Two Hander In The Tropical Salt

[alhuger]

In the first half of next year I'll be traveling to the tropics a couple of times and am planning on getting some fishing in. While I'll be bone fishing with my single handers I am also very likely to spend a good deal of time fishing from shore or in the flats without a guide and casting blind. I am going to bring along (or am really thinking about..) a two hander set up.

 

The only problem with taking the two hander is finding an actual spey line that will be stand up to warm tropical water. To date I have found nothing. If anyone knows of a tropical water spey line I would love to hear about it. Until then it looks like my best bet (that I've been able to dig up) is a Rio Outbound Tropical for overhead casting. I plan to overline, by two sizes, my Z-Axis with one of the these and give it a shot. Anyone have a different rig they might suggest? Essentially I want to both fish and practice my spey cast, I am not particularly worried about spooking fish with a noisy line etc.

 

-al

[Guest bigbadbrent]

What weight rods are you planning on bringing, and are you only focusing on Bones?

 

 

Most guys that do salt, if they're doing the two handed thing, will not be spey casting, as its not as useful as overhand casting with shooting heads, since you're not worried about a lack of room behind you (flats for example)

[alhuger]

What weight rods are you planning on bringing, and are you only focusing on Bones?

 

 

The rods:

7, 8, 9

 

 

No, not only on bones although they will be in the majority where I am headed. I will also have a shot at permit, cudas, jack and pretty much anything which might be around a reef or on the flats. My previous experience though says that, for me, bones will be easier to catch, even blind casting. Who knows though...

[speyghillie]

Hi Al,

There are a couple of companies in the UK that make Spey lines for fishing in the tropic's, , line rating in the UK is about one wt lighter than lines made in the US, will check them out tomorrow and if they are any good i can bring one or two over in January if thats any good.

Will check them out tomorrow and let you know the detail.

Gordon.

[alhuger]

Hi Al,

There are a couple of companies in the UK that make Spey lines for fishing in the tropic's, , line rating in the UK is about one wt lighter than lines made in the US, will check them out tomorrow and if they are any good i can bring one or two over in January if thats any good.

Will check them out tomorrow and let you know the detail.

Gordon.

 

 

Gordon,

 

Outstanding, I will PM you.

[ogilvie]

Hello you guys...??

I just sent several lines South myself...One of the Lines is a Snowbee Tarpon line(intermediate) that is very heavy and slick..I did use it here on the west coast for Coho but found it too much for my 8/9 Switch,thats right,tooo much. The line weight was 48gr.,about 750 grains...ideal for a smallish Two Hander. If you are useing a longer than 12' Two Hander then shooting heads is the way to go...adapt a Scandanavian Short Head shooting head with a slick running line and you are off to the races. I have a dealer in Belize that has gone through several dozen this year..lost most of the lines to shark hook-ups!

[alhuger]

Hello you guys...??

I just sent several lines South myself...One of the Lines is a Snowbee Tarpon line(intermediate) that is very heavy and slick..I did use it here on the west coast for Coho but found it too much for my 8/9 Switch,thats right,tooo much. The line weight was 48gr.,about 750 grains...ideal for a smallish Two Hander. If you are useing a longer than 12' Two Hander then shooting heads is the way to go...adapt a Scandanavian Short Head shooting head with a slick running line and you are off to the races. I have a dealer in Belize that has gone through several dozen this year..lost most of the lines to shark hook-ups!

 

Should I have any concern that the Scandi head might turn too soft to cast in the warm water? I suppose if a guy in Belize is doing it then I should be able to pull it off. Of course I am pulling this assumption out of thin air. I will be fishing in the bahamas (and staying on the windward side of the island, less flats more coves and rocks & reef) and in Playa Del Carmen (so on the flats and reef fishing). I keep getting told that a two hander is a poor idea on the flats for a whole series of reasons. I am still going to bring it and try to get something working, life is short and I am having fun learning the two hander.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

get a blue/sea colored line, don't wear bright colors, you'll be fine

[ogilvie]

The coatings and core are the issues with Tropics lines...many of you lake and cold water fishers know what coiled fly lines are like...yet they perform better in warmer waters...Mono core lines are or have been the saving lines in the heat..Today the coatings are much better and designed to hold their body better in the heat...

as for bringing Two Handers to the deep south is really not an issue...but I do know that the guides don't like Two Handers there...if you are a good caster and have a good line then 100' casts are simply made with One pick-up and cast...you may only have One shot...

Surf casting is something else though...

C

PS..the Snowbee Tarpon Line is(sky blue) designed for One pick-up and fire....quite the line...but you need a good stick!

C

[speyghillie]

Hi Al,

Looked at some lines in the UK, but from some reason the companies i knew had them don't do them anymore, guess they just did'nt sell as a Speyline, such a small market i guess.

I would try and sort someting out with Islandguy or the nearest i could find today was a Hardy Zane, never cast one so i'm useless on that one.

I have a few lines none Saltwater, but i can bring them over to the Bahamas if you pay for my ticket, getting sick of this cold weather, it was -10 here last night, guess it will be ok as i'm in sunny Calgary next month and i know it will be cookin hot.

Gordon.

[reevesr1]

Al,

There is a fishing website in Texas that has a fly fishing section. I saw a kid with a picture of a two hander he uses in the surf and the massive spanish mac he caught with it. You could either join and ask question or just send me the question and I'll ask it. There are not that many people fly fishing down there, so the responses can be slow. Also, I have seen some spey questions on the board, and lots of people saying it wasn't effective in salt (?) I actually asked Gordon about that when he was here and he said that was BS!

 

http://www.2coolfishing.net/ttmbforum/

 

Scroll down and you will see the fly fishing link

[alhuger]

Al,

There is a fishing website in Texas that has a fly fishing section. I saw a kid with a picture of a two hander he uses in the surf and the massive spanish mac he caught with it. You could either join and ask question or just send me the question and I'll ask it. There are not that many people fly fishing down there, so the responses can be slow. Also, I have seen some spey questions on the board, and lots of people saying it wasn't effective in salt (?) I actually asked Gordon about that when he was here and he said that was BS!

 

http://www.2coolfishing.net/ttmbforum/

 

Scroll down and you will see the fly fishing link

 

Fantastic, thanks Rick.

[speyghillie]

Hi Guys,

I have done a fair bit of Speycasting in the Salt, but not in the heat( never seems to get that hot in Tofino), and in the cold water , ihave ne need to worry about my Speylines, i just give them a quick wash with warm water after.

Speycasting out of a Jetboat can be very usefull and much safer, i have no need to worry about the structue of the boat or anybody on it, my buddy casts one side at the back right handed i'm on the other left handed, this works really well as casting the long line keeps a good distance between me and the fish so less disturbance with the jetboat, and i don't scare everyone on board, when i fish wether it be single or double -handed, quiet is king, i learnt this fishing the Spey as a kid for Sea-trout at night (not easy casting in the pitch dark).

Speycasting has so many applications, but you can get caught up in thinking you need to much stuff, for the tropic's you will need a line to suit , Scierra used to make one, but it seems they have stopped making them.

Gordon.

 

Al, there is still no sign of my tickets.

[reevesr1]

Al,

Posted. Here ya go:

 

http://www.2coolfishing.net/ttmbforum/show...789#post1389789

[alhuger]

Hi Guys,

I have done a fair bit of Speycasting in the Salt, but not in the heat( never seems to get that hot in Tofino), and in the cold water , ihave ne need to worry about my Speylines, i just give them a quick wash with warm water after.

Speycasting out of a Jetboat can be very usefull and much safer, i have no need to worry about the structue of the boat or anybody on it, my buddy casts one side at the back right handed i'm on the other left handed, this works really well as casting the long line keeps a good distance between me and the fish so less disturbance with the jetboat, and i don't scare everyone on board, when i fish wether it be single or double -handed, quiet is king, i learnt this fishing the Spey as a kid for Sea-trout at night (not easy casting in the pitch dark).

Speycasting has so many applications, but you can get caught up in thinking you need to much stuff, for the tropic's you will need a line to suit , Scierra used to make one, but it seems they have stopped making them.

Gordon.

 

Al, there is still no sign of my tickets.

 

Thanks Gordon, I appreciate you looking for me. I tend to get gear happy, I think to compensate for less time than I would like on the water frankly. That and I get mesmerized by shiny things. What can I say?

 

As for the tropics, I am still mulling over a shooting head like an outbound tropical simply because I will likely get good use out of it and I need a salt line for my 8 wt. I still have a few months to mull it over though so I am not committed to anything yet. I plan on fishing the salt this coming year in northern BC for salmon again and I am planning on using the two hander and spey casting for exactly the reasons you mentioned. The offer on beer still stands of course, as for the tickets - Scotland to YYC?

 

 

-al

[alhuger]

Al,

Posted. Here ya go:

 

http://www.2coolfishing.net/ttmbforum/show...789#post1389789

 

Rick,

 

You are a gentleman, after I get my daughter to sleep I will sign up and read it.

 

cheers,

al