[Steelhans]

Hello all. A little advice needed here. I've been strictly a skagit caster for many years now but would like to advance to a longer belly line and a Scandi setup. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about nextcast lines particularly the fall favorite. I was thinking of going with the FF 45 6/7 as I mainly use a 7 weight Spey rod. My questions are: 1) as an intermediate level caster is this too big of a first step? 2) are Scandi lines strictly touch and go anchors or can they be used with sustained anchor casts as well? 3) any other suggestions than nextcast? Airflo? SA? Rio? Thanks in advance, SH.

 

[glcaddis]

I like NextCast

I have several ranging from FF35 4/5 wt up to WA55 8/9, with several in between. I started out with FF lines. But after I tried a WA line I found that the loop to loop connection for the tip is so small that it goes through the guides without any problem. So, I'd go with the WA lines. Removing the floating section (which is 10', 12' or 15' depending on the 35, 45, etc.) and looping on an intermediate or sinking polyleader or sinktips up to T-10 offer you a lot of flexibility.

As to casts, the 35 and 40 lines are essentially scandi lines and can be cast with any cast you want to use. The 45 and longer lines can also be thrown any way you want, but I think you'll end up using the single spey and snake roll with the longer lines. That said I can get a 100 foot cast out with WA 55 using a Snap-T, but I can do the same length with a Single or Snake Roll a lot easier.

 

[SSPey]

If your rod is 12'6" - 13'6", the Nextcast 45 lines are super easy to transition from skagit. Any cast. They were meant for that. Coming from skagit, you may even find the 45 an easier transition than a true scandi line.

The reason is a more similar load feel. The 45 excels with a load feel that can be fairly similar to skagit, a bit on the heavier side. In contrast, scandi lines are relatively light and short, which coming from skagit, can lead to blown anchors as the caster pushes to increase load. One can choose a heavier scandi to compensate and get more load feel (and many North Americans do), but the performance gain isn't as great as going to 45.

Lots of folks in my neck of the woods fishing skagit for heavier tips and really big flies, and also a 45 as a floater or lighter tips - using both on the same rod, as conditions dictate. They're very complementary line systems, across seasons, and payloads.

happy fishing!

 

[Steelhans]

SSpey, are you referring to the WA 45?

 

[SSPey]

the Fall Favorite and Winter Authority lines are identical except the WA is looped to interchange tips

 

[troutless]

1) as an intermediate level caster is this too big of a first step?

I've seen relatively green casters get good results with the NextCast 45s fairly quickly. They are a little longer than a contemporary "compact" scandi (e.g., Airflo, SA) but not that much. Very easy lines to cast, still fit in tight spaces, yet will start to give you a feel what is possible with a longer head. Also very friendly for sustained-anchor casts though I agree they shine more with touch-and-go, at least with the floating tip. Also agree on the recommendation to get the WA version, this is a nice option for light sink tip work.

There are not a lot of other options out there in this category, Rio Short Head Spey is about it to my knowledge, which while it's an OK line, I'm not that big a fan of, though I admit to limited experience.

 

[Randyflycaster]

When it comes to casting a true Scandi line, so much depends on the lift. If you lift too much line off the water you'll almost certainly blow your anchor.
Assuming the length of the head of the Scandi line is the same, the longer the spey rod the lower you should lift.

Randy

 

[jabster]

If your rod is 12'6" - 13'6", the Nextcast 45 lines are super easy to transition from skagit. Any cast. They were meant for that. Coming from skagit, you may even find the 45 an easier transition than a true scandi line.

The reason is a more similar load feel. The 45 excels with a load feel that can be fairly similar to skagit, a bit on the heavier side. In contrast, scandi lines are relatively light and short, which coming from skagit, can lead to blown anchors as the caster pushes to increase load. One can choose a heavier scandi to compensate and get more load feel (and many North Americans do), but the performance gain isn't as great as going to 45.

Lots of folks in my neck of the woods fishing skagit for heavier tips and really big flies, and also a 45 as a floater or lighter tips - using both on the same rod, as conditions dictate. They're very complementary line systems, across seasons, and payloads.

happy fishing!

I have been playing with the FF45 lately and have to say that it is an very impressive line. A very good fishing option if you want something a bit longer then your skagit that still can deliver a big punch.

As for the "true scandi" thing, I as a sort of scandinavian (Finland is not geographically scandinavia) have always wondered about what is a "true scandi" ? Most people I know have always fished with heavier shooting heads then the guru's suggest ( Goran, Henrik, etc...) so I am not that sure if you guys that like a bit more load doing single speys, etc are far off from the "real" thing. I think the "true scandi" thing is a very vague thing. If the FF45 is a scandi or not, is pretty much irrelevant. The bottom line is that it's a very smooth and balanced short belly line to cast your flies to the fish.

 

[Steelhans]

Great advice as always guys. Don't know where I would be without Spey Pages!! Thanks a bunch.

 

[borderfly]

This thread comes at a perfect time as I'm trying to line up my DH5122 and just do not know what I should put on it. I have many suggestions but have tried none at this point. The majority is siding with a Rage set up at about 390 but I would like to try the Nextcast WA35. To many options is a good thing right?

 

[glcaddis]

Short Belly vs True Scandi

The true scandi line is a short belly line, IMO. It just has a continuous taper along its length. It is also a shooting head.

The short belly line has more of its weight toward the rear of the belly with a shorter front taper. However, I think most would agree that SB lines handle very much like a scandi in terms of what you can use it for and the flies/tips it will handle.

Regarding the WA35, at 330 grains it is a great line on my Scott T2h 5108. I think the Rage 390 would be heaving on a five wt rod. I use a Rage 390 on my ARC 1196 and sings.

 

[borderfly]

You think more in the range of Rage 330?

 

[glcaddis]

Airflo recommends

the Rage 360 for that rod. I've found their recs to be pretty much right on for the Rage, not so much for their skagit recs.

 

[borderfly]

Rage 360 it is I believe unless I get to try Nextcast.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Fish Tech]

Steelhans:

I also mostly fished with a Skagit line but I wanted something a little more delicate for fishing smaller flies near the surface. I tried a Scandi but didn't like it.

So I went with an Airflo Rage line and love it! Its what I use when the Skagit line is overkill.

 

[Steelhans]

Duly noted FT. Thank you.