[Slint]

Hey Gang:

My home water is a relatively small piece of water for swinging. Lots of slots, short runs and chutes that tangle the back of the swing when the fly is coming through the bucket. Its ideal with an 11 foot switch.

Half the runs I fish are great with a floating skagit head and a short tip. (10 foot or less.) But some are deep enough or the chute is boily enough that unless I fish a super weighted fly or really heavy tip, it just surfs through the run.

So, it has me thinking more about intermediate skagit heads. Is anyone fishing these in pocket water or short swings (anywhere from the length of the head to sixty feet out on a steep downstream angle)? If you have any advice or pointers, I'd love to hear them. I'd like to experiment some more with these, but anything to point me in the right direction or benefit from other experiences would be helpful.

Thanks. Hope everyone is having a great spring,

Slint

 

[sixheads]

Slint,
Though I'm on the West Coast, the water you describe is probably very similar to 75% of the water I fish. Lagoon feeder streams and smaller trib's. I've been using intermediate heads for several years and love them. They do take care of the surfing effect in complex water. And due to the increased density they are great to cast, IMO

With my switch and micro spey rods I like a rod to line ratio of 1.6 to 2.0, depending or the rod action. Steve Godshall has built several iSkagits and iScandoids for me, the Scandoids have a removable tip (loop to loop), that allows near surface work, when removed you can use any T or Zink tips your head is capable of driving, allowing to change fishing strategy in a couple of minutes. Great lines.

Enjoy The Spey Journey,
sixheads

 

[SLSS]

Ramcatt on here fishes the small GL tribe very effectively with a short intermediate skagit and tippet- no tips. He's worked out a really effective compact stroke, and it seems to be pretty ideal for swinging the small tribs.

 

[T_Rex]

intermediate lines

I have used Ariflo's Skagit Intermediate on switch and spey rods on MI rivers and really like it. Usually with a piece of T10 in varying lengths. Brian Pitser, one of the MI guides who was in on the review and comment part of the development introduced me to it. It really cuts the turbulence and gives you a great connection to fly, which I like even in smoother water. I really don't fish a floating skagit line anymore after having used them before. Manufacturer recommends dropping down 30 grains or so from what you'd use on floating as it takes more to pull the tip and I'd agree. Not the only one out there so try different lines if you can, as what I like you may not. Best regards.

 

[Slint]

Thanks much fellas. Really appreciate the insight.

Slint

 

[DrBob]

Just started the intermediate journey, no looking back at the floaters...

 

[Flankfeather2]

I have a local that has some sections that are about the same type of water. It's been awhile since I've fished a skagit floater I've liked the intermediate so much. What made me switch to intermediate altogether was that it felt like no matter how heavy the tip I used, the skagit floater would blow me out of a pocket, run or hole. I picked up a Ambush clear tip and a iShort and I get a lot deeper now. Just having the head get down and under that surface current makes all the difference. In fact, now with even lighter tips, I manage to hit bottom a good portion of the time.

I even had SGS put together a iScandiod for me for some finer work.

One thing for me though, is that it's a faster stroke - you can't let it sit for too long like you can a floater.

 

[shotgunner]

Just started the intermediate journey, no looking back at the floaters...

Almost a full decade on same plan

Slint; I've logged a lot of hours with RIO's Scandi Short Intermediate body (6wt - various tips) and have been quite pleased. If your not fishing Monsta ties it does the trick very nicely.

Have been thinking about the Wulff Ambush I lines for single hand rods. Integrated is sweet on smaller water.

 

[Slint]

Great stuff guys. I'm fired up to try them out!

Am I right in guessing that I should be casting to a steep downstream angle with these heads? (i.e.... I shouldn't need time to "set up" the swing like I would want with a mend, etc on a floater + tip. My thinking is that I'll want to land it just outside of where I want the swing to begin.)

Thanks everyone,

Slint

 

[SLSS]

Really depends on your current and depth. A little trial and error- across til your ticking bottom, then adjust next time a bit further downstream. Will be more so than the floater, but I find the real advantage is the slow swing rate.

 

[DrBob]

I like the slow swing but most of all I like the "tightness" I feel in the swing. Much less mending because the line stays tight as it cuts through the currents.

I tried the intermediate scandi body - OK
I tried thhe iSkagit - Deep LOVE!
I just acquired a Guideline density compensated I eagerly await to try.

 

[xgolfman]

another option is the nextcast zone which has a floating back and 10' of intermediate on the front that you then could attach a short (or long) tip to...

I like how it casts better then say the iflight but can get plenty deep if needed (or not) there is also the full intermediate version..