[Blue Devil]

Hi Guys, I am a lucky man. My friends got together and bought me a Burkheimer 13 foot 9-inch 7/8/9 for my 50th birthday. I thank Bill, Kush, WRKE and FredaEvans for their help in suggesting rods. Now I have another delightful dilemma. I need a line. Bill suggested the 8/9 XLT, but I have looked up some old threads and find a lot of disagreement. Since then the lines have changed, the XLT updated. Does anyone have any further line suggestions for me? Is the 8/9 XLT too heavy? I do use the 10-foot Polytips, floating and sinking, for most fall fishing. Would you cut back the line to use the sinkers? I don't on my old SA Mastery Spey and Rio Midspey 8/9s I use on my 13 1/2-foot Lamiglass 8/9 weight. Thanks for your help. Keith

 

[wrke]

Keith,

Congratulations! My Burk 1398 with the XLT 8/9 are headed to the Gaspé in the morning. It's a perfect match. Enjoy.

I use the polytips, as well. And if you want to use tips, cut the line at 25'. I haven't done that with my 8/9, I use tips with the 9/10 XLT (cut at 27') and my 15' 9 wt. Before I head to Russia later this summer, I'll also cut my 8/9 for use with the 1398.

 

[fredaevans]

Can't add a thing to the above post.

Welcome to 'spey rod nervana.'

Only folk who build a comparable rod are Bob Meiser's goodies.
fae

 

[roballen]

I have tried the 6/7.7/8.and 8/9 Xlt's on my 8139-3 and it casts them all well.. I fish it with the 7/8.. also I throw a 9-10-11 windcutter with tips up to a 24 ft 200gr big boy.

 

[Blue Devil]

lines and polytips

Thnaks WRKE and all who replied. Do you cut the XLT lines for use with the sinking polytip leaders, or only for true, heavy sinking tips such as come with the Rio Windcutter or Midspey with tips? I have used both the floating and sinking polytips with Midspey and SA Mastery spey lines successfully without cutting the line, just affixing a loop to the end. Curious. If you do advise cutting back the XLT for sinking polytips, what loop do you recommend. Again, thanks for all your help. Keith

 

[fredaevans]

Keith, for the sinking poly leaders just run

a 3=4 foot section of heavy stiff leader (or maxima main line) directly off the tip of the XLT. Overhand loop on the end of this and connect the sinking leader 'loop to loop.'

Couple of feet of regular leader off the end of the poly, attach fly and your good to go. Soulds like a 'mish-mash' that would hinge like heck, but doesn't. Rockets like heck.

With regular tips you do have to cut the line and attach a hard loop to connect them together. Do a search on xlt lines and cutting for tips. Dim memory only here, but I think the "cut point" was 22-25' in from the tip.
fae

 

[Blue Devil]

burkheimer spey

Thanks, Fred. I'll try that. Keith

 

[fredaevans]

Keith, the sinking leader noted above is my 'primary' go

to summer 'tips' lash-up. Our water conditions on the upper 45-60 miles of the Rogue rarely require a regular 15 foot tip (always exceptions ... but not many).

Good thing about the 'dropper' off the end of the xlt, is it allow all of the dry line to stay on the surface and just the poly leader to sink .... which it will like a rock. 99% of the time I'll be using the 'extra fast sinking' RIO's rather that the Airflo material. The RIO ones are a couple feet longer and seem to do the job better for my applications.
fae