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Spey rod OK with a regular line?

4K views 23 replies 9 participants last post by  jpeter 
#1 ·
Probably a dumb question, but I've never owned a spey rod so I have no clue.

Specificly SA coastal express taper 350 grain on a 15ft 10wt rod.




Can't buy a spey line for my needs (surf/kayak fishing) until I get some funds from selling an extra setup.
 
#2 ·
It depends some on the rod but if you are going to overhead cast I think that line will work. Put it on there and give it a try. It will take a few minutes and you'll know one way or the other.
 
#7 ·
A long time ago... with my first speyrod - a 9140-3 I tried a #10 Steelhead Taper line and it could not have been more of a disaster. I was so frustrated I seriously considered throwing the whole rod, reel and line into the river! It was not until I put a real spey line on it that I began to learn to cast. If you want to spey cast - get a properly balanced (to your rod) spey line - it is the most important first step on the journey.
 
#8 ·
will work but ...

350 gr is light for overhead casting on a 1o wt spey rod. It will work, but your arms will be casting it, not the flex of the rod. I would look for 550gr as a starting point for a 10wt spey.
What is the rod ?
Personally, I paddle around a lot with a spey rod in my yak, but cast it with my feet on the ground. I use 9 foot rods with short 20ft heads for yak fishing. I got a big catamaran yak this year and do spey a bit from that with the big rods, but standing up.

Got my first spey rod many years ago for salt water fishing, a tfo 14' 9wt. I used a 9wt line on it for a bit but eventually got a 12wt outbound.

jp
 
#10 ·
Coastal Express seems to have only 28Ft head length so overhead casting it with 15Ft rod becomes "rushed" because short line loop unrolls fast so there is not much time to do proper "drift" (pushing rod tip back while line loop unrolls so it is possible to do longer acceleration to forward cast). Short line also shortens shooted casts because short line loop unrolls fast and fly line does not fly well anymore when it has straightened.

I like at least 40Ft head length for 15Ft rod.

When there is not much wind do the back cast as slow as possible and do the drift. With long rod fly hitting water, earth etc. should not be a problem and you can launch forward cast to a higher trajectory and gain distance.

Like many wrote 350gr is light. Your line weights 12.5gr/Ft so you can use T-11 to lenghten it and make it heavier.
 
#11 ·
Can't buy a spey line for my needs (surf/kayak fishing) until I get some funds from selling an extra setup.
Yes, that Costal Express might be a little light and it might be a little short but since it's all the OP has it will do the job as he has found out.

so you can use T-11 to lenghten it and make it heavier.
Bender's suggestion is a good one.
 
#13 ·
T-11 is tungsten coated line used for making sinktips. It weighs 11 grns per foot.

Airflo, Rio, SA, and some other line companies all have various T-lines in different weights.

The reason Bender said to use T-11 is because the 11 grns per foot is just slightly under the per foot weight of your Coastal Express.
 
#16 ·
Max length for OH casts for fishing I recommend is 65Ft but it is useful only when it is almost calm and it delivers without struggle max 4 inch slim streamer but it allows so long casts that handling the shooting line becomes the limiting matter.

55Ft head is good for 120Ft and even longer casts if you use good stripping basket and also coil few shooting line loops to bottom hand fingers. It delivers 5 inch streamer.

Shortest head length for TH OH casting I use is 40Ft as it allows slow enough casting pace that efficient rod use is possible. It delivers 8 inch streamer even to 100Ft.

I find 30Ft head more difficult to cast and its performance is not good either.

Shooting heads are very cheap when you build then yourself using cheap DT lines. There are very cheap DT lines in UK shops. Making loops is very easy but you need a scale and tape measure.
 
#15 ·
The thing about Southern Cali surf fishing is that it actually involves "SURF"
Poppy at Red Shed probably sells the newer 30' lengths of T14 that come looped at both ends from the factory, loop that to an intermediate sinking running line, or use trilene big game #40 mono for running line if you are broke. normal floating spey heads WILL NOT WORK for Southern California surf fishing. You do not want any floating aspect to your running line, head, tips nada, anything that floats will get picked up by the waves and will be deposited at your feet every time.

30 feet of T14 weighs 420gr should work no problem on a 15' 10wt
when you get some money buy a standard fast sinking Rio Outbound 12,
honestly I prefer 30' of T14.

If you need any help or want to fish sometime PM me.

Peace out,
blumpkin
 
#18 ·
lines

Your total weight goes to 670gr, so thats just fine. I am guessing your original line has a front taper that goes down to 9 wt diameter. Casting two pieces of line with the thinest section somewhere in the middle might not work so good. If you cut a few feet of the taper away on the 9wt line and reloop it, it might help, but I dont know about casting a line with a heavy front and light rear.

The hobo suggestion of 30ft of T14 sinktip material and mono running line is a pretty good solution for less than 30$. For that rod the T17 30ft would be better but it can't be had anywhere for 25$.

JP
 
#19 ·
After researching "coastal express" fly line, you are not in as bad shape as I originally thought. Fast sinking head with floating running line, floating running line is not ideal for surf but is workable, a floating head would not be.

So lets dial this sucker in shall we, buy the Rio MOW Medium 12' 5" T11 tip
costs $20. Tip has factory welded loops at both ends.

That will give us a head length of 40'
and a head weight of 488gr.

That sucker will rock dude, would work good on the kayak too.

I live in Las Vegas, but I love fishing the SoCal surf, make several trips a year, will keep you and mind and PM you before I head down for my next trip. I also participate in the "One Surf Fly" contest in SD, which I recommend that you attend.

Thanks Bender, I learned some stuff from your posts on this topic as well.

Rock on!!!
 
#20 ·
Well thank you all for the great info, now I need to know if I did something pointless

Probably going yaking with some people tomorrow, so didnt have time to order that line.

Went to a local fly shop and picked up a rio 30ft 600 grain shooting head, all they had.

Anyhow, would I now be too heavy for the rod? 350 grain + 600 grain?

It's only looped on one end so if i should cut it down what does everyone recommend?
 
#23 ·
Anyhow, would I now be too heavy for the rod? 350 grain + 600 grain?

It's only looped on one end so if i should cut it down what does everyone recommend?
Yes together they are too heavy and you can not use shorter section either because Rio head weights 20gr/ft and Coastal Express 12.5gr/ft. Too much difference which makes loop behaving erratic. But then I might be wrong as I have not tried such a line.

You can cast 30ft/600gr head alone although it behaves bit "clunky". However very big (wind resistant but not too heavy) fly calms line behavior.
 
#21 ·
This stuff involves work man, no way around it. I look at it as a labor of love.

I would go back to the fly shop with your reel and the 350gr coastal express on it have them chop the head off the line and put a loop at the end of the running line and a loop at the back end of the head on the coastal express. Then have them put a loop at the front end of the rio shooting head you bought from them.

For tomorrow I would then loop the rio shooting head to the running line from the coastal express, just put a 4' to 6' mono leader at the end of the shooting head.

With the aid of youtube you could do all of this yourself, but if that fly shop is cool they should do it for you.
 
#24 ·
Reasonable pricing

Nice pricing Poppy. 40$ for 30ft at my local Cabellas. Makes for an inexpensive line if had from you. Plus you want more than 30' for a salt water line. So that works out to 24$ for a 40ft head.

Another poster was talking about 50ft heads for overhead casting. Personally I like 40 ft or less. Those 37' outbounds seem to be just about right.
I bought a 750gr Rio Leviathon line because it has a 70lb test core. It's only 30ft long but it casts. I can throw a 10" fly on an 8/0 tuna hook about 140ft. Not always a pretty loop, but it goes far. Used on a 10/11wt 14'9 rod.

JP
 
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