Tips as Shooting heads

[Vicente G]

Hi all, recently I got my hands on a set of tapered 15ft tips of different densities,, I put the floating tip on a reel with some running line and then I remembered I had an OPST floating micro-tip laying around and decided to connect them and go for a cast with an 8ft SH rod that we converted to a DH with my dad, the feeling was awesome when I casted it for the first time and it worked so good, I could cast anywhere on that river and for swinging soft hackles it was a killer set-up, haven't tried the sinking tips yet but I guess I will get the same results, I think its a pretty good option for smaller rivers and soft presentations, they are basically a miniaturised scandi line, and a good option I you can't or don't want to pay the full price tag on a specialised line like the RIO Trout Spey or the Guideline ULS, my guess is they will work on a SH setup fine, just an option for everyone, hope this helps you

if you have comments or thoughts about this it would be nice to read them

Cheers and have a nice day

[Paul Arden]

How long is the total head, Vicente?

Thanks,
Paul

[Vicente G]

Hi paul, I measured the length and its 22.5ft (6.7 meters), I find the length a very comfortable one to cast on an 8ft rod, are you thinking on trying something like this to make quick casts?

have a nice day
Vicente

[Paul Arden]

No I was just curious. I did think about it for quick casts many years ago. But I didn’t pursue it for a number of reasons. Ultimately it didn’t make sense. If it did make it easier, which is very questionable because I don’t think it actually would, for a whole bunch of reasons, and even if it did then I would also have a problem with it — after all one of the reasons I love being here is because it is so bloody hard — but putting all of that stuff aside, what the hell am I going to do when I hook a Snakehead and have to immediately apply 10KG of direct stopping force, while all I have to hold in my hand is 60lb mono? It’s hard enough to hold a flyline coated in silicone but the worst we get from that is few line burns. With 60lb mono I might lose a finger


When I was in my early 20s, I took a short lead core shooting head to try to fish out big fish in NZ gorges. It was actually for a specific fish on the Greenstone. But it was a terrible thing to cast and I gave up on it. If only we had known about French Nymphing back then

Cheers, Paul

[Bendix]

I know that there are a few people here in Denmark, who use tips as shooting heads. That’s because they like to use rods in #0 or #000 for Salmon fishing in rivers. And because these light rods need light lines, then different tips is the only way to go.

I saw a video once, where one of these guys explained his favorite lines. And apparently he preferred to use different MOW tips from Rio, as he could get them in versions, where he has a fast sinking tip, with a floating back end. The downside is off course, that the MOW tips aren’t tapered, and instead have a level profile.

This guy has also made videos of himself casting these “shooting heads”, and as far as I can see, these MOW tips cast so very terribly, that I personally wouldn’t like to try them… But maybe this is also in part because he uses a #000 rod to cast the tip… I don’t know.

Cheers, Bendix

[Vicente G]

after all one of the reasons I love being here is because it is so bloody hard — but putting all of that stuff aside, what the hell am I going to do when I hook a Snakehead and have to immediately apply 10KG of direct stopping force, while all I have to hold in my hand is 60lb mono? It’s hard enough to hold a flyline coated in silicone but the worst we get from that is few line burns. With 60lb mono I might lose a finger

I thougt the same thing, if I wanted it to be easy I would probable buy those super small Japanese rods and a spinning reel and I could cast anywhere just with the flick of my hand, but I choose to spend an enormous amount of money and time on casting instruction and practice (and tackle of course ), I see it like a tool for a specific reason on a specific situation for a specific species, small river, small flies, soft presentation and average sized trout, I'm absolutely not fighting a king salmon on this thing or I might loose a finger as you say. seems like a good option for people that have the same situation as me, maybe I will start a fishing tackle company on just niche stuff for very specific situations like these things
On another topic, how's conservation efforts for game fish in Malaysia going? here in Chile I don't even know where my fishing license money goes, never seen any monitoring, no restocking projects, no conservation efforts as far as I see, or even any education efforts, most of people here don't even know what a fishing season means, even less what a fishing quota is, Chile’s 1,251 rivers are basically unprotected, with almost no laws or any other holistic and lasting mechanisms in place to safeguard them. it seems like private entities and NGO's have done so much more to the rivers conservation efforts than the government, I'm a bit disappointed. I might create a new post to ask and read how's the world in general, I guess I'm not the only one

[Vicente G]

The downside is off course, that the MOW tips aren’t tapered, and instead have a level profile.

This guy has also made videos of himself casting these “shooting heads”, and as far as I can see, these MOW tips cast so very terribly, that I personally wouldn’t like to try them… But maybe this is also in part because he uses a #000 rod to cast the tip… I don’t know.

Cheers, Bendix

Hi Bendix, yeah I guess that casting a tungsten coated level tip like those ones is pretty terrible, especially if you are using such a light rod, fortunately the ones I got are all tapered and density compensated so its a pretty smooth casting experience, do you have a link to the video you saw?
thanks

[Bendix]

Hi Vincent

I’m not sure that I can remember where I found that video, but I can try later today.

But just to warn you, the entire video is in Danish language, and the guy has such a heavy accent, that a translation app will probably be useless…

Cheers, Bendix

[Vicente G]

Thanks Bendix, I will have to polish my Danish, Swedish and everything that finishes in -ish anyways, I'm coming soon to visit some family in Sweden, it will be a long stay because we plan on going fishing to close by countries too, we are passionate DH fishers. We might even get to know each other in person if you're up for it, that would be awesome
Cheers
Vincent

[Bendix]

Hi again Vincente

I don’t know how to make a direct link to the video, but if you go on YouTube and search for:

Line setup til å sø kyst TXL F #000

Then you should be able to find the correct video.

Sounds exciting about your trip to Sweden. If you are going to the southern part of Sweden, then Denmark isn’t that far away. However, if you’re planning on trying for Atlantic Salmon in Denmark, then you have to go all the way to the most western part of Denmark (of the Jutland peninsula) in order to find rivers with Salmon. This is where I’m located, by the way.
There are also lots of great Seatrout rivers in Denmark, but pretty much all of the Danish river fishing is taking place on the Jutland peninsula. Most of the best Seatrout rivers are too small for DH rods, and are more suitable for SH rods, but most of the Salmon rivers are very suitable for DH fishing in most parts.
In the summer time, when the rivers are open for fishing, the Jutland peninsula is actually a very, very nice place to be, if one wants to swing a fly for Atlantic Salmon and Seatrout. Especially if one doesn’t mind driving around a bit, between the different rivers. And the chance of catching a big fish, has never been better!

It could be fun to meet up. I’m located in Varde, very close to the Varde River, in case you want to do some googling…

Cheers, Bendix