Blowing out D-loop

[windknotz88]

I'm using a 3 yr. Old echo 3 7wt. 13ft. I'm using a Skagit style head but keep blowing out the D loop unlike with a traditional belly spey line. Using an Intermediate 7ft. Poly leader. Any thoughts?

[Paul Arden]

Which cast? With this stuff most use waterborn anchors.

Cheers Paul

[Graeme H]

I'd suggest bringing the tip around lower while sweeping. A high tip lifts a lot of line off the water when sweeping into the D loop.

I suspect a 7' polyleader is too short. It works on the longer lines, but you'd want to lengthen it for the skagit lines. 15' maybe.

Cheers,
Graeme

[crunch]

There are few reasons for "anchor blowing" when "Skagit" casting:

Casting fault Creep which can be a result of CM/CL Constant Move/Constant Load principle is quite common.

Another reason is when anchor comes more or less sideways against following casting direction. Perry Poke is the cast where anchor comes more 180 decrees and anchor blows less and if it blows the line does not get much sideways moving component.

Then it is the Skagit line itself which has more mass in the bottom of the D-loop. I think the physics there is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dQJBBkl

With Long Belly and Scandi heads there come less mass to the bottom of the D-loop and D-line loop, which is a line loop, does not have as much energy as it is going to have in heavier tip Skagit line. If you use 1,5 times rod length of thin mono leader you can cast same weight Skagit line as easy as a Scandi line.

Esa

[Lasse Karlsson]

7 foot is a short leader and intermediate won't give much stick, but its quite possible to use it.
Waterborn anchor casts is the way forward as Paul says.
Sweep more gently, and use a longer pause after the sweep to set the leader deeper. Yes continous motion is bollocks!

Cheers
Lasse

[crunch]

I managed to take a water anchor video of a typical heavy Skagit tip which is here 15ft T18 and typical Scandi tip a 15ft 30lbs mono leader which I did cast same time attached to a Skagit belly. I made a mechanical latch which did release both "flyes" simultaneously. I formed the D-loop pulling the middle of the head back using mono line like it would come in almost perfect V-loop which I let go when I began the forward cast. The "fly" which is behind the T18 did sink slightly which usually happens when sustained anchor casting is done. The fly acceleration did not come smooth and I think it was because of the D-loop release timing and sagging rod leg which obviously did shoot upwards and there came a wave. However the "fly" which was behind the mono did lift airborne without much "blowing" but the T18 did cause about 3 feet of anchor "blow"

Esa

[Bernd Ziesche]

I'm using a 3 yr. Old echo 3 7wt. 13ft. I'm using a Skagit style head but keep blowing out the D loop. Any thoughts?

Lasse offered excellent advice from the casting perspective.
Besides that - what is the weight and length of your Skagit head and what weight does the PL have?

You are using a DH polyleader, right? (a SH one would be too light for a typical Skagit DH head)

I'd recommend to optimize the tip section. There are Skagit tips available probably coming with more weight as does your short PL. I'd aim for one of them in order to make it easier not to blow the anchor/D.
Regards
Bernd

[easterncaster]

I'm using a 3 yr. Old echo 3 7wt. 13ft. I'm using a Skagit style head but keep blowing out the D loop unlike with a traditional belly spey line. Using an Intermediate 7ft. Poly leader. Any thoughts?

1. Get rid of Polyleader,
2. Replace with proper Skagit tip. (yes, yes, some can get it done with a Poly, but the Head is designed for a Tip).
3. Are you using a Sustained anchor? (yes, yes, Touch-n-Go anchors can be done, but Skagit systems are not designed for those - later date casting)

4. For practice, try a Floating tip first, adding to that at least 4 ft. of 10/12 lb tippet and a big-ass, BIG-ASS hunk of yarn.
5. Casting sequences - go slower than you think or wish you should - STFD - Slow The Fck Down.

6. Double Spey: Often taught with a high to low lift, anchor placement into Sweep, building back up high to form D...
But it is not necessary to stay low at end of lift with Skagit, or even go there in the first place at end of Lift. Skagit heads are designed to be out of the water, with the tip and friends in the water. As long as the Head is swinging around, moving into the next position the Tip will follow.
7. Watch your fly: "Where's my fly? Where's my fly?"
8. As soon as your fly is safe and in a good position, swing Head around to form D, then go !
8a. Don't over swing Head, so that Tip comes out to dry off - tip stays in water - at times look to Hinge the connection between the Head and Tip.

Craig

9. Perhaps you were told the Skagit System (Head and Tip) are the Total grain weight for the rod rating? Not so. You care only about the Head's weight. The Tip's wgt. is more like leader weight - doesn't add into the 480, 510 or whatever # that the rod asks for.

[easterncaster]

Hmm... you say 'Skagit style'. Is it a Skagit head or a Rage head? Just to make sure... .

[crunch]

I'd recommend to optimize the tip section. There are Skagit tips available probably coming with more weight as does your short PL. I'd aim for one of them in order to make it easier not to blow the anchor/D.
Regards
Bernd

No Bernd that is one of the wrong myths in FF! Heavier tip blows more than light tip. Watch the video three post back.

Esa