Fly line set up for tarpon

[Lou Bruno]

Paul

Took time to read your article, old discussions, on SL website on fly line profiles. Worth the time.
Got me thinking about DT line too, as well as other options.
Good read.
Cheers
Lou

[Graeme H]

Graeme
Agree, with our line designers producing tapers for species and fishing conditions, I wouldn't consider the effect a heavier powerful energy delivering line opening my loops or worse collapsing the cast. That's a game changer, fishing here in southwest Florida.

The book is older, but the two authers are both experienced fishers, they got me thinking about the possibilitis of shooting heads for tarpon or in general SW fly fishing.

Lou

Don't get me started on the marketing of lines that are "species specific"! I wish those companies would just make a good fly line and tell us the details so we can choose the right line for ourselves! (Head length, taper lengths, accurate grain weights and so on.)

It seems Rio might be listening. The new "Flats Pro" is a step away from telling us what species it'll work on, but they are charging like a wounded bull for it. The head still seems a bit short ...

Paul is right: a decent selection of DT lines would be wonderful. I'd love some intermediate DT lines in various weights.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Lou Bruno]

Graeme
Intermediate DT line, that would be nice. Have you tried the intermediate leaders?

Lou

[Paul Arden]

All densities. Problem is that the minimums sit around for a long time. Especially when they are obsure as a DT! You can tie up a lot of money real fast with flylines.

Was fishing the HT6 today thinking how it would be with a DT6 - finished hard, slick and weight compliant. Long range accuracy for me is only possible with a DT.

Lou, from what I've seen of Tarpon a long time ago is that it's about picking a fish from a pod, throwing upstream without lining or spooking another, in the right place so that when the fish arrives the fly is just above or level and moving away from them 30-60 degrees. It was predominantly a casting shot. Very trouty but reallly putting the fly in their gobs and teasing them.

I don't see how an intermediate accomplishes this. Particularly a shooting head. The longer the head the more longer the accurate shots. Hence DT - or at least until you reach the max comfortable and fast carry of your given caster.

Cheers, Paul

[Mangrove Cuckoo]

Being able to pick up and recast quickly is a priority for all flats fishing... assuming you are sight fishing. That rules shooting heads out, even full intermediate lines.

I think that is why it is so common to see clear intermediate heads with rear floating sections sold specifically as tarpon lines.

[Lou Bruno]

Good point...

Lou

[WJC]

Being able to pick up and recast quickly is a priority for all flats fishing... assuming you are sight fishing. That rules shooting heads out, even full intermediate lines.
I think that is why it is so common to see clear intermediate heads with rear floating sections sold specifically as tarpon lines.

Well, I've got to agree 100% with those two statements. The recast is another reason why I prefer my stiff antique rods. I can pick way more line up with them than say an xi3 – especially if it is a sink tip.

I don't understand anything about the loop opening that they are talking about and how heavier line sinks faster in the air, opening the loop. I've never had that problem to my knowledge and I've cast some pretty hokie rigs.
I didn’t like the airflow lines I tried for the salt because they float way too high in the water, and sail in the wind since they are not dense enough. The SA sharkskins were the same but even worse for the salt. They would be great for trout fishing or something in calm conditions, or like Paul's snakehead and gourami expeditions.

Rio floating lines seem way more dense, and go where you aim them. They are also stiffer, but most have a compound taper that is ”backwards” compared to most other lines.

I have the same bitch as Graeme about line manufacturers; incomplete information and overwhelming BS hype. For instance Rio does not consider their “Quickshooter” sink tip head to include the back taper – when, in fact, the “Quickshooter” has a longer head than their regular tarpon line (but only if you consider the back taper as part of the head).

They do consider the back taper on the regular “Tarpon” line as part of the head, but not on the “Quickshooter.” So you change the color of the back taper on the Quickshooter and no longer consider it part of the “head” ? So the taper now matches the name and not vice versa?

What is it then, Rio, the forward taper of the running line ????

As for shooting heads, I tried using one with a 12 wt surf fishing for a few days many years ago. Way too much trouble for me. It's hard enough keeping assholes out of my integrated lines much less dealing with flimsy mono shooting line that blows around in the wind even worse that regular running line. I don't know how old that book is, but they used to call things different when I started. For instance, I used a GBF "Bug Taper" and not a "Rocket Taper" for largemouth bass poppers in the Everglades. Cant' remember if they had one called a "Shooting Taper" or "Shooting Head" or not.

Well, just looked up the copyright date on that book and it's pretty recent (1983). So I have no idea why Lefty was espousing that. Could be Mark Sosin's doing.

Cheers,
Jim

[WJC]

http://www.miterclamp.com/Images/Rio_quickshooter.jpg
http://www.miterclamp.com/Images/Rio_Tarpon.jpg

[Paul Arden]

The Sharkskin is no good for Gourami because they don't wear ear muffs.

[Michal Duzynski]

What is this story with 10' of handling section? Wouldnt it be a part of the rare taper, and at the same time the tot lenght of the head would be 40' and not 30' as on the picture?
Cheers
Mike