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 Post subject: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 4:54 pm • # 1 
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Joined: 12/10/14
Posts: 218
Location: Manitoba
I bought a few of the SA Spey tips last fall to try out with my 2 and 3 wt rods. Unfortunately we had an early winter and my attempts to Spey cast were quickly relegated to a single back cast and shooting the head. Fun, but I'm now anxious to practice the craft in the way it's done by several of our members.

The Spey tips I bought were all sinking versions so I dug out an old 10 wt WF line to cut back and perhaps get 2 heads; a 120 and a 160 grain version. Next I was trying to figure out where to start the line; whether at the tip, somewhere along the taper or at the beginning of the body. I looked into the length and shape of Spey lines and found an interesting article that suggested skagit heads be from 2.5 to 3.0 times the length of the rod used.

Now I wondered, does this also apply to micro skagit or is that relationship only applicable to the larger rods. If important, it's certainly relevant for me since my rods vary from 6' to 10'.

I'd be interested in any thoughts on micro skagit head length and on how much of the front end tip and taper to preserve when cutting the head from a 10 wt WF line.

Harry


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 5:40 pm • # 2 
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Joined: 07/10/09
Posts: 1555
Location: Plano Texas
Harry, I am no expert but have played around with short heads. I have settled on my 2 weight 8 foot TFO Professional a 180gr head which includes a tapered tip total length of 18 feet. For me with this rod I am very happy. A pick up and shoot 60 feet plus is easy. With a Circle "C" Spey I am almost there. I started out with a 10 ft head of 150 gr and added the tip.
My initial set up was to take a 10 weight line weigh the front taper and belly to get 150 gr but found my 2 weight preferred 180 gr.. The micro Skagit OPST video shows a 10 ft 150 gr Commando head with a 10 ft floating tip. He was casting with a 7 foot six inch glass rod.
JimRed also on this forum has found he likes 21 foot head and I have witnessed a credible 50 foot roll cast that he performs with a short rod.
Experiment with various weights to suit your rod and your casting style.
Jim and I use 15 - 20 lb Amnesia running line or 20 lb Slickshooter.
I have stated this before, I don't think I will go back to the conventional line after having experienced the ease of casting shooting heads .


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:11 pm • # 3 
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Location: Manitoba
Thanks for the informative reply, LC. Seems the examples of length you provided group around a ratio of 2.5. That's good to know.

What surprised me a bit was the weight of line you're slinging with that 2 wt. That tells me this whole thing is a bit more art than science and, like you said, I've got to experiment to find my sweet spot.

Itching to cast those fly rods again, ice fishing just isn't doing it for me anymore. Only 6 more months to go.

Harry


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:44 pm • # 4 
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Owww!!!!! 6 months!!!! Move down to Texas, JimRed has converted me to catching bass and Blue Gill in our freezing weather 40 deg. He says they bite better closer to the 30 deg. Very little ice or snow here.


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:51 pm • # 5 
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Up until 2 years ago I had spent 4 months every winter in Texas, mostly on SPI and the last two years on the Guadalupe River near New Braunfels. I loved it and fished almost every day! Then we bought a new house on a new river up here and we no longer have a wonderful neighbour to watch over our home. I miss Texas and the hill country!!!!


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 8:37 pm • # 6 
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All my bragging and you have already experienced something that is still a goal for me.


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:07 pm • # 7 
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I think you should keep bragging. Living where you can fly fish 12 months of the year is pretty special. Us northerners understand that.

I just found and purchased a 200 grain skagit line and .026 shooting line from Maxcatch. Too cheap to pass up and I can cut it and reweld the loop where I want it; only 6 months from now. :)

Harry


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:40 pm • # 8 
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Location: Plano Texas
Look forward to hearing from you in six months when the casting produces more fish than you are maybe dreaming about right now. I think I would be suffering PTSD by the time I could fish. All the best.


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2024 11:22 am • # 9 
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Joined: 03/10/24
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i have a 7 1/2 foot okuma 3 wt rod i tried the 175 grain skagit head on it / the rods back bone seem to not handle it or to lift it out of the water about a 30 foot cast is all i could get\ so i took a 12 wt fly line and cut a 6 ft piece off and shrink raped to loops in the ends it came in at about 130 grams in wt ane worked perfect for mine


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2024 4:17 pm • # 10 
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Joined: 02/07/14
Posts: 382
Location: The southern tip o' Texas
Free2Fish wrote:
Up until 2 years ago I had spent 4 months every winter in Texas, mostly on SPI and the last two years on the Guadalupe River near New Braunfels. I loved it and fished almost every day! Then we bought a new house on a new river up here and we no longer have a wonderful neighbour to watch over our home. I miss Texas and the hill country!!!!

The reds eat flies all year down here in the Lower Laguna Madre, and they're a hoot on a two weight........ when the wind gods will let you use a two weight. I use a seven and an eight a whole lot more down here than I did on the middle and upper coasts. If you guys ever get down here give me a shout and I'll pole you around the bay for a day.


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 6:32 am • # 11 
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Joined: 12/10/14
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Yes, the wind! And that’s why I had more kites than fly rods stashed in my trunk on the annual migration trip south.
Laguna Madre brings back a lot of great memories. One particular event is etched into my memory bank. A buddy and I were fishing for specs in waist deep water when I saw him spinning around, fish stringer held high in the air. Seems a dolphin had plucked one of the specs on his stringer already and was trying to get a second. This went on for at least a minute or two before the dolphin swam off again.
Harry


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 Post subject: Re: Skagit head length
PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2024 8:11 pm • # 12 
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Joined: 02/07/14
Posts: 382
Location: The southern tip o' Texas
Free2Fish wrote:
Yes, the wind! And that’s why I had more kites than fly rods stashed in my trunk on the annual migration trip south.
Laguna Madre brings back a lot of great memories. One particular event is etched into my memory bank. A buddy and I were fishing for specs in waist deep water when I saw him spinning around, fish stringer held high in the air. Seems a dolphin had plucked one of the specs on his stringer already and was trying to get a second. This went on for at least a minute or two before the dolphin swam off again.
Harry

Mercy; I'da loved to have seen that.........


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