[natrix]

I have a 8/9 fast action two hander, and Im looking for a line that would be good for throwing fly's in the surf. I was thinking about the Rio Scandinavian shooting heads, or maybe a Windcutter with tips, or a single hander line like a SA Head Start. Any comments on what’s good, what works, or why not.

Natrix

 

[sean]

General consensus is you want a head to be shorter than 40' and longer than 35'. Around 38' seems to give one the best combo of fishability and casting. With a windcutter type head at 55' it can be a pain to get the head back out the guides after stripping it in. Especially in the surf when you add wave action to the mix. The longer heads will cast farther but I just find them impractical for fishing if you find yourself stripping all the way in to the tip like we do for salmon out here and stripers on the east coast. Too much of a pain to get the head back out of the guides for my taste.

35' heads and shorter just do not do a good job of holding the casting energy and on longer casts the energy will shoot out the line and kill distance. At least there are none on the market at this time that will do it.

A RIO scando head cut back will work but I know Simon at RIO said they are coming out with a new integrated line with a 37.5 head that is geared towards overhead casters with a 2 handed rod. Should be out in a month or so and I am really looking forward to getting some for my atlantis.

Airflo also makes one that should be out soon but it may be too heavy for your rod.

Full lines like the airflo clear saltwater line work well but do not cast as far as a head system.

Last question, what are you fishing for?

-sean

 

[kush]

The boys at Kaufmanns tell me that the new Rio Skagit head 7/8 is an awesome match for the 9wt CND Atlantis rod and it follows the specs that Sean refers to.

 

[Moose]

The boys at Kaufmanns tell me that the new Rio Skagit head 7/8 is an awesome match for the 9wt CND Atlantis rod and it follows the specs that Sean refers to.

So how are they rigging that. Isn't is 27 feet? Putting regular Rio sink tips would put you over 40 feet (but might still actually work very well). Are they adding lenths of T14 or the Cheaters and short sections of T14, or what??



On my Atlantis I did try the Airflo Beach line demo, but it taped out to only 29 feet and change and the energy blows out the end of the head. My Loop Quattro @ 575 grains and 51 feet was too long and too light.

 

[sean]

Moose I think you got an early proto of that airflo line. The production ones are going to be longer.

-sean

 

[natrix]

What are you fishing for

Sean

Australian Bonito (Sarda australis), Tailor (Pomatomus saltatrix), and Australian Salmon (Arripis trutta).

Natrix

 

[kush]

Moose,

That Airflo line is for the 1111 Atlantis as I have not seen one yet for the 9 weight. I have not yet got a Skagit 7/8. But the guys at Kaufmanns were not using cheaters or the like, just adding standard tips. From what I can gather the 40'-ish length seems to be about right anyway.

Maybe Ryan can share some of the stuff they found out in their experiments with the Atlantis.

 

[Moose]

Yeah, my comments were referring to the 11/11 and were mostly to confirm Sean's point about head length. Too short and the cast sort of explodes through the head, too long and it can be a pain picking up and moving as well as getinng it pack out after stripping the fly in. The weight felt right at 552 grains.

I've heard that the Airflo coldwater Striper lines in 10 weight are great on the 9/10 Atlantis.

 

[doublespey]

Fwiw

I was playing with a Skagit 7/8 and 15' 9wt type 8 in the parking lot, overhanding with a 12' 8wt T&T (seems comparable to the 9wt Atlantis) and Sparkey and I agreed it cast quite well.

I think it would work even better with the 10' 7/8 or 8/9 cheater and a floating poly leader, but haven't had a chance to try that combo out yet.

I've tried a few lines on this rod for overhand casting and the Skagit 7/8 was the best by far.

DS

 

[FKrow]

I also have the CND Atlantis in 11wt 111-3 and my casting style is very comfortable with 550 grains at 40-42ft head. I use an old Cortland Big Game WF12I cut at 40ft with braided running line. Unfortunately this line weight is discontinued in the Intermediate Big Game series.

My CND Atlantis 9/10wt 110-3 is not dialed in yet, more testing this spring however, we have more choices in the 10-11wt lines.

AirFlo has been scheduling "another two weeks" since last November for their new special lines designed for these rods.

Regards,
Fred Krow

 

[juro]

Hi Fred -

Sounds like you are settled into a nice line for the spring migration off the backside beaches with the surf-tamer.

I have found a few lines to be nice on the 1109 depending on usage. For a lighter big surf rod, I put a 35ft 10wt sinking shooting head on 50# slickshooter and let it rip. The 45ft will permit longer casts but the 35 hits 115-125ft consistently even in cross winds so I stick with the easier re-load at 35ft.

On estuaries, any of the 9wt or 10wt clear intermediate lines will load it for 80-90ft casts, and the floater has come back into my arsenal for the flats after years of being reserved for bonefishing duty only.

The Rio Skagit 7/8 is a head that takes a variety of tips - clear intermediate, fast sinking, floating, etc. Even with 15ft tips it is rumored to be a perfect match for the 1109 by my friend and mentor Dennis Worley, not only for overhead but also for Skagit casting. I am salivating to try them!

New beach lines are coming from Rio...

Simon says:

It's going to be available in early summer and is called the "Outbound". You'll see a series of ads for it soon enough! The #12 should be ideal on the Atlantis. It has a 37.5 ft long head, weighing around 550 grains and a total length of 120 ft. The taper gives it a very smooth casting loop, yet easily carries the biggest striper flies. Funnily enough Jim and I were casting it this morning and had on one of those very large Striper Dragon's flies on. Extreme distance was easy.....

Enjoy it Juro........
Simon

I am champing at the bit to try them out, and will post a report.

 

[natrix]

A solution to the problem

I finaly got a TFO12124 two hander. I have also been collecting a few lines that I bought for another rod and have been trying them out on the TFO 12124. Here is the skinny.

30 ft of T14 at 420 grains shoots OK but it requires some skill to get it to turn over, I notice a heavyer fly and a short stiff leader help. The shooting line I used was Rio Slick Shooter.

Airflow Multihead ST10FI works great it seems to load the rod well with about 40 ft outside the tip and then shoots with relative ease to 110 ot 120 ft. The shooting line I used was Cortland braded shooting line which is a little rough on the hands if you ask me. The head is about 480 grains I think. I had to weigh it in two coils so 480 is approximate.

Rio Scandinavian Shooting Head 9/10 type 3. I have been working with this line with all 44 feet. The problem initially was my running line to head connection wasnt going through the guieds very well, ( The but end of the line is realy fat) once I got that trimmed down so that I could false cast the head out past this connection it would shoot great. I think at 660 grains its a bit to heavy and Ill need to cut it back.

Now for the best part. I got a Rio Outbound WF12F/I, in the mail today and took it out in the yard. Man oh man what a match made in heaven, its like hitting a nail all the way in with one swing of the hammer blind folded on the first try. With the head just at the tip guied one false cast produces a nice tight pointy loop and away it goes all 120 ft with the leader turning over at the end. Mmmmmmmm...

Natrix

 

[Guest]

Obviously you are in Australia, which might put some stoppers on things you can get. Try a TalonRa 8/9 head for their 14 footer. it is 32 feet and 490gns. Or you could try standard heads or lines in 12/3/14 weight class.
Other options are Loop adaptive heads, the 8/9 ss is 30 feet plus the adaptive tip, 9 feet 30gns, which gives you a head of 39 feet and 446 gns over all.
Look at www.Looptackle.se
You might find that fast sink lines are better in surf and off other platforms, most fish in salt water are caught under the surface anyway.
NOt many people in Aus use or keep DH bits and pieces, but if you want to try a cheap, very, full 12 # line, then I can get one for you at miserly prices. Its nothing flash, but its 13 dollars, and you can't complain about that.
Other options are LC 13 or T14 heads which in 35 foot lengths are LC13,455gns and T14 490gns. Ypu should add a good tapered leader about 6 feet long with the butt diameter matching the LC or T14 line to stop dumping.
If you have any questions, send me a mail. MaxG

 

[Guest]

Sorry about that, I didn't read the funny bits, are you visiting, or whatever. I'd suggest Loop or standar, Cortland or SA shooting heads fitted with loop adaptive tips. Cheers Max