[Smolt]

I have a Loomis GLX 11'6' 8/9 weight rod that, according to Loomis, is built for overhead casting with standard weight-forward lines. I am interested in learning how to and using the rod for Scandinavian-style two-handed casting -- "underhand" casting. From what I have read and seen on the Rio "International Spey Casting" video, shooting heads are used for this method of casting, but I don't know what length or weight heads would be appropriate for this rod. Does anyone have any experience using the 11'6" Loomis for underhand casting and, if so, what lines (type and weight) do you use? Would a SA "Pike/Musky" taper line (35' head) or Rio "Quick-Shooter" (32' head) be suitable? If so, in what weight? The reason I am asking about those two ines is that I don't like using heads. I prefer intergrated lines. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Per Stadigh]

Hi Smolt,

I have an old IMX 11'6" that I still use a good deal. I guess it would compare somehow with your GLX, although at a higher weight and with a slower action.

I use a 9 weight Airflo Multi tip on it for underhand casting, and get almost the distance I would have achieved with heads and thin running lines. The head and tip combo is around 37 feet and works lovely with a Underhand cast combined with a strong single haul.

I guess that would work for your rod as well. (You might want to try a 10 weight if the GLX is a bit low in rating)

Per

 

[Huckleberry]

I had the same question a couple of years ago and asked around a bit. I started out with an ordinary 9 WT weight forward floating line and found that this just didn't work right. I ended up contacting LOOP directly and on the advice of the US LOOP representative (sorry, forgot his name) ordered the LOOP LCT10F shooting head and their orange running line. They advised me to cut the head to between 9.5 to 10.5 meters depending on my own body height. That's what I did. I took the rod and line out to a lake and cast a number of times until I found where I could get maximum distance without collapsing the forward cast or overloading the rod. I think I cut the shooting head to about 10 meters. The whole set up works quite well for this purpose, however, I find the end of the head that connects to the running line rather thick. I use loop-to-loop connections. The only major drawback of the whole process was that the line cost me a fair bundle because I had to order it from Sweden. I suspect you could achieve similar results if you bought an 11 weight DT floating line and cut a head of 30-35 ft (approx. 1o meters) and used whatever shooting line you liked. Anyhow, good look.
Tom.

 

[JR SPEY]

These lines are now in stock in the US. In fact, the Adapted Series even eliminates the cutting required of the Custom heads. Any Loop dealer can get any of the Adapted lines from the distributor in Florida. There are even a few North American dealers who keep some of these in stock. The Adapted Series is specifically designed around a particular rod length and line weight from the Loop series of rods, but seems to work very nicely with other brands of rods of similar length and rod weight. I think the custom lines might still be available from Sweden through your local Loop dealer, but they would be more expensive if only one were ordered. The Adapted lines are so well done that I no longer see a need for the Custom Series except for a rod length/weight combo not covered by the Adapted Series. See the Speypages for more on the Adapted Series of lines.

 

[Huckleberry]

I do not wish to contradict you but I did ask about the adapted lines because I thought that they'd do the trick. But the recommendations came back to use the LCT custom rather than the adapted line. I am just relating my experience and I am sure things change all the time.
The 11'6" is a light rod and it's fun to fish with it.
Cheers
Tom.

 

[JR SPEY]

You wouldn't be contradicting me, only Loop. I think the reason you were steered towards the Custom line was because the Adapted Series wasn't available at the time. It was listed in catalogs and on the Loop website, but wasn't actually in stock. Now that they are, they are the only versions available over here. Too many people simply freak out when they find out they'll have to cut off part of this expensive line they are going to buy. Loop was also in the process of changing over its linemaker from Scientific Anglers to Air Flo. That was one of the reasons for the delay in the Adapted lines becoming available. If you had to buy through Sweden, then that was during the time that only the Custom series was actually available.