Available in grain weights from 150 to 480, and in lengths of 13.5' to 18.5', the ultra-short Skagit Scout is designed for restricted casting with short, lightweight two-handed rods. Before we dive into specifics, let’s quickly try to establish a basic knowledge for the two different types of spey lines that are most commonly used on modern spey rods. This line is also available as a 100' Spey Lite Integrated Skagit with a seamless connection between the running line … Aug 7, 2019. You also have the option of connecting a floating tip if you only want the weight of the fly to achieve depth or if you want to fish a topwater pattern. Your casting stroke may favor a different-weighted line. While the company was started in 1945, Scientific Anglers has been a constant source of innovation in fly line technology, including the invention of the modern tapered fly line. Of course, there's also a floating version. I would especially recommend these lines to the seasoned fly fishing angler. We will also discuss the reasons why they should be considered for anyone interested in utilizing spey tactics while spending a week with us at our SAFARI camp. This Spey Line compatibility chart is provided as a reference to help match Airflo fly lines to your specific rod of choice. 2018 Spey line recommendations With the plethora of lines available it is impossible to have a column that separates Skagit Max from Skagit Max Shorts and iFlights, and OutBound lines from OutBound Shorts, and OutBound Short Taking advantage of new materials and concepts in Spey line design, the Airflo dream team of Dec Hogan and Tim Rajeff worked some magic to bring forward this new Delta Spey II line. I have been fly fishing since the early 70s & my interest in it really took off when I started using double handed rods, Spey/Switch! Skagit revolutionary Tom Larimer helped design the Skagit Scout to have a stable loop through the end of the cast, and recommends the 270-, 330-, and 360-grain Scouts for the new 3-, 4-, and 5-weight G.Loomis ShortSpey rods. If I had been able to return to camp this season I would have opted for either Scientific Anglers Spey Lite Integrated Scandi or Rio’s Intouch trout spey to negate the pitfalls of having to deal with a loop to loop junction. Let’s discuss a few options for these types of lines for someone looking to rig up their salmon rod. You need to figure out what grain weight corresponds to the weight of your rod. Some lines are good for all around utility work. The most recent iteration of this has been the departure of these rod and line systems being linked exclusively to the world of steelhead and salmon. Skagit lines are designed to throw large, heavy flies to salmon in Alaska. Remember that we already discussed the basic characteristics of the line system in the prior article. A two-handed rod with a Skagit head works pretty good, but the newer micro spey lines may be more adaptable to a wider range of conditions. Spey fishing, however, requires the right lines, shooting heads, tips, and more.Luckily, we carry the industry’s finest selection of Spey lines from OPST to Rio to Airflo and many more. This is just a starting point. Most Skagit tips in this category have a single density of sinking line, but Third Coast Tips are double-density sinking tips so you have more choices than just either sinking or floating. But now micro spey lines offer new options for traditional single-hand 9′ fly rods. Another advantage is you now have more control over where you want to fish your fly in the water column. Again, for anyone interested in not only enjoying the benefits of a spey line but also pairing it with a two handed rod Beulah’s 10′ 5 wt platinum switch rod is a fine choice for either camp. This line is built to present small flies gently to selective trout at a distance. ©2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Your casting stroke may favor a different-weighted line than we recommend. The light weight and easy casting of the IMX Pro Short Spey reduces fatigue and makes the whole fishing experience relaxed and enjoyable, as it should be. It is in general shorter in length when compared to a Scandi and has a thicker, more aggressive taper. Holding line off the water and leading the fly into the swing is effortless. The downside is that you can't experiment with different head weights using the same reel and running line. $25 | rioproducts.com. Skagit: OPST Commando 225-300 Rio InTouch Skagit Trout Spey #3 Airflo Skagit Scout 240-300gn 3110-4 11’0” 3wt For the purposes of this discussion and the water we are considering at our SAFARI camp, most of these rods will be best suited for Dolly Varden. So for a typical salmon rod at our camp, let’s say a 9′ rod between the 7 to 8 wt range, you would want something in the 250 – 300 grain weight window. In our opinion, the idea that the same rod/line setup could perform wellusing both two-handed ‘spey’ techniques and traditional overhead fly casting techniques is a bit of a pipe dream. Read The Post I'll be heading up to the Arolik River in AK to swing for Kings in early July. What we've found is that the T-7 Flo Tip matches with most heads like the Skagit Scout under about 250 grains. These dense, indestructible nymphs will improve your subsurface game. Well folks, I think that about covers it, and then some, as far as spey considerations are concerened for SAFARI camp. You need to run some kind of tip between the head and your leader for optimal casting performance. Apr 28, 2019. flav. 2016 Spey line recommendations: With the plethora of lines available it is impossible to have a column that separates Skagit Max from Skagit Max Shorts and iFlights, and OutBound lines from OutBound Shorts, and OutBound Short Shooting Heads. This creates a junction where the two lines are looped together. This Spey Line compatibility chart is provided as a reference to help match Airflo fly lines to your specific rod of choice. Gorge Fly Shop has a large selection of Airflo spey lines. $50 | scientificanglers.com, TC Tips are available in lengths of 8' or 10', which gives you a little more flexibility when you're dealing with smaller, light-line switch rods. It came in the form of a 10′ 5 wt switch rod from Beulah. You still need room behind you to some degree, but the space requirements pale in comparison to what is needed for a conventional backcast. A secondary major advantage is eliminating casting fatigue. I picked up the 9wt Pandion , thinking it is the one that will handle the heaviets lines. Plan your next fishing and boating adventure here. Trout Spey Line Selection - Headhunters Fly Shop is testing all of the new Skagit trout spey lines from RIO, OPST and Airflow along with Echo Rods and Sage. It’s important to understand that these two lines both fall into the category of being shooting heads. Not all, but most of the lines we are going to discuss are intended to be fished with some kind of interchangeable tip at the end. You cannot tie a leader directly to a Skagit head. Some lines are great for shooting sink tips and streamers while other lines are best for indicator fishing or even dry fly fishing. The running line is separate. So for a typical salmon rod at our camp, let’s say a 9′ rod between the 7 to 8 wt range, you would want something in the 250 – 300 grain weight window. There has been a progression within the world of two-handed rods and lines for ever increasing compactness. Lucky for me both Rio and SA offer a line in a similiar grain window to the 230 grain head I have been using, although I think graining up to a 265 or 270 would have been worth considering to get a deeper load out of the rod. This is ideal for our waters because we are often stripping flies. It's the only super-short compact integrated Skagit line out there, and eliminates the clicking and bumping of the loop connections running through your guides if you do a lot of stripping. Casting, rods, lines, flies and general discussion. SA's use of micro-balloons and variable tapered coatings was named the most important sport fishing innovation of the 1960's. Both lines are offered in a wide range of grain weights lending themselves to either a light dolly setup or a heavier salmon rig. Why? I therefore ran into the issues that we’ve already discussed when fishing with a conventional shooting head. Spey Line Recommendations – Updated Resources. This line control is one of the unique aspects of fly fishing. The take away is while this line will still be able to cast smaller streamers, it will not be able to handle the heavy payload that a Skagit head could. For trout at our first camp or Dolly Varden at either of our two camps his 9’ 6″ 5 wt should be a serious contender. When done efficiently the rod should be doing most of the work for you. Starting at 150 grains and increasing in increments of 25, it's possible to be extremely precise about finding the right head for your rod. Higher grain weight Skagit heads will match best with heavier line weight spey rods such as 10wt spey rods, while lower grain weight Skagit heads will match with lower line weight spey rods, such as 6wt spey rods. Now, this can be confusing for most folks. Rio 2019 Spey Line Recommendations Temple Fork Outfitters 2020 Spey Line Recommendations OPST Line Recommendations - For Brands A-Z Home; Shop All; Single Hand Fly Rods expand ... 2018. The Hobie MirageDrive 360 pedal propulsion system is the pinnacle of kayak control with more efficient fin designs, glide technology and allows the boat to be moved in any direction. I will try to cover tackle recommendations for both. $50| rioproducts.com, Scientific Anglers' newest Skagit line is a short, powerful head from 11' to 18' in grain weights of 150 to 360. Now that we’ve covered some of the different lines to pair with a standard single-hand rod let’s wade into the world of micro spey rods. But the head is only 11' so if you want that low-stretch feel in your system you'll need something similar in the running line and the tip. No more finicky branches or snaggy banks to hamper your fishing. Line recommendation for a cheap rod. Dealer Locator . In other words, there is no loop to loop connection. I have to admit that a 12′ 3 wt sounds awesome, but it would simply be too long for the water we fish at our camps on the Alaska Peninsula. Selecting the appropriate Spey line is instrumental in determining your success when chasing anadromous fish like steelhead, Pacific Salmon species or Atlantic Salmon with a two-handed rod. ©2011-2020 Epic Angling & Adventure, LLC   |   512.656.2736   |. I have bad shoulders and this kills me with a 13-foot 7-weight. Close search. Chip's Monster Magic. Grain weights are calculated by the amount of line beyond the rod tip while maintaining an anchor. If you’re wondering about whether or not some of the spey line considerations we discussed for a single-hand rod geared toward Dolly Varden could be applied to the rainbow trout we encounter at OUTPOST camp, the answer is absolutely. RIO Fly Line Selector. For switch rods, lengths of less than 11' are ideal. Considering that many of these lines are intended for use on a single-hand rod, you probably already have everything you need minus the line and a few tips. Site supporters benefits include no ads and access to some additional features, few now, more in the works. You can be a successful freshwater fly fisher with just the nine knots shown here. Yes, these Skagit tips are an excellent choice for two-handed trout fishing, but they also work for smallmouth bass in rivers. Spey fishing, or two-handed casting, has been around for a long time.Spey is a popular way to target Steelhead on the west coast of the US or Salmon in Eastern Canada. Before signing off I would recommend anyone interested in learning more about what has been discussed in these articles to utilize the knowledge of their local fly shop if they are lucky enough to have one close by. Dwayne 'Chip' Cromarty - January 15, 2016. Light InTouch Skagit MOW Tips use T-8 sinking material with a sink rate of 7" per second. I think a 275 – 300 would be in the money for a stout 8 wt while a 250 – 275 would be butter on a 7 wt. Basically, the higher the grain weight the heavier the line is. OPST’s micro skagit offerings in both the 10′ 4 wt and 10’ 4″ 5 wt are worthy of consideration as either a trout or Dolly Varden stick for either operation. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Now there’s more line and rod choices than ever before! I'll admit, we were skeptical at first and held off ordering our first ECHO OHS. Both of these lines in their conventional form come as separate heads, meaning that you would need a reel with a running line attached that has a loop on the end. Without going into too much detail know this; a Scandi head is meant to deliver a light payload. We will also go into greater detail on what grain weights and types of lines to consider for the rods we most commonly use at our camp. If not, I always enjoy talking shop when it comes to all things spey. Overhead casting a heavy streamer all day with a single-hand rod can be brutal. There are four different Flo Tips, each one has 2.5' of intermediate line and 7.5' of either T-7, T-10, T-14, or T-18. Browse our inventory of Airflo lines today and get free shipping on domestic orders over $50. Their InTouch trout spey is a departure from the more aggressive taper of a Skagit head while still offering the convenience of being a fully integrated line. At 11', they are the shortest of the ultra-short Skagit heads on the market, making them exceptional for Spey casts with single-handed rods. Landon Mayer | Illustrations by Joe Mahler - August 11, 2020. The answer is neither, at least not in the form that we’ve outlined above. For this lighter category of rods Rio offers another very interesting contender. Nordiceod51; Dec 1, 2019; Replies 3 Views ... 2018; Replies 13 Views 4K. A spey line rigged on a single-hand rod definitely works for rainbow trout at OUTPOST camp, too. Within the past 5 to 6 years there has been a revolution in spey line innovation for the angler who wants to use the advantages of spey casting to target smaller species of fish like rainbow trout or bass. Now we need to grain down in weight because we are talking about a lighter rod. We tested the 200- through 275-grain Skagit Trout Max lines with Redington's 3-weight Hydrogen Trout Spey ($350) and found a sweet spot with the 250-grain head. Again, like the lines themselves, this is the frontier of spey innovation in the world of fly fishing. All five tips are available in a kit for $125, Instead of focusing on sink rate, OPST has designed a series of Skagit tips centered around the grain weight so it's easy to understand and modify how much your Skagit system weighs, fine-tune the casting weight, and then modify the sink rate from there. Commando Heads are best with this type of fluid cast and come in lengths of 12' to 18' for single-hand rods or switch rods shorter than 11'. Again let’s consider a typical Dolly Varden setup at our camp, something in the 5 – 6 wt range for a 9′ rod. Your multi Spey rod strategy is having two, three, or even four rods rigged with various line/leader/sink-tip combinations. recommendations are for two-hand spey casting; subtract 60 grains for single-hand or overhead casting. The two-color line has a textured, black marker at the end of the head for a visible — and audible cue — for where to begin your cast. Welcome back to the final installment of our ongoing discussion on spey rod applications for our SAFARI camp. To begin, understand that Spey rods are designed to provide peak casting performance with the entire length of the shooting head out of the tip of the rod. These heads are built on RIO's ultra-low-stretch ConnectCore so you can better feel strikes on a tight swinging line and set the hook decisively. Another series of lines to take note of comes from Scientific Anglers. Recommendations are for two-hand spey casting. There’s also a 10’ 6″ 6 wt that would be worth considering as a crossover salmon rod at our second camp. It fit the bill perfectly for both the Bristol Bay camp and the excellent Dolly Varden fishing to be found on the Pacific coast. Skip to content. Designed in Saskatchewan's pike paradise - works anywhere. Some excellent casters pause just before the forward stroke to allow a full D loop to form and develop energy, but Ward specializes in ultrashort-head Skagit casting and avoids any kind of a pause in tight spots. Let’s consider a 5 – 6wt rod in the 9′ range. Remember that most conventional spey heads are just that, a head. USE OUR LINE SELECTOR APP. Echo/Airflo Spey Line Recommendations. This rod, with its compact length, can be wielded as both a true spey or as a single-hand spey. It balanced the rod well but its one serious drawback was that the line was a Scandi head, not a fully integrated line. I'm new to switch/spey casting and just purchased a used Echo SR 81010. These lines come in a range of grain weights. These are Skagit heads, so bear in mind that they’re specifically meant for turning over medium to larger flies with some kind of sink tip attached to the end of the line. Line Recommendations: Scandi: Sci-Angler Spey Lite 240-300gn Beulah Elixir Switch 275gn Rio InTouch Trout Spey #3. This would allow you to switch out between the different heads. Think of a weighted fly with a heavier sinking tip running off the end of the line to the leader. Again one of my first choices would be a Commando Smooth from OPST if I wanted a Skagit style head. A few years ago Jerry French teamed up with Pieroway Rods to design a series of micro spey rods that should be on anyone’s radar looking to break into the single-hand/micro spey game. If you’ve ever fished with us before, you know sore shoulder syndrome all too well. All Rights Reserved. Read on to help narrow it down a bit. Temps for Trout: How to Catch Fish that Behave Hot n Cold, How to Mend, Set the Hook, and Strip Line, How to Remove Wind Knots and Snarls from Leaders and Tippet, Choosing Fly Lines for Maximum Performance, Scientific Anglers Absolute Fluorocarbon Shock, Hobie MirageDrive 360 Kayak Propulsion: Amazing Control and Power. You want something that is matched to the weight of your rod while also considering how the design of the line will cater itself to the fishing venue. The second is called a Skagit, named for the river of the same name in Washington state. In part 2 we fleshed out some of the major disadvantages for using a conventional two-handed rod set up for the waters we fish on the rugged Pacific coast of the Alaska Peninsula. I think a 275 – 300 would be in the money for a stout 8 wt while a 250 – 275 would be butter on a 7 wt. Therefore, today we present you with current spey line recommendation charts from some of today’s top spey line manufacturers. Please keep in mind these recommendations serve as a starting point and are based on the best match to bring an “All-around” performance out of the rod. One last word on integrated spey line considerations should include the mention of Royal Wulff’s Ambush triangle taper series of lines. |   We use them all the time when lining up new rods and think you should too. Both of these types of heads come in many different varieties depending on the manufacturer. Now let’s spotlight what some of the advantages are for anyone wanting to break with tradition and dive into the world of single-hand spey, or micro spey. All Fly Fisherman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Most of this is from the constant false casting required to achieve rod load and gain casting distance. We'll start with a quick refresher on the basics of modern spey lines. The first time I cast this rod was with a 480 grain Skagit Scout line (18.5′) and 44lb Impact mono running line and there wasn’t a situation this rod struggled with. Email me at any time if you have specific questions about spey rod and line recommendations for either of our remote fly fishing trips in Alaska. Basic line set up for trout spey. The two predominant modern spey line setups are Skagit and Scandi. The complete kit is $150. This has provided the fly fishing community with an entirely new way of thinking about what is possible with any rod equipped with one of these newer lines. They’ve gone through the trouble of designating what grain weight corresponds to a single-hand rod. Scientific Anglers needs no introduction. During this discussion we will shed some light on a few of the new developments within the world of spey lines. Anyone well versed in the conventional practices of single-hand casting can have a ball out on the water with something new and exciting. Please keep in mind these recommendations serve as a starting point and are based on the best match to bring an “All-around” performance out of the rod. Try an integrated line for salmon on your traditional 9′ fly rod. The top eight spots for lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. T. Single Hand Spey Line. This line is also available as a 100' Spey Lite Integrated Skagit with a seamless connection between the running line and the head. This is not ideal for the kind of fishing we do most often. 3.18.2018. Submit. The single biggest one is you eliminate the need for a backcast. So you may be asking yourself, well, which is best for the water conditions at SAFARI camp? Subscriber Services. Airflo Delta Spey IISmooth, graceful castsAfter ten years of being the go-to long belly Spey line, it was time for an upgrade. Remember that we do not throw the line into the air to load the rod with a spey cast. Thread starter Bromium; Start date Mar 5, 2018; Tags a for line line recommendation rod Bromium New Member. SPEY LINES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OLDER MODEL RODS. See the below links for line recommendations and matching trout spey lines to your rod. The line stays anchored in the water, like a roll cast. Rod lengths have grown shorter, and as they have done so, the lines have followed. Jun 25, 2019. tcorfey. Give a Gift   Another option is Rio’s InTouch Skagit trout spey. Within each grain weight there are three different sink rates called Riffle, Run, and Bucket so you can maintain the same casting weight but reach different depths by using different tips. ... Views 1K. Choosing a line that matches your fishing situations is critical to overall performance. For this reason I would not recommend it for a heavier salmon rod at our camp, but I think it would be magical on the upper stretches of our small coastal river for the angler focused on hunting for dollies. The first head is what is called a Scandi, short for Scandinavian. A Skagit (pronounced with a soft G) is meant to deliver a heavy payload. One thing to bear in mind is that SAFARI camp offers two unique fishing venues. The take was sudden and forceful, my reel immediately paying line to a quality rainbow that cartwheeled and ran just to my backing. With so many subtle gradations of grain weight, it takes some experimentation to find the right Skagit Trout Max head, but when you do find it, it's just right. They also make a 10’ 8″ 6 wt that would be an interesting choice for a crossover salmon rod at our SAFARI camp. Use 8' tips (80 grains) with head weights from 240 to 300 and 10' tips (120 grains) on heavier heads. The author with a nice silver salmon caught with a switch rod on SAFARI camp’s tidal flat. They would fall into the Skagit head category and come in a generous array of grain weights. We would generally consider them to be switch rods, or micro spey’s. The truth of the matter is it’s hard to find a two-handed rod that is under 11′ in length. Scientific Anglers' newest Skagit line is a short, powerful head from 11' to 18' in grain weights of 150 to 360. The 12-foot tips weigh 96, 132, or 168 grains so you can easily match them with light, short-head Skagit lines. March 2018. Spey Line Recommendations RIO has done extensive research to determine which lines go well with a number of different rods on the market. The result is often a setup that performs multiple functions only moderately well, as opposed to a setup that performs one particular function extr… Something in the 200 – 225 grain weight window would be in the money. Okay, so now let’s talk specifics when it comes to both lines and rods for anyone whose curiosity has been piqued by this ongoing discussion. New RIO Single Hand 3D Spey Lines; Ard; Apr 27, 2019; Replies 7 Views 2K. This allows you to grab the right setup for various water conditions and types that you encounter over the course of the day. The three components attach to each other via loop-to-loop connections to form the completed spey line. The running line and the head are one. $24 |opskagit.com, Airflo seems to always do things just slightly differently, and the case of Skagit sinking tips is no different. Ultimately, spey casting can open up an entire universe of otherwise unknown possibilities and pleasures. The simplest guideline is if the rod is less than 13 ft long, choose the "Short" version of these lines. $55 | opskagit.com, Don't let the name fool you. An integrated line will allow for a seamless transition during your strip as you bring the head within the guides of your rod. 2019 Spey Line recommendations. If lining up for overhead casts, the recommendation is to use 60 grains less than the listed size. Basically, the higher the grain weight the heavier the line is. For me, finding something in the sub 11′ range to use for rainbow trout and Dolly Varden while spending my summers up north became a kind of holy grail. Think unweighted fly, lighter tips. Living now near the Salmon River in New York I get plenty of time to swing the fly to Steelhead. Support WFF by upgrading your account. They also make a 10’ 4″ 6 wt that would be an interesting crossover rod for both Dolly Varden and salmon at SAFARI camp. I bought this rod to use mainly OH in the surf ( out front). Red's Trout Spey Line Selection Chart. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. RIO Spey Line Recommendations. The tips are looped at each end, and the rear loops have convenient color-coded line IDs to identify both grain weight and sink rate. They have recently come out with their Spey Lite series which includes both an integrated Skagit and integrated Scandi head. Having a quality fish pinned to the end of the 3wt Micro Spey is too much fun, you truly get the most out of trout, even the small ones. As we have discussed prior, there are some major disadvantages to consider for the prospective angler looking to bring their traditional two-handed rod to SAFARI camp. There is a vast amount of information and misinformation out there on how to pick a Spey line. The particular fly line you have on your switch rod or trout spey rod will impact its abilities a great deal. Looking for line recommendations for the Pandion in 9wt. An integrated Skagit line in the 200 – 225 grain range is perfect for dolly fishing. Echo SR 81010 Line Recommendations - Spey Pages In my mind the single most important quality for anyone looking at a micro spey or single-hand spey line for SAFARI camp is that the line is integrated. The simplest guideline is if the rod is less than 12' 6" long, choose the "Short" version of these lines. Last season I paired it up with a 230 grain Rio Scandi body. Although they’re designations seem to run higher than OPST’s for the same weight rod, it is still in the general ballpark. Looking for a line recommendation for a T&T DNA Switch 11ft 7wt. There are also MOW medium, heavy, and extra-heavy versions, but they are too much weight for a light Skagit head. My first choice would be a Commando Smooth from OPST. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Fly Fisherman Staff | Illustrations by Joe Mahler. 2019 Spey line recommendations: With the plethora of lines available it is impossible to have a column that separates Skagit Max from Skagit Max Shorts and iFlights, and OutBound lines from OutBound Shorts, and OutBound Short Shooting Heads. The first time I picked up this  miniature spey rod at a speyclave outside of Portland, OR I knew I had finally found what I had been looking for. One for Dolly Varden and another for salmon. Fish are cold-blooded, so their body temperature reflects that of the water in which they swim. This is the next generation of Spey rods that marry’s the feel of a 13′ rod with the fast action necessary of modern short skagit heads. Both Skagit and Scandi lines are shooting head systems comprised of a head, running line, and tip. 2018 Echo Two Hand Rod Line Recommendations. This gives you the ability to adjust your sink ratio without over loading the rod with an extremely heavy fly. Here's a look at 8 new fly lines for 2019. The two-color line has a textured, black marker at the end of the head for a visible—and audible cue—for where to begin your cast. The black loop is at the rear of the head; the fly line ID is positioned near the front loop where you attach the Flo Tip or other Skagit-type tip. Their 2 wt pairs up with a 9′ 5 wt weighing in at 230 grains, while their 3 wt pairs with a 9′ 6 wt coming in at 265 grains. Selecting the right line is one of the single most important things to get right for any type of fly fishing pursuit. We’ve long found the notion of ‘switch’ rods to be a bit misleading. It is also possible to tie a leader directly to the end of a Scandi line in the same way you would tie a leader directly to the end of a conventional weight forward fly line. NEWSLETTER ^ Back To Top. It has a more gradual taper and is in general longer in length when compared to a Skagit head. For short, ultralight rods and Skagit heads less than 475 grains—and especially with shorter heads like RIO's Skagit Trout Max—it's important to use MOW light tips.