[Stefan S]

I´ve learned and I´m still learning underhand casting and use shooting heads between 35´ and 40´.
When I had one of the less oportunities to cast some different spey rods I feel that they are different easy to cast with the short lines and my casting skills. For example a 14´ Loop Yellow Line for me is much easier to cast than my old 12´6´´ 9/10 wt Sage. The Sage feels stiffer and more difficult to load when underhand casting while the Loop feels much smoother and seems to cast by itself.
Although I think the underhand cast is nothing more than one way of spey casting, are different rods better suited for this technique? Are there general rules what is the best suited rod action for casting short heads?
Stefan

 

[Big K1]

Hi Stefan,

I still think the Sage 9140( I have the green IIIe) is
a great shorthead rod that throws tips well. It works
great underhand. I like the CND 1308 Custom for
underhand also. I have cast all sorts of rods but these
are the only 2 I feel like I know well enough to comment on.

Kevin

 

[Bob Pauli]

Stefan

The 14' Loop Yellow is a sweet rod. I agree with your comment.

 

[mattzoid]

I have three Loop rods and they are the best for the underhand cast. If you use the the Loop adapted line, you will be in heaven. Goran designed these rods, for that purpose, with those adapted lines. After all, it is his cast. For a Skagit head and its particular presentation, I prefer my CND Skagit rod. For overhead bazooka shots, I use my Talon Midgar. As with all advice, the most important is trying as many rods and line combo's as possible. Impatience will cost you in the long run.

Matt Burke

 

[Dana]

medium-fast through fast progressive action two-handers have become the standards for underhand casting with shooting heads. Goran Andersson at Loop designs this style of rod, but you also see them in the stables of other manufacturers (the GLX rods the Syrstads designed with Loomis, the Scierra Two-Handers designed by Mortensen). Within the range "medium-fast through fast" there will be a rod action that feels best for the style of an individual caster, and for the kinds of fishing situations a caster prefers. I cut my teeth on medium "Spey" action rods when I was learning to cast, so I tend to like underhand rods a little more on the medium side of things--love the Loop Yellows, and the Loop Blues which are a bit faster than the Yellows, and the new Grays that flex like a Yellow but have the quick recovery of a faster action rod.

In general, the faster rods suit the underhand style with shooting heads because they perform very well when cast with the short, heavy head systems. This is especially true of the Loop rods as they are designed for underhand casting, and Loop also designs complimentary line systems to perfectly match each rod that they make. This was one of the main reasons I became involved with Loop--they have an angling philosophy that covers the entire flyfishing experience and they make complete tackle systems based on this philosophy. If you are interested in underhand casting you need look no further than Loop.

A rod with a more traditional action won't be as easy to underhand cast because you will need to really adjust your timing and avoid overpowering the rod with the short, crisp and powerful casting stroke that characterizes the underhand cast.

Stefan, I'm glad you like your Yellow for the Underhand cast--the 15ft Yellow is my main teaching rod, while the 14ft Yellow is among my all round favorite rods.

 

[Moose]

Dana

I just got a Loop Blue 11'6" 7 and am looking for heads. Could you explain how the adapted heads are designed (multi tips or interchangeable heads?) and reccomend the right one for this rod? Where in the US can I obtain these? Much thanks!! Am also considering the Rio SSH as I already have a bunch of DC tips @ 15' & 3-8 ips and a reel loaded with Airflo polyshoot XT floating shooting line. Am going to use the rod for both overhead and underhand casting to American shad and striped bass in the American river.

 

[Dana]

hey Moose!

The Adapted heads are complete shooting heads looped at the rear so you can attach them to running line and at the front so you can add Loop's interchangeable sinktip system called Line Tips. For the 7116 (my favorite Dean River dry fly rod) you want the ADH116LF for a floating line; the heads are also available in 4 other densities for this rod: ADH116FI (sinktip), ADH116CI (clear intermediate), ADH116SS (slow sink), & ADH116FS (fast sink). The lines are also available as a complete kit called the Adapted Line Kit (ADHKIT116) with running line and Line Tips included.

For the Line Tips, you can choose from the ALT7-8I (intermediate), the ALT7-8FS (fast sink), and the ALT7-8SFS (super fast sink).

Loop has a number of US retailers who should be able to get you these lines. Have a look a www.loopusa.com for a dealer list. It appears that the closest dealers to you who are also speypages/FORUM sponsors are The Fly Fishing Shop (www.flyfishusa.com) and Kaufmann's (www.kman.com).

 

[Ol Rich]

Loop equipment

I purchased my Loop products from Aaron at River Run Anglers, also a sponsor. http://www.speyshop.com

Rich

 

[Moose]

Dana

So would I be able to buy the ADH116F and use my tips on it or does loop have sink tip designs that need to be purchased to work with this head. Or am I missing the boat here. You said they're looped front and rear. Are the heads interchangeable for different depths and "sinking heads" as opposed to "floating shooting heads with interchangeable sinking tips"? Sorry for all the questions but Loops website doesn't give much in the way of user friendly specifics.

 

[JR SPEY]

As Dana noted, these are complete heads. What Loop calls line tips are in actuality polyleaders. Your Rio tips will overload the rod, but any brand of polyleader should do the job for you. These combinations (Loop Adapted heads and polyleaders) are about all I use any more except for really extreme conditions.

 

[Moose]

Thanks Dana and Jr Spey

Now I understand! I have sent a couple e mail requests out asking if this line/kit is in stock. Loop website doesn't show the ADH116 lines, so I'm hoping they're still actually available.

 

[JR SPEY]

According to their catalog, every Adapted line is available in the ADH 116 except the LONG floating head and the LONG sinktip head. That means you can get the low float, sinktip, intermediate, and sinking in the ADH 116.

 

[Finnfly]

Hello everybody!

In Scandinavia the GLX 15´ is maybe the best allround rod for shooting heads, hands down.
There are several great rods aswell and here are fwe what I like...

Guideline Salar 12´6" 9-10
Guideline XTS 14´4 10-11
Vision Extreme 15´ 10-11
Loop Blue Line 14´
G.Loomis GLX 12´6 9-10
GuideLine LPXe 15 and 12´6 8-9 rods
Greys GRX 15
Bruce & Walker Norwegian Spey caster...15´

and the old brown 15´ Sage III.

 

[mattzoid]

Finnfly,

Are you underhand casting or are these the rods that you prefer for the overhead cast. I know Leif Stavmo loves his GLX 15' for the overhead. I got lucky and picked up a Talon Midgar 13' and this has been the best for overheading. For underhanding, I always go back to my Loop rods.

Matt Burke

 

[Finnfly]

Hello Matt!

Yes he loves it
I use these for both, specially underhand casting whit little longer heads ( 11,6-14,6m ), but also for overhead casting where I have found GuideLine XTS 14´4" rod to work best -lots of power
or Salar series...

Thight lines!

 

[riverrat]

Hello,
Do you guys feel a Rio MidSpey line would have too long a belly for the Blueline 12' 6"? Sounds like the rod is designed more for a shorter shooting head line. I already own the line (8/9) and am going to get the rod. But hey, if I need a new line, I need a new line.

My current casting technique can be described as a sort of underhand, overhand chopping wood kind of thing. I'm working on improving that!

JD

 

[Dana]

'rat,

I really think you need to buy one of the new 9/10 Loop Quattros for your new rod! :lildevl:

however, yes, your MidSpey 8/9 will be just fine.

 

[riverrat]

Thanks, Dana.
Comparing the stats of the 2 lines, it looks like the head on the Quattro 9/10 is 14' shorter and a little lighter than the MidSpey 8/9. Loop line is probably even harder to come by than Loop rods. Seems like the shops like to stock Rio. At least the shops here in Bend, OR.

Just made me think of the other day when a gentleman at a local flyshop and I were talking about Orvis lines. He told me that there are only 3 companies in the US that manufacture flyline. Rio, Cortland and I forgot the other one. He said the Orvis tip kit line is basically the same line as a Rio, just the coating is different (Wonderline coating). Do you know if this is true? Even if this is true, I would imagine Loop (not a US manufacturer) is manufacturing their own line. Interesting subject. I don't know if it's true.
JD

 

[Dana]

Lines

'rat,

yes, it is true that there are only a few line makers in North America. Rio, Cortland, Scientific Anglers are the majors in the US (I think there is one more, Monic?) and there is or used to be one in Canada (I can't remember the name, but Rick Whorwood would know I think). In the UK there is Airflo, Masterline and Shakespeare I think. I don't know who makes the Orvis lines but it is probably one of "the Big Three" mentioned above.

The Quattro is shorter than the MidSpey--it has a head length similar to the Windcutter and the Delta Spey. We just received our first order of the Quattros here in Canada and they're pretty much spoken for already, but more are on the way. That great review in Trout and Salmon last fall really got people's attention.

 

[JR SPEY]

riverrat

The answer to your other question is that Airflo now makes Loop lines. At least that was true up to a very short time ago, and I've received no information that it has changed. Loop develops the tapers, etc. and Airflo does the manufacturing.