T14 & Scandi

[alhuger]

Typically when I think of heavy bugs and T14 my thinking goes straight to skagit lines. Do scandi lines handle heavy sinking tips well? Is this a question relative to the skill of the caster? I know guys winter steelhead w/ scandi rigs and I have to assume it's not only in low water conditions so they must be using T14, no?

 

 

al

[toolman]

Hi Al,

The front tapers on Scandi lines are too fine and do not have enough mass at the tip to turn over a sink tip as heavy as T-14, unless it was a very short piece. The front taper of the Spey line must be at least 14 grains/foot to turn over T-14 and then there is the mass of the fly to add as well.

The majority of Scandi lines work well with medium size/weight flys and sink tips up to T-8, around 70-80 grains total. Some Scandi lines have fine tapers, such as the Elixir, AFS Heads, while others have stronger tapers, such as the AirFlo, Guideline PT, Vision Ace Short, Tonic Heads.

T-14 is for very large/heavy flies and deep and/or fast water. For Skagit, there are some lines that have a tapered tip such as the Airflo N.W. Skagit head, which allows the use of T-10, too about 90-100grains. Compact Skagits can handle T-14 and large flys with ease, as there is very little front taper and the line weight at the end of the Head may be 20-25 grains/foot or more.

[headscan]

Typically when I think of heavy bugs and T14 my thinking goes straight to skagit lines. Do scandi lines handle heavy sinking tips well? Is this a question relative to the skill of the caster? I know guys winter steelhead w/ scandi rigs and I have to assume it's not only in low water conditions so they must be using T14, no?

al

 

Maybe they're using sinking scandi lines or shooting heads? The Loop Opti Adapted shooting heads come in a few different sink rates http://www.looptackle.com/website1/1.0.1.0/392/1/index.php

[alhuger]

Thanks guys, great answers.

[ogilvie]

Lines like the Snowbee Short Head Scandanavian Spey Line (ultra fast sink) are great Scandi casting lines but rarely needed for the Bow...perhaps with the high dirty water you guys have had will see more of these being used.

C

[toolman]

A fast sinking Scandi head would have been excellent during the past 6 weeks of high flows on the Bow river. I used 14', T-8 tips, with weighted flys and seldom got hung up through the swing untill the line almost hit the bank on the hang down. Fortuneatly there were lots of trout holding in the slow water along the bank and striking when the fly finally reached the zone. There were many fish holding further off the bank in very fast water, but it was difficult getting the fly down deep enough and getting the swing speed correct.

[SilverDoctor]

Typically when I think of heavy bugs and T14 my thinking goes straight to skagit lines. Do scandi lines handle heavy sinking tips well? Is this a question relative to the skill of the caster? I know guys winter steelhead w/ scandi rigs and I have to assume it's not only in low water conditions so they must be using T14, no?

al

I was swinging a T8 with a Rio Skagit on the Bow Sunday and did well with quite a few browns on emergers. It seemed to hit the right depth. As the water recedes I usually go to T4 for swinging.

[toolman]

Flow rates have dropped from 300cms too 150cms in the past two weeks and the T-8 tips are now effective. Soon, floating and intermediate tips will be my go to set ups. I would like to try intermediate sinking heads for the fast riffle water.

[Mykiss]

Al,

 

With out a doubt the best set up for running any T-14 head in excess of 8 ft is the skagit set up... 8 ft and less can be handled on a Scando set up with out much problem...Yes you are right alot has to do with the operator also..some days in a hung over state 8 ft on my skagit set up seems more like the 20 ft section of T-14 that i use for my winter fishing...Long story short I am a firm believer in the right tool for the job....Skagit set up for big hairy bugs and tips.....And long/mid bellied for dry lines and small cute little bugs..Rather than try to find a line that does it all however does not shine in one thing particular...Just my thoughts

[alhuger]

Al,

 

With out a doubt the best set up for running any T-14 head in excess of 8 ft is the skagit set up... 8 ft and less can be handled on a Scando set up with out much problem...Yes you are right alot has to do with the operator also..some days in a hung over state 8 ft on my skagit set up seems more like the 20 ft section of T-14 that i use for my winter fishing...Long story short I am a firm believer in the right tool for the job....Skagit set up for big hairy bugs and tips.....And long/mid bellied for dry lines and small cute little bugs..Rather than try to find a line that does it all however does not shine in one thing particular...Just my thoughts

 

 

Amen to that, thanks. I went out this morning and was actually casting T-14 on both a scandi rig and my sgagit set up. I see what you mean on 8 ft being max. I was OK w/ 5 but was reticent to go much higher. The skagit was 12 ft no worries.

 

 

al