sweet thanks for that info.

so this cortland quick descent 225 grain line does that attach to my current 8wt line or do i need to get the line that it integrates into. floating running line.

seems like a 4.5" per second would work great on the american for steelhead. and i think that is what is usually used out on the ar.

so there is actually 2 lines i would need to by the 30ft section and the funning line.

at one point in time packrat was selling a
SA Mastery Series 7wt sink tip type lV 12 or 14 foot sink tip
would that work perfectly for what i want to do.

-- Edited by brian clemens at 13:32, 2008-07-22

awsome. already looking around.

cole wrote:

---

Im surprised DTP isn't trying to sell you some Scientific Anglers line right about now.  Good points Abelboy.  Funny you should ask Brian I was just on the Rio and SA websites last night.  Talk about some options in the shooting, sinking line section.  I'm about to order myself up a 10 footer 7 wt. myself for chromers this coming season.  Probably use the floating line on it and shooting head on the 8.

---

A shooting head system on an 8 weight rig is very popular for Striped Bass, too.

AbelBoy

Your right on track Cliff.  My particular shooting head setup ( and there are many) is a 300 grain which is 30 feet long loop connectd to a running line which also sinks and is pretty long before it connects into my backing.  Lots of line on there.  The integrated system Abel talks about looks pretty sweet.  The one downfall with the one line setup that has a sinktip maybe that you can't swap out tips on certain line setups.  I can swap my front 30 feet in a heartbeat and have a lighter or heavier shooting head.  It can make your head swim how many options there are.

Thanks Cole. What's a popular running line to use for the SH system? I think I've read somewhere before that some people just use monofilament for the running line. Can anyone recommend any links for SH systems?

For running lines I use the Rio intermediate running line mostly but use the Airflo Ridge running line as well. The ridge handles the best by far but does not seem to shoot as far. It is also dacron based rather than mono based like the other coated running lines. I like these lines better because they tangle less and don't cut your fingers like the monofilament does. Mono does shoot further but adding a few feet of distance for me doesn't really matter much since I'm already out as far as I need to be.

If you're new to shooting heads I would say go with the coated running lines simply because it tangles less and it is less of a headache. I know a lot of new shooting head users get started with amnesia absolutely hate the tangles and stop using them altogether. The coated lines act more like a flyline than a piece of mono.

One thing should also be mentioned about shooting heads, don't think anyone has said this before. If you can't haul or double haul on your cast a shooting head may not be for you. You need to be able to hold 30' of a heavily weighted line outside the rod tip which is difficult for a lot of people. If you want to continue using them, you can cut off 1' sections until you can easily cast it. Just don't go too short since the casts will begin to dump. If you can't hold about 20' outside the tip then casting shooting heads will be a nightmare.

I am the total opposite of AbelBoy when it comes to shooting heads, I absolutely hate the integrated lines because I can't tell how much line is out the tip without looking since there is no hinging at the junction between the shooting head and running line. I like it when it gets caught in the guides on the cast since I can tell how much line I need to let out to get the shooting head out of the tip. I also don't like the fact that I can't change sink rates without switching out the entire line.

Brian, also check out Rio's Anadromous Advantage line. It is a set of 15' tips with various sinking rates and it also has a floater. It acts more like a flyline than a shooting head. Downside is it is super expensive. I think the other companies also make a similar line but I am not familiar with them.

Good man, Shon. You should do fine with that setup. On my single handed 6 weight rod, I use two different sinktips and a floater. On the AR, I mostly use a floater.

For my two handed rods, that's subject for a new topic. We're not gonna go there.

AbelBoy

hey shaun thats what i used all yr. 7wt rod 7wt floating line with a spey versa sink tip. and you know how i did. remember that day everyone left and i started moving my way down and hooked 2 fish in a row, that big nasty 33"er then that sweeeeeet chromer that did some air time. that was all dont on that set up. which is sweet cuz you can buy different sink rates for the versa tip for different flows. its a sweet set up.

see ya next week.

thats a good what to go to. floating line with a crap load of shot, or like i was doing with floating line with a versa type. either way will work. i wanted to go a different route this yr and see how it works, if it doesnt ill go back to old faithfull called shoot or versa tip.

hey shaun just a suggestion. i started out with a 9ft 6wt, and i did ok. but from personal experience and other fishing opportunities i would go with a 9ft-10ft 7wt rod. you can use if for salmon, steelhead, stripper, bass. just about any big fish. the surf. trinity and klamath rivers as well. you will be a lil ungunned when you decide to hit up the trinity with a 9ft 6wt. even though ill probably still bring mine. (shoot i brought my 5wt out on the AR and landed some nice steelhead.) i am just crazy like that.

i wish i got a 9.6ft rod instead of the 10ft. i can go lighter tippet with the 10ft because its a medium to medium fast action. it has a very soft tip and the back bone gives a lot more, it will protect the tippet a lil better on tippet shy fish, my 9ft 6wts back bone is crazy, fast action defintly have horsed a few steelhead in with it but i dont know how it would hang with fresher and bigger fish like on the trinity. i think a 9.6 rod would be ideal. it will have the best of both worlds, soft tip and good back bone. oh ya and when you do look just hold a 9ft in one hand and a 10ft in the other of the same rod. you will feel the weight difference. you would think it wouldnt be much just because its a foot. but you definitly feel it in your shoulders if you nymph alot. which i did. its a really major drag. i started to get popeye arms from my 10ft 7wt.

again just my opinion. figured id let you know.

-- Edited by brian clemens at 16:55, 2008-07-24