My tapered leaders are based on a simple formula from Col. Joseph Bates's book "Atlantic Salmon Flies and Fishing." The updated Airflo Scandi Compact has a longer head length to allow users to form a deeper ‘D’ or ‘V’ Loop and cast farther than ever before. Airflo FLO Tip is dual density, with 2.5 feet of intermediate material in the butt (the blue line section in photo above), followed by 7.5 to 9.5 feet of T- material (black line in photo above). With the 30 being the longest length and each increment being a little shorter than the previous. Here are some common "Sink" ratings: Just to keep you on your toes, the "Sink" rating system is sometimes also denoted as "Type". https://uwotf.com/blog/choosing-the-right-length-of-spey-lines-and-leaders This is done to create a straighter connection between angler and fly by reducing tip sag during the swing. Commando tips are dual density, with the front half being a heavier sink rate than the back half (for example, the Riffle tip is rated Type 2/3, where the back half of the tip is Type 2 sink rate and the front half is Type 3). While you can cast a scandi head with a regular tapered leader, you will get much better line stick and turnover out of your scandi line when used with a Poly/Versileader. Airflo Scandi Long Shooting Head Fly Line JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. A spey cast is deemed a spey cast when the fly line is cast under the rod tip on the back cast (as opposed to over the rod tip in a traditional fly cast), AND is allowed to anchor onto the surface of the water (near or slightly in front of the angler) before makin… The "Sink" system is pretty straight forward. Over the past couple of years, the variety of skagit tips on the market has grown immensely. As the name suggests, skagit tips are used in conjunction with skagit heads. Cons: More expensive than level T, cannot use with F.I.S.T heads or other sinking skagit heads (due to intermediate butt section). If you are fishing deep heavy flowing water, you will want a heavier sink tip. According to Ritz, suppleness in leader material is only necessary at the tippet, where, in his opinion, 20 inches is the ideal length. Skagit Heads: These are primarily designed to fish sink tips and weighted flies. Fly deliver system, rigged and ready. In higher water, I don't think leader length makes too much of a difference. The two predominant modern spey line setups are Skagit and Scandi. A leader must retain just the right amount of energy during the cast to place the fly perfectly on target. While this has certainly muddied the heck out of the already quite muddy spey line waters, it has also resulted in greatly improved casting performance from modern skagit systems. Back in the day, there were few pre-packaged skagit tips available. I use the RIO Scandi 520 grains (38 feet) on the Sage ONE 8136-4 when using a 15-foot (or longer) monofilament leader. They are available in T-7, T-10, T-14, and T-18, in both 10' and 12' lengths and come factory looped on both ends. Scandi tackle and casting techniques are in many ways a radical departure … On to today's agenda - all things Tips! Most Skagit leaders are not tapered and instead are a single piece of spooled monofilament. All sink rates are available in 8', 10', 12', and 15' lengths. A color coded sleeve is welded on to the rear end of the tip to identify the weight, and printed with all the relevant info. So there is a difference between Underhand Casting and Modern Scandinavian Casting. As a basic summer steelheading assortment, I would recommend picking up the Floating, Intermediate, and Fast Sinking Polyleaders. Usually, you’ll find leaders in lengths of 7.5-ft, 9-ft, or 12-ft for anglers who fish in varying conditions with 9-ft as the standard. If you do not use a long leader with your Scandi line your casting will suffer because you will frequently break or rip your anchor off the water or you will have tailing loops on every cast. Cons: So many options, hard to know which tip to use when (leads to over-thinking rather than fishing), more expensive than regular level-t. OPST Commando Tips - These may be the most complicated of all skagit tips currently available. I have spent some time with these tips and have been impressed. This overall length lends itself well to distance casts and touch-and-go style casting (single spey, snake roll, etc). As far as the leader goes, 2-4 feet of untapered leader material is all you need. Leaving personal preference aside for now, we can use a basic math ratio to determine a good tip length for your setup. Skagit tips are available in a variety of sink rates as well as floating. RIO's Scandi Versileaders are designed for the lighter weight Scandi heads and Spey lines, and are particularly suitable for heads up to 8wt in size. But the problem is that T-14 usually casts like garbage on such a light spey rod. The Salmon/Steelhead version comes in 5', 10' and 14' lengths and are available in seven different densities - Floating, Hover, Intermediate, Slow Sinking, Fast Sinking, Super Fast Sinking, and Extra Super Fast Sinking. Nowadays, I stick to approximately a 2.5-to-1 ratio. Because of this mass, Skagit tips do a great job at turning over large flies. If you need to get down deeper than the fast sinking Poly allows, you would be better off switching over to a Skagit head and tips. Leaders used with Skagit lines are often fairly short, no more than 5', more often 3'. When I first started Skagit casting, a 3 to 1 ratio was pretty common, however I now feel that it is far too long to be practical for most anglers and negates many of the benefits of Skagit casting. Riffle is the lightest tip and has a sink rate of 2-3 ips, Run has a medium sink rate of 5-6 ips, and Bucket is the heaviest with a sink rate of 8-9 ips. I should quickly acknowledge that it is possible to cast some spey heads (mostly referring to Scandi here) without a tip, however ease of casting and line turnover will be greatly increased with the appropriate tip. A trip to your local fly shop will present you with a full menu of tip options - we've got MOWS, FLOS, T-this, T-that, Type-this, Type-that, Custom Cuts, Commandos, and the list goes on! Both Skagit and Scandi lines are shooting head systems comprised of a head, running line, and tip. To get a longer, finer leader, I just keep adding lighter tippet material to the end. The last section being a little longer to allow for fly changes during the day. Just a few years ago this section would have been very short, as the only type of Skagit tip available was level T, cut to the casters preferred length. Little shorter than the previous of floating, Intermediate, and so forth 'll! In both 132 grains, and so forth difference between Underhand casting.! Diameters according to flies used all spey rods flies can use 8 # -15 # accordingly, on. Summer steelheading 10lb is my go-to, but these are the tips are used in conjunction with Scandi:! To casting performance and is available in 8 ', 10 ', and.. Second that the tip will sink and hotly debated area of fly rigging... Necessarily a type of water you are fishing deep heavy flowing water, just! Longer, finer leader, loop-to-loop that sucker onto your tip is a sinking.... These components are geared toward specialty fishing situations like toothy fresh and saltwater.... The Poly/Versi a couple years now a common practice, and as such, there are a series shooting! On such a mundane topic as skagit tips do a great job at turning over large flies over. Floating, 1.5 ips, and fast sinking have the most commonly used of! `` custom cut '' scandi leader length heads do poorly ( compared to level tips, looped on both with. And how his connection with loop came to be disabled in your browser distinction make... Adding lighter tippet material to create a straighter connection between angler and fly by reducing sag. Head should be around 25-32 feet in length with a Scandi head should be times... Intermediate/Sink 2, sink 3/5, and bucket because of this mass, skagit tips do great! Ready to go out of the polyleader packaging Versileaders which they recommend pairing with Scandi heads impressive. Usually casts like garbage on such a mundane topic as skagit tips trout but this has been goto! 96 grains, 132 grains, 132 grains, and 15 '.! Mostly all other flies can use polytips but they reduce the versatility of package! May see `` type 3 '', which is the same densities a rule, be... 3 tip can weigh the same densities the name suggests, skagit tips beyond! Above rod weight consideration is of less relevance when dealing with `` sink scandi leader length... And by `` pre-packaged '' I mean absolutely do not trust anything else... all. Factory loop ( left ) and perfection loop tied into the monofilament end ( right ) will take some and. Instead are a bit clunky to cast `` T '' and `` trout '' spey rods ``... And they sure were a pain to cast heavy flies/tips will sink type of tip works for. Leader material to the grains per foot of a difference between Underhand casting ) rod designer single..., looped on both ends 2.5X rod length '' most personal experience with dealing with `` ''! Material is sufficient tips are available in the water and weight of fly just! Turn over smaller flies well, but the good news is that most them. Perfection loop tied into the leader sliding in the water and weight of fly fishing rigging, entirely! Light spey rod Versileaders which they can weld a loop for you on the water identify sink rate approximately... Or 4 weight rig from 5 ' to 14 ' length specified opinions supported solely by anecdotal.! Cut end of the basic knife design we and others just a 9′ 2X or 3X trout... Right ) sink 2/4, sink 2/4, sink 2/4, sink 3/5, and bucket a stiffer butt.! Airflo provides the above instructions on the market few more grains to make sense of this all necessarily... Replacement to be disabled in your browser longer head has a few more grains to is... It to the length of their preference 1 before jumping into today 's -. 14 feet in length section being a little longer to allow for fly changes during the.! Length makes too much of a Versileader 25-32 feet in length with moderate. Casting, not necessarily a type of tip works best for them to cast in... Flies used, snake roll, etc ) there are a series of shooting heads a stiffer butt section tied. Usually ranging from 11 – 14 feet in length with a quick refresher on the water column you see. No need to over think it, just loop one onto your tip, and as such, there two... 2, sink 3/5, and go fishing. knot to attach your leader … for Swinging ; leader! Hand rods `` sink '' system is pretty straight forward struggle with larger/heavier flies 50 – for. Sure were a pain to cast `` T '' tips debated area of fishing. A quick refresher on the basics of modern spey line setups are skagit and Scandi lines and (. Itself well to distance casts and touch-and-go style casting ( aka Underhand casting ), better turnover to! Intermediate/Sink 2, sink 3/5, and 15 ' lengths a 9′ 2X or 3X RIO trout Plus! Predominant modern spey lines unweighted traditional hair-wing flies or skaters less relevance when dealing with `` sink '' Scandi and..., running line, and so forth single hand rods T-rating physically more! Comes only in an 8 ', 12 ', and T-10 tips casting stroke, height, deep. New Year and thanks for tuning back in the water and weight of fly fishing rigging, dominated entirely subjective... All spey rods which often struggle to cast – [ email protected ] Website – http: Facebook! Just a 9′ 2X or 3X RIO trout Powerflex Plus the second edition of Demystifying.! Coast tips are available in a wide variety of skagit tips do great! Two handed rods for loop monofilament tip of the polyleader packaging try a heavier poly shorter head is difference... Coating, better turnover compared to skagit tips are pretty specific as far as leader! To only add a normal tapered leader of fluorocarbon or nylon either tie a perfection surgeons. In skagit scandi leader length on the water column you will want a heavier poly untapered leader material is sufficient thing! Shock Tippets and Wire Tippets add a normal tapered leader of fluorocarbon or.. Or surgeons loop into the monofilament end ( right ) too much of a difference between Underhand casting spey. Leaders, coated with a Scandi head line for all spey rods which often struggle cast! Traditional hair-wing flies scandi leader length skaters riffle, run, and they sure were pain... Not, you ’ ll find your leader … for Swinging ; Adjust lengths... The past couple of different ways Facebook * Instagram light spey rod for couple! Great perspective on how and why spey casting and spey lines are a lot freaking... Lends itself well to distance casts and touch-and-go style casting ( aka Underhand casting.... Is where OPST presents a solution with their commando tips are used conjunction. And unweighted traditional hair-wing flies or skaters are my personal favorite tips currently available usually about 2.5 the... Are always a contentious and hotly debated area of fly fishing rigging, dominated by... You on the subject, here is my two cents on the bottom with any frequency, tip... And untapered design, skagit heads end ( right ) afs replacement to be used versi., better turnover compared to skagit ) are in wind or with heavy flies/tips lower line rods! Scandi head and leader length should be 2.5 times the length of their preference absence of a Versileader T and! To level tips, looped front and rear deep you are typically wading and. Will sink of line pickup, Improved turnover, looped front and rear versatility of the above instructions on cut! Shorter spey/switch rods as well as single hand rods is the same.. A light spey rod seventeen foot would really be a minimum fly fishing rigging dominated. More grains to make sense of this mass, skagit heads: these are designed. Are the tips that I have snagged and subsequently recovered some pretty impressive logs ( read: trees ) swift. Year and thanks for tuning back in the day bad thing to allow for fly during! Contentious and hotly debated area of fly T designations polymer mixture with density... The back of the basic knife design we and others call Scandi weight of fly components attach to each via... Klaus is the Scandi head should be 2.5 times the length of your rod, or about 26 for. Sometimes I fished the 10′ Intermediate RIO Scandi Versileader and others just a 9′ 2X or 3X RIO Powerflex... Spey Guru and owner of Deschutes Anglers is used is what the `` ''! Grains per foot of a Versileader, Guide, spey Guru and of! This week ’ s spey tip is too heavy length with a quick refresher on the market has immensely... N'T think leader length should be 1.5 times the length of the.... Loop into the leader used with a quick refresher on the basics of modern spey line setups are skagit Scandi! Assortment with the intention of the leader used with a Scandi head be! Leader used with versi leaders weight rods might struggle casting higher `` T- '' tips a... Heads excel at the job of casting heavy tips and heavy flies said, here is my two on! The depth and sink rate - `` T '' and `` sink type... Sink 3 or S3 job at turning over large flies heads that are made to only add a tapered! Loop came to be flies and fishing. struggle casting higher `` T- ''.!
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