Lines? So you are thinking about diving headfirst into the big confusing world of spey fishing. Congratulations, that is a big step, but ...
Lines?
So you are thinking about diving headfirst into the big confusing world of spey fishing. Congratulations, that is a big step, but it is totally worth it. Let's talk about lines. In a previous post, we discussed spey and switch rods, and touched on the types of casting. This will go a little deeper into which lines to use.
Before we go too far, let's get this out of the way: Big Y Fly Company is located in the heart of steelhead country. The hatchery where Skamania summer steelhead (the most widely distributed hatchery steelhead) originated is within view of our office. We live and breathe steelhead, but we also don't get out to the beach to do any overhand casting or any type of modified spey casting for other scenarios. We tend to stick to the basic swinging techniques here, and there are three basic styles of casting that we use to target steelhead.
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| Skagit heads are short and have blunt front tapers, and need a tip on the front. Built for throwing heavy flies. |
Skaigt casting is the most effective way to deliver a heavy fly and sink tip to fish in fast, cold water. It uses a short, heavy line (head) to create a deep load on the rod, which then unloads with incredible power to deliver that heavy setup over long distances.
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| Scandi Lines are lighter and have long front tapers, perfect for gentle presentations with traditional flies |
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| Traditional lines are long and light, built for long rods and lave usually integrated running lines. |
Traditional lines are the grandfathers of the group. Let's be honest, traditional spey casting is dying along with the lines to do it. We rarely, if ever, see guys in the Northwest doing it old school. By that, I mean using 14'+ rods and long belly lines. There is still a pretty decent following on the Idaho's Clearwater River and there are a few guys around the area that dabble, but it is increasingly rare to see anyone fishing the big sticks anymore.
Traditional style casting uses very long (50'+) heads, usually integrated as a whole line. The advantage is that there is no stripping in of any running line in between casts. You are really just moving the line from downstream to across the stream. It is very difficult compared to Skagit or Scandi casting. The hardest part is that it wears you out very quickly. Those rods that are used for traditional casts are long and heavy, and the energy that it takes to learn is wearing me out just thinking about it.
So there are three styles of casting and about 40 line choices to go with them. When I do lessons, I recommend that anglers use the equipment that they have, or are going to use the most. Don't learn on someone else's stuff. Learn on what you are going to fish with. That being said, if you are going to get a set up from the ground up, start with a Skagit head. It is the most versatile line and it is easy to learn with. Scandi casting is just about as easy to learn, but the long front taper does tend to create tailing loops and wind knots when learning. Those are easy enough to fix once the foundations are there.
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| So many choices! Don't get confused! |
Rod Length
Typical spey rods between 12'-14' do really well with the Skagit heads in the 23' to 25' range. All of the major line makers are doing their Skagit heads in that range now. I don't dislike any of the major brands and I have cast them all. As long as they match the rod, all of the lines are a little different, but all of them are quality. RIO, Scientific Anglers, Loop, Airflo, Beulah, Nextcast, all good lines.
Switch rods (or spey rods under 12'6") should have a head or line that matches. Lines have been getting shorter and shorter over the past ten years and I think we have hit the point of diminishing returns. RIO Skagit Max Short is about 20' and has that mama bear feel to it on most switch rods. OPST's Commando Head is a few feet shorter and it has its limitations, especially on rods over 11'. It is easy to blow an anchor, the stroke needs to be very small, and the loops tend to roll over themselves in mid air. But on the other side of things, longer heads on short rods tend to fail. It can take so much energy to get the line moving that there isn't much left for the cast, resulting in poor loops and flat, splashy casts.
Scandi heads are a pretty much the same as far as line length. If you take a Skagit line and add the 10' sink tip, the whole setup is 33' for an average spey rod. Scandi heads are usually 31' - 38' range and don't need a tip, so just about the same total lengths for Scandi and Skagit lines.
Switch rods do best with shorter Scandi heads in the 31'-33' range, like the RIO Scandi Short. My longer 13'9" 9wt. likes a 38' RIO Scandi head. Heads typically get longer as they get heavier to correspond with heavier rods generally being longer.
Grain Windows?
Rods are amazingly versatile. They respond to light lines, long lines, heavy lines and short lines. Some rods eat up heavy lines, some stress out a little. So what should you do about it? Most spey and switch rods will come with a recommended grain window, often printed on the rod itself, or in literature on the manufacturer's (or our) website. Some even break it down to Scandi and Skagit windows. There are lots of resources to help you find the right window. We are always happy to help if you just want to call us and skip the research. Generally, beginners will benefit from a heavier setup as it is easier to feel the load.
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| Rio ConnectCore is a great running line |
Most spey lines on the market are just a head. No running line attached. So there is just a 20'-30' line in the box. You need to add a level shooting/running line (they are the same thing) behind the head, because backing is not fun to fish with. Beginners should get a running line that feels like a traditional fly line. It's less change to become comfortable with than going with a mono or braided running line. RIO's Powerflex Max .030" is my favorite coated line. I think the .030" diameter is the right combination of easy handling and distance for most of what we do around here. While there are other diameters, the .030" is perfect for most steelheading scenarios.
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| Amnesia has been around forever! |
Mono running lines are the next step (some say a step back in time...) if you want to make that leap right away. They have been around since the 1960's when shooting heads were invented and first became popular at the Golden Gate Casting Club. They shoot waaaayyy farther, and do not produce ice buildup in the guides during the coldest days of winter. They also do not float, and tend to get tangled, as well as being a little harder to keep a hold of because they are slick and small in diameter. But for $4, Amnesia might be worth trying out if you are willing to deal with the issues. For those of us that fish a lot, mono running lines are about the only way to go.
Sink Tips
Skagit lines need sink tips. Its a fact of life. They need specific sink tips, not just any old tip. They are built to throw Tungsten coated tips (T-material) in 10', 12/5' or 15' lengths. RIO MOW Light T-8 is the lightest Skagit tip out there. T-8 means 8 grains per foot, so the whole tip weighs 80 grains. It is difficult to throw lighter tips than 80 grains on most Skagit heads. 10' tips are perfect for most switch and spey rods using Skagit heads, but the others have an appropriate time and place if you are into collecting sink tips. MOW Light tips are all 8 grains/foot, MOW Medium are all 11 gr/foot (T-11), and MOW Heavy are 14gr/foot (T-14). They come heavier than that, but they are rarely used.
For learning on a Skagit head, floating tips are crucial. They will not get hung up in rocks as you are learning. Lessons often occur in shallow water spots and it is really nice to have a tip that doesn't sink. All of those MOW tips come in a floating version. The MOW Medium is a great tip for most 7wt rods (the most common NW Steelhead rod).
OPST Commando Tips are great too. You can get a bit more custom on the length, grain weights and sink rates, as they have 5' tips, 7.5' tips and 12' tips in a variety of sink rates and grain weights.
Scandi lines do not need tips, except for specialty Versi-tip lines like the Scandi Short Versitip. The heaviest tip in a Versi-tip system is still lighter than the lightest T-8 tip for a Skagit head, and don't actually do much as far as getting a fly down quickly. Many anglers like to use a sinking, coated leader (like a Versileader) on Scandi lines, but it is rare and unnecessary for the most part. Scandi lines are meant to be fished near or on the surface. I love seeing a fish come up and crush my little fly, and I can't get that in the winter, so I take advantage as much as I can in the summer.
Switch Specific Lines
There are a few lines that are made just for switch rods. They are usually fully integrated lines (running line attached to a head like a traditional fly line), built for nymphing or dry fly fishing, but can do a little swinging if needed.
Switch Lines like RIO Switch Chucker and RIO Switch Line are good for what they do, but terrible at the things that they are not built for. If you want to nymph on your switch rod, get one of these. If you want to swing flies, get a Skagit or Scandi head.
The Switch Chucker is good for nymphing with really heavy flies. it will turn over just about anything. You can put a sink tip on it if you really have to, but it doesn't perform anything like a Skagit Head will.
The Switch Line is lighter and longer. It is a little easier to manage, but it does not turn over a really heavy fly setup as well as the Switch Chucker. Much, much less clunky, this line is far more enjoyable to cast.
A Couple of Scenarios
Can I nymph with a Skagit head? No, but yes. Skagit heads do not float all that well. You'll need a Rio MOW Floating tip and its still not a great option. Skagit heads sit lower in the water than a traditional dry line because the intent is to create more drag on the water in order to get an easier load.. They also do not form nice, pretty loops when you cast nymphs. A lot of casts end up in a jumbled, tangled mess. The second thing is that running lines are usually limp. This makes it very hard to mend. All that being said, in a pinch, it can be done. Can I throw heavy stuff on Scandi lines? If you like frustration. Scandi heads just don't have the weight or taper in the front end to turn over anything big. It is like this: You can hit a golf ball with a golf club and it will generally go where you want it to. You can hit a croquet ball with a croquet mallet and that goes where you want it, but I wouldn't try to hit a croquet ball with a golf club, nor a golf ball with a croquet mallet. They both serve a purpose and are very similar, but let's not push our luck.
OK, what about light stuff on a Skagit head? Yes! The drawback is that it is not very gentle. They tend to hit the water with some force, and don't always lay out perfectly straight. A really long leader does wonders for dispersing energy though.
Spey fishing with a single hand rod? Heck yeah! We do it all the time. I have a 10' 8wt that throws an OPST Commando head like there's no tomorrow. A traditional 8wt line is rated at 210 grains. I like a 350 grain Commando head with a 110 grain (T-11) tip, totaling 460 grains. In order to get the deep load that you need, the line must weigh that much more than a traditional fly line. My rod was never meant to flex like that, but it hasn't let me down yet. I have seen quite a few guys fishing for smallmouth around here with 9' 6wt rods and Commando heads.
Bottom line: Don't get frustrated. There is a lot of good and bad info out there. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call us!
-Fishing, usually not catching
