Bow River Shooting Heads

[dino]

Who's throwing compact shooting heads 20' to 25' (incl. Scand. and Skagits) in the 320 to 380gr range for the Bow? I feel this is more than adequate enough mass for most of the streamers we use. I would like to know your combination as well, type of rod, length, line weight, gr of tips?

 

Comments as well, anything you dislike? Or like?

 

Regards

Dean

[cheeler]

I've used a 380 grain Tonic line on my 12.5 ft 5/6 Deer Creek, with a 10ft polyleader on the end. It's a tad light, but this was a line for the 7/8 Beulah switch, so it's a good multitasker. It's 22.5 ft, so it shouldn't have problems throwing heavier tips, either.

[maxwell]

ive bin fishing the whistler line form loop mainly chopped back too 26grams and 25 feet... with a 11'6" 7wt...turns over 10 feet of t-6, t-8 n t-11 real nice and fishes all the bugs i like too toss! for a dryline ive bin using a compact scandi line i chopped down from the airflo tactical shooting head.. not sure the exact weight in grams but around the same... little longer tho maybe 35 feet!

[alhuger]

Who's throwing compact shooting heads 20' to 25' (incl. Scand. and Skagits) in the 320 to 380gr range for the Bow? I feel this is more than adequate enough mass for most of the streamers we use. I would like to know your combination as well, type of rod, length, line weight, gr of tips?

 

Comments as well, anything you dislike? Or like?

 

Regards

Dean

 

 

I fish a 360 Compact Airflo (22 ft) with 15 ft of type 6, 15 of type 3 or 12 feet of t-14. I have not found a floating head I can get to feel right so far. I generally fish a TFO DC 12.6 for the bow. My preference is the type 6 or 3 with that set up, I find moving t-14 a bit tedious with that rob and line combo.

 

al

[SilverDoctor]

I'm tossing a 350 grain Vision ace at 31 ft off my Meiser Highlander. Often add a 12' sink tip. also use a chopped Rio Windcutter at 28 ft running at 325 grains that work well along with a 400 Rio Skagit for those windy days to punch through wind. These also work well on the Deer Creek.

[dino]

Great combo's guys!

Alhuger,

How do you like the 360 gr compact with the heavier tips ie type 8's? Also, any issue with the big hairy streamers? Size 2/4 bow river buggers? Possibly articulated leeches with rabbit fur?

 

Silver Doctor,

What's the taper like on the vision ace? They are typically more of a scandi taper I believe. How does it favour with the heavy stuff?

 

Regards

Dean

[SilverDoctor]

Great combo's guys!

Silver Doctor,

What's the taper like on the vision ace? They are typically more of a scandi taper I believe. How does it favour with the heavy stuff?

Regards

Dean

 

I really like the Vision Ace, yes it's a Scandinavian taper, gives me a nice tight loop, on Sunday I was tossing skid bitches then later added a 14' a sink tip poly leader with cone head buggers with no problems firing them out there.

[wtforward]

Dino

 

I don't know if you would classify a Skagit as a shooting head. Perhaps

better described as a floating belly. The only reason it might matter is that

if the Scandi window you are interested in is 320 - 380 grn then the Skagit

window range could be 80 to 150 grn higher based on your casting style

and rod weight. Just trying to clarify for those just starting out in spey.

If any of the experts disagree please post their thoughts.

 

[headscan]

Dino

 

I don't know if you would classify a Skagit as a shooting head. Perhaps

better described as a floating belly. The only reason it might matter is that

if the Scandi window you are interested in is 320 - 380 grn then the Skagit

window range could be 80 to 150 grn higher based on your casting style

and rod weight. Just trying to clarify for those just starting out in spey.

If any of the experts disagree please post their thoughts.

Personally, I think of scandi and skagit both as shooting heads - ie. you cast them with the head entirely out of the rod tip and shoot line behind them. There are probably many who disagree, but it's a debate that's been done to death over on Spey Pages and elsewhere.

 

I agree with you about the difference in grain windows. I use a 360 grn compact scandi and 420 grn compact skagit on the same rod. The scandi for when I just want to swing a wet fly or skate a dry and the skagit for throwing small animals with a sink tip.

[wtforward]

Headscan

 

It goes without saying you can add a 15' mono to a Scandi and go fishing...you can

try the same show on a Skagit belly and it won't be pretty. But you are right

it is all in the eye of the beholder. Myself I would put a sinking something on

the Skagit floating belly (as in a sink tip not poly) for a more pleasant experience.

Maybe the cross over comes from the fact that you can get a floating tip

for a Skagit but for my money they were designed for different application

initially (tapers/presentation/top/bottom??).

[headscan]

http://www.rioproducts.com/product.php?recKey=112

Rio calls it a skagit shooting head so I must be right and you're wrong (note the little smiley dude means I'm joking)

 

Anyhow, back to the original question. I prefer the Airflo skagit and scandi short heads because I tend to fish shorter two-handed rods. For streamers I use a 420 grn with 15' type 3 and type 6 tips on a Loop Goran 6120. A little above the 380 grn upper limit, but I can't find a lighter two-handed rod with an action I like.

[dino]

http://www.rioproducts.com/product.php?recKey=112

Rio calls it a skagit shooting head so I must be right and you're wrong (note the little smiley dude means I'm joking)

 

Anyhow, back to the original question. I prefer the Airflo skagit and scandi short heads because I tend to fish shorter two-handed rods. For streamers I use a 420 grn with 15' type 3 and type 6 tips on a Loop Goran 6120. A little above the 380 grn upper limit, but I can't find a lighter two-handed rod with an action I like.

 

Headscan,

Did you ever get a chance to throw a skagit on the 4119?

 

Dean

[Mykiss]

I would consider the skagit a shooting head...not sure what else you can label it...it sure is not a long belly....nor a "mid" belly..... so I consider it a short head that you shoot line with..hence a shooting head....unless you wanna fish inside 30' ish than I guess its acutally just a short head that you don't strip nor shoot ...... That said I use to cut M/S's at the factory running line attach slickshooter and basically use the 65ft head as a shooting head soooooooo I'm confused all over again....

[headscan]

Headscan,

Did you ever get a chance to throw a skagit on the 4119?

 

Dean

No I didn't. The Airflo compact kit doesn't come with one that's light enough for it and that's what I used to dial my rods in. I hear the 360 grn they put out later works well on it, but I have the rod up for sale now because the action doesn't suit me.

[ScandiCaster]

Maybe another source for information might be the GuideLine site at;

 

 

GuideLine - Sweden/Canada/USA

 

These fellows have been at it since the late 60's. When we talk about "Scandi" systems these are the guys from Scandinavia that have the scoop.

 

In Calgary SouthBow will be putting on several workshops that might help out in late september and the first part of October.

 

ScandiCaster