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I just returned from a trip to Vancouver Island. The weather didn't cooperate - AGAIN - last year I was flooded out, this year I was snowed and low watered out. No fish were found in the 3 rivers we sampled, but I did manage one pull - yippee...
However, it was still a great trip and I did get to try out the CND Skagit and Steelhead Specialists under fishing conditions. The first couple of days I fished the Skagit with one of Marlo's SA Skagit prototypes. While I am an avowed long belly guy I have decided to give the Skagit Style a fair trial.
To this end I have been watching Ed and Marlo and asking their advice, so far some of it seems to be sinking in! I must admit that I am suprisingly pleased with the way the set-up performed. I did well with the Perry Poke, but it seems that my default cast - the Snake Roll - can be effectively adapted to the Skagit style. Really all I had to do was slow down and smooth the snake into a compact continuous motion and the casts were effortless.
This effortless aspect is a very attractive part of the Skagit style. However, what will get me using it with regularity is its effectiveness in close quarters. The first day I fished a river that I cut my teeth on - with a float rod 25 years ago - and I fished the tight spots that I remembered held fish. These are surrounded by overhanging trees and with few or no gravel bars. I would not have been able to fish with my standard long belly set up - period. The Skagit head and the Skagit Specialist made it a piece of cake!
The second river was wider and shallower with plenty of backcast room, but I gave the Skagit set-up a go. I didn't have trouble covering the water, the rod/line combo can really rocket it out there and mending was effortless. However, the stripping was not to my liking. The freezing temperatures made it painful - as well as a pain in the ass. For a river like this one a longer belly set-up would make more sense. Never-the-less, where the river is less open and/or where there are only a few wide runs the Skagit set-up is sweet!
The 3rd river was pretty much like that, fairly open bars, but some tight quarters. Here I decided on the Steelhead Specialist and an Airflo Long Delta 10/11. This proved a great combo as well. The 65' belly kept any stripping to a minimum yet in the tighter spots the still relatively short head loaded the rod well and maintained a small D-loop - an entirely good thing.
This first excursion with short belly set-ups for fishing has definitely encouraged me. I will be using these where conditions warrant as they are effective and pleasant tools to fish.
Now I just need to find some damned fish...
However, it was still a great trip and I did get to try out the CND Skagit and Steelhead Specialists under fishing conditions. The first couple of days I fished the Skagit with one of Marlo's SA Skagit prototypes. While I am an avowed long belly guy I have decided to give the Skagit Style a fair trial.
To this end I have been watching Ed and Marlo and asking their advice, so far some of it seems to be sinking in! I must admit that I am suprisingly pleased with the way the set-up performed. I did well with the Perry Poke, but it seems that my default cast - the Snake Roll - can be effectively adapted to the Skagit style. Really all I had to do was slow down and smooth the snake into a compact continuous motion and the casts were effortless.
This effortless aspect is a very attractive part of the Skagit style. However, what will get me using it with regularity is its effectiveness in close quarters. The first day I fished a river that I cut my teeth on - with a float rod 25 years ago - and I fished the tight spots that I remembered held fish. These are surrounded by overhanging trees and with few or no gravel bars. I would not have been able to fish with my standard long belly set up - period. The Skagit head and the Skagit Specialist made it a piece of cake!
The second river was wider and shallower with plenty of backcast room, but I gave the Skagit set-up a go. I didn't have trouble covering the water, the rod/line combo can really rocket it out there and mending was effortless. However, the stripping was not to my liking. The freezing temperatures made it painful - as well as a pain in the ass. For a river like this one a longer belly set-up would make more sense. Never-the-less, where the river is less open and/or where there are only a few wide runs the Skagit set-up is sweet!
The 3rd river was pretty much like that, fairly open bars, but some tight quarters. Here I decided on the Steelhead Specialist and an Airflo Long Delta 10/11. This proved a great combo as well. The 65' belly kept any stripping to a minimum yet in the tighter spots the still relatively short head loaded the rod well and maintained a small D-loop - an entirely good thing.
This first excursion with short belly set-ups for fishing has definitely encouraged me. I will be using these where conditions warrant as they are effective and pleasant tools to fish.
Now I just need to find some damned fish...