[Luv2flyfish]

This is my first post on this board......guilty of lurking.

In reading posts on here, It seems that there is only a small population of spey rodders that are fans of long bellied lines (IE: Rio GS, XLT, etc). Why is this?

I have been at this spey gig only for a little bit. I took the advice of a friend and and learned off of a Rio GS w/ tips on a 14ft Loomis. Consequently, to me, I cant bring myself to even try a shorter bellied line. The days of stripping and shooting are left to the Single Hander. The days of monster casts on big rivers are much more pleasant!

But I am running into a problem being a fan of long bellied lines - I am looking at getting a lighter line rod to dedicate to a floating line only and only to be used on summer steelhead.

Mr. Meiser and I have been corresponding and it doesnt look too promising for long bellied lines and those 5/6/7 rated rods. Sooooooo.....what are the thoughts out there?

I have never attempted to cut up lines and customize. Are there some good ways to get that Rio GS or XLT loooong belly design but slash that grain weight down accomodate a lighter rod. Double tapers maybe? I dont know.

Right now, I am torn between Meiser's 5/6, the 13 6/7, or throwing the extra money down for the Sage 6126. I hear that the 6126 will handle an XLT quite nicely. I also hear tons of good stuff about the Meiser rods. I dont want to miss something in all this and end up shorting myself on the sweetest possible set up for a summer steely rig. You guys are the Pro's - what do you think? Thanks

Jason

 

[Skilly]

Dt

Jason

I have been fortuate enough to cast most of Meisers 5/6 weight rods. I have

found that a single hand DT-8 worked very well. For closer work with an indicator

and 3 nymphs the DT-9 worked well. I also tried several WF long belly single hand

lines. I did not try any conventional Spey lines on them. On the CND 1306 The DT-

9 was also excellent.

Skilly

 

[Moose]

Actually....

The 13' 5/6/7 Anderson blank that Meiser custom makes throws a modified 6/7 XLT so your looking at 60 to 70 feet. Add a 15 foot mono leader and that's a respectable distance. There are the Hardy Mach I plus lines and Wulff triangle taper speys that put you into the 60' plus range. Not bad for a 5/6 rated rod. Definitely not short heads I think you'd have to agree. I have cast the Anderson rod and ordered one from Meiz, it will be here shortly. I can PM you with the report and the XLT line specs.

 

[Rick J]

The Anderson Rod is a great rod though probably closest to a true 7 - it may be a bit lighter than the Scott 1287 which is also a wonderful all around rod for floating lines or tips - I throw a 7/8 xlt on the 1287 with no problems.

However, I would not give up on short belly lines - long and short belly all have their place. During heavy winter flows in tight quarters the short belly lines shine. And you are generally not making those "monster casts" in the winter - My first love is still the long bellies but I have been converted to the short bellies under some situations after fishing with Scott O'Donnell on a few occasions

 

[kush]

Jason,

I suggest you give the Airflo Traditional lines a look. They are a long belly design that is quite "civilized". It is a long belly, but without the extreme front taper of the XLT nor the mass and bulk of the GrandSpey - and cast very sweetly. As well, the narrow profile makes for a nice light line. I really like these as light line long belly lines.

By the way, I love my long belly lines and will never abandon them, but I have come to the realization that for some applications, conditions or rivers that the short heads are are equally cool and effective. So don't be afraid to give the short heads a go.

 

[speyrd]

Airflo Trads

I go along with what Kush has to say about the Airflo Trad line. Good friend who has been a Wulff fan tried one and is switching over to them. For a little shorter line we have been using one of the Snowbee's 3-D, kind of a mid spey length. It's easy and goes far.
Leroy...............................

 

[juro]

Count me in the Airflo Trad fan club, I have liked them from day one although I did cut a bit off the front and put a stout butt section on a 15ft leader to enhance the final turnover a little. The taper is very smooth to cast and feels shorter than it is, it doesn't require much of a change to the casting stroke even though it's quite a bit longer than short and mid length lines.

 

[Robert Meiser]

Jason,

You've been given good advice in all regards.

....And from the context of our past conversations I think that the guys are right about the Airflow being the "missing link" line for your longer belly needs with the light spey rod.

Gald that it was brought up, as I plum forgot about this very clever line.

I know that the 1367 likes this particular longer belly line quite a bit.

FYI....

Jason is presently in country, serving all of us with a tour of duty in Iraq.

.....Not quite a "short timer" but getting close, so talking, and dreaming two handed rods has got to be good medicine !!!

Good on ya Jason, my thoughts are with ya, and hope to meet you some day.

Take Care.......Bob Meiser

 

[Rick J]

Jason - all the best over there - if you ever get down to northern California give me a buz and we can take a trip up on the lower Klamath in my sled and you can try out that new rod and line whatever you choose!

 

[Luv2flyfish]

Thanks for all the info guys! I really wish I would have come upon a spey specific forum about a year ago. I would probably be a lot farther ahead. I will go back and take a look at the Airflo and see what I can learn as far as specs go. I tried looking for these Carron lines but cant seem to find anything about them...except that Speybum has some in Carnation.

Yes being over here, and keeping my mind flowing happily along in a river is good medicine. If all goes well, I might get to see the kick off of the winter steel run. Thanks again for all the info. This is a great forum - I am glad I found it.

 

[flytyer]

Kush got it right, on some rivers and in some situations, the shorter lines are a better choice than the extended-belly lines I love to fish with. Washington States Calahwa come readily to mind as one of those rivers where the long-belly line is less than ideal; but the shorter belly lines are in their element.