 foot rod?

Heavy and either 10 or 12.5 feet rio mow tip. Whatever length sink tip you usually fish on it - doesn't matter.

It will come down with all the grace and dignity of a fat kid doing a cannon ball into the kiddy pool though.

 

A 600 grain belly was right for a St. Croix 14' 9/10, which was quite popular in the early epoch of spey in America.

 

Are u saying that 600 grain compact is to much weight for that rod. From what I understand it's is the correct grain wt according to the line recommendation chart but I don't know myself. It casts a t8 tip very well but I am new to spey casting so I have no practical experience to back that conclusion up with

 

I think what he was saying, use a heavy tip on the 600 grain head. You have T8 Light, T11 Medium, T14 Heavy available to keep it simple. The 600 grain head should have no issues with a T14 tip. So if you find a floating tip in the 140 grain range you should be fine. Of course you could go lighter. You could use a floating MOW Tip or a Floating Density Compensated Replacement Tip available from RIO and other manufacturers.

 

Scotch 12:
From decades of experience with Skagit head weight vs. rod-weight rating. Whether your rod is slow- or fast-action, a 600 grain Skagit head will work well. You can go heavier if you choose. I use 650+ grains.

Regarding a floating tip, buy a RIO 15-foot, 12-weight (190 grain) floating tip. The massive energy transfer from an unfurling skagit head to a tip, requires that tip have significant mass to avoid aerodynamic flutter in the latter part of the forward cast. Add any length nylon leader and have fun.

I believe Poppy's Shop has RIO floating tips, if your local shop does not.

Have fun,
Bob

 

A compact head on a 14ft rod won't be gracefully but a 15-20ft tip should balance things well. Ballistic Fly lines may still have some CND 20ft floating tips left. The weight should be spot on and the length and taper will help too.

CND Gravity Point Speyline Tips - Ballistic Fly Lines

CND Gravity Point Speylines

ballisticflylines.com

 

Ok thank you all for the advice and recommendations I greatly appreciate it.
Yes I bought that rod many years ago when spey was becoming something to the west coast steelhead, I caught some fish with it but then put it away for all these years since I used to do all my fly fishing in the summer and a single hand rod with a double taper line was the better tool, I still have the long Cortland double taper line I bought with the rod. Once again I have a huge desire to do spey casting since I am fishing the fly in the winter and summer runs on larger desert rivers.