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Shooting heads

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andrewparkeruk
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Shooting heads

#1

Post by andrewparkeruk »

Didn't know whether to ask this question in Flycasting or Tackle.

I have never chopped/cut flylines to construct shooting heads: I do have a couple of shooting heads but Mr. RIO made them for me.

This is a rod loading question: if I did own a digital scale and had an interest in splicing flylines, how would I know that the shooting head I had cut was "right" for my rod? How much bend am I looking for?

Thanks, Andrew

PS I appreciate this may cross over with the question Bernd has asked about AFFTA weights
Ben_d
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Shooting heads

#2

Post by Ben_d »

What do you want the head to do Andrew?

Cheers

Ben
andrewparkeruk
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Shooting heads

#3

Post by andrewparkeruk »

Hmm, thanks Ben.
It's a hypothetical question. I'm just trying to understand a bit more about (single-hand) rod loading and thought that asking this question might help me...
I really wasn't expecting an answer like yours, so now I'm more intrigued :D If you don't mind, what are my choices?
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Lasse Karlsson
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Shooting heads

#4

Post by Lasse Karlsson »

Hi Andrew

It's what's right for you and the application that matters, you rod doesn't mind :)

Cheers
Lasse
Your friendly neighbourhood flyslinger

Flycasting, so simple that instructors need to make it complicated since 1685

Got a Q++ at casting school, wearing shorts ;)
Ben_d
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Shooting heads

#5

Post by Ben_d »

ennio wrote:Hmm, thanks Ben.
It's a hypothetical question. I'm just trying to understand a bit more about (single-hand) rod loading and thought that asking this question might help me...
I really wasn't expecting an answer like yours, so now I'm more intrigued :D If you don't mind, what are my choices?
What Lasse said Andrew :)

If you cut a head for a given situation and it does not work well on the first rod you use then go get another few rods out of the cupboard and try the head on them all until you find a stick that throws it well for your casting style. It's how I work shooting heads, for fishing situations anyway.

Cheers

Ben
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Bernd Ziesche
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Shooting heads

#6

Post by Bernd Ziesche »

http://www.first-cast.de/Textdateien/Ri ... skopf.html

Hi Ennio,
in the left side of the tableau you find weight ranges that match for most rods in each class.

For example a 8 wt. rod will typically ask for 18-21 Gramm.
But finally depending on the exact stiffness of course.
If a 6 wt. TCX has the same stiffness than the 8wt. SP (let's assume ERN 8,5) both will match with 19 gramm on 10m head length.
Longer heads mean: little more weight possible.

And then you might decide if it was about overhead casting, what those numbers are matching for.
Underhand might be little different again (usually little more weight).

Skagit would mean even more extra weight.

If I have ERN of your rod and know what your are going to fish I can reccommend a shooting head weight, length and density. And a colour of you like. :cool:
Greets
Bernd
http://www.first-cast.de
The first cast is always the best cast.
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Lasse Karlsson
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Shooting heads

#7

Post by Lasse Karlsson »

Bernd Ziesche wrote:
If I have ERN of your rod and know what your are going to fish I can reccommend a shooting head weight, length and density. And a colour of you like. :cool:
Greets
Bernd
Hi Bernd

Just for kicks, what would you recommend me :)

Rod has ERN 8,4 and I'm going to use it for fishing for seatrout of the Danish coast, mostly around Seeland, so rarely restrictions in backcast space.

Would be fun to see if it matches what I use :pirate:

Cheers
Lasse
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Flycasting, so simple that instructors need to make it complicated since 1685

Got a Q++ at casting school, wearing shorts ;)
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Bernd Ziesche
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Shooting heads

#8

Post by Bernd Ziesche »

Hi Lasse,
that could be an Echo Classic #7 in 9' ?

Anyway I would recommend ca. 19 gramm in 10-11m length in slow sinking.
I recommend not to drop in length below 9,5m. If you want it that short 18 gramm might match well.
A little longer might work as well of course. If so I would add another gramm if you want it to be around 13-14m.
Since you will have significant wind mostly I would stay with 10-11m mainly. If the rod has "backbone" I would have a second head with me for heavy winds and / or heavy weighted flies of ca. 20 gramm.

What's your favorite head though and which rod is it?
Greets
Bernd
http://www.first-cast.de
The first cast is always the best cast.
andrewparkeruk
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Shooting heads

#9

Post by andrewparkeruk »

Thanks for your answers, and sorry for my delay

Bernd, I didn't realise that you would choose different weights of head depending upon length: I had naively thought it would simply be about overall weight.

I had wanted to ask what is the "right amount of bend" for a given rod: I thought that my shooting head question would get me the answer. I was wrong :)

As an example I have a Scott S4s 9'0" #8 and also a RIO Outbound WF8F 330gr/21g: this feels like an efficient casting combination (I haven't fished with it yet). I also have a Shakespeare Odyssey Travel 9'0" 6/7. I had been casting the Barrio SLX #6 13.6g on this rod and again that feels efficient.

I was surprised the other day when I tried the 21g Outbound on the Shakey - it felt just as good as it does on the Scott. So my Shakey feels good with both a 13.6g SLX and a 21g Outbound ... which confuses me :whistle:

This got me wondering how I would choose an optimum lineweight / optimum amount of bend for a given rod. (I appreciate that any rod will cast a range of lineweights; on a fishing day I might use my 8'6" #5 rod to cast the same line/leader/dry fly to fish anywhere between ten feet and seventy feet from me)

Cheers, Andrew

PS I think a similar topic is being discussed over on the Hot Torpedo thread ...
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Lasse Karlsson
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#10

Post by Lasse Karlsson »

Bernd Ziesche wrote:Hi Lasse,
that could be an Echo Classic #7 in 9' ?

Anyway I would recommend ca. 19 gramm in 10-11m length in slow sinking.
I recommend not to drop in length below 9,5m. If you want it that short 18 gramm might match well.
A little longer might work as well of course. If so I would add another gramm if you want it to be around 13-14m.
Since you will have significant wind mostly I would stay with 10-11m mainly. If the rod has "backbone" I would have a second head with me for heavy winds and / or heavy weighted flies of ca. 20 gramm.

What's your favorite head though and which rod is it?
Greets
Bernd
Hi Bernd

Sorry didn't see this one :blush:

Echo classic was discontinued several years ago ;)

It's a MSX Black Diamond #6, I generally use a 11,6 meter intermediate shootinghead weighing 17 grams on it.

Incidently, there's a thread on a Danish forum regarding a shootinghead for a Orvis helios tipflex 7, and the two camps go either for a 18 gram head for it or a 16 gram head on it. Think they would have a fit if someone said 19-20 grams :pirate:
Interesting to notice the regional differences amongst coastal fishers :)

Cheers
Lasse
Your friendly neighbourhood flyslinger

Flycasting, so simple that instructors need to make it complicated since 1685

Got a Q++ at casting school, wearing shorts ;)
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