shooting head????

[Wolfie2nd 0]

Sorry I have no helpful info to offer yet but I do have another question...

I just purchased an Airflo fast forty plus line and didn't realize that it wasn't a loop system for changing heads. Would I be able to cut the head off the running ling and set up a loop system so I can change heads??? If so what knot to use??

Thanks in advance,

Doug

[Crotalus 0]

Probably would work.

 

For loops you have a couple options, google "welded fly line loops" this will return many how-to articles for using a flat iron to create welded loops on fly lines. The other method is to use thread to create a whip finish on steriods, try googling "whipped fly line loops"

[Wolfie2nd 0]

That's what I was thinking either whip or like a triple nail knot..

[Piker20 0]

Don't forget that the 40+ line is not designed as a shooting head and therefore the taper is more a WF. It will shoot a thinner running line if you attached it but no where near the effect a true SH would have. If you have brought the line rated to you rod, i.e. 7 weight line for 7 weight rod, adding sinking tips will increase the centre of gravity and may overload your rod.

[Wolfie2nd 0]

Well with as green as I am I thought that the running line and the head were 2 separate not realizing it came as one. So what I'm looking to do is cut it at the start of the running line and make loops in both the head and running line so that I can use other heads. Don't know if that makes sence or not or if it would work. But I would like it to cause a .5 per second sink rate is not enough in some cases

[Wolfie2nd 0]

Well what I did is I also purchased a 8wt rio 1.5 IPS shooting head to use in the times I need a faster sink rate. My rod is as well an 8 wt.

So there will be a possibility of overloading my rod???

Like I said I'm green and also have no mentor so I'm learning as I go.

[Piker20 0]

OK I'll start by saying I would not cut up the 40+. In the 'old' days we would cut double taper lines to create SH.

 

A weight forward line WF, is a line that has a weighted head section that tapers down to a running line which then attaches to some backing on the reel.

So a WF line will have a thin section that you tie your leader to. Front taper This increases in diameter to become thicker (this is more noticable on floating lines than on sinkers), this is your casting weight known as the belly. Then this decreases in diameter again into the running length of line known as rear taper.

The Front taper, Belly and Rear Taper are designed to turn over your fly and present it to the surface in a splash free manner. Some lines have longer bellies and longer front sections which helps presentation. You will see them sold as such. Others have a shorter more dramatic front, belly and rear taper and these will achieve distance more easily. The 40+ is one of these.

 

Now a SH traditionally has no front taper, belly and Rear. It is simply a thick section of weight. This is attached to a running line and quickly loads the rod and shoots the line. If you chop you 40+ you are not achieving the quick weight and will not benefit at all.

To achieve more depth polyleaders by the likes of Rio and Airflo can be added to the end of the 40+. These come in 5ft 10ft 15ft lengths. They come in various densities so you can have a very quick sinking tip on a floating WF line. It does affect you casting a little and can hinge so you need to play to see what suits you.

 

If you really want to make some SH to have different sinking heads, you need to buy a double taper line 2 weights above your rods rating. Cut it in half and then make loops in the ends. You now have 2 heads which you will need to cast with and cut back until you find the length that suits your rod and casting. Lots on google on doing this.

 

The Rio 8wt shooting head. Do you know if this is designed for double handed spey rods or single handed rods? The line weighting system is different for the two types and an 8wt for a spey rod is more like a 10wt on a single hander. So may be a problem. If it is for a single hander then that head will connect to a running line and cast fine on your rod. The spey line will cast but you will need to keep a portion of the head in you rod rings and this defeats the object of the SH a little which is to achieve max distance with no back casting.

 

Hope that is all clear as mud!!

[Wolfie2nd 0]

Thanks for taking the time to spell all that out for me. I had some understanding but not its perfectly clear..so now that you let me know there's a differnce I probably wasted more money on this shooting head I picked up.

So probably my next step will be to stick with the 40+ and get up to a fly shop and have em show me exactly what I need rather than blowing cashola on the wrong stuff.

[Crotalus 0]

Fly lines are never wasted, just used for a different task. What reel do you use, do you have a spare spool? If so pick up some backing and a spool of running line and attach the shooting head to it, now you have the Airflo as one set up and the SH as a second, from there you can add an even denser shooting head that is interchangeable with the first shooting head.

 

I made nearly the same mistake several years ago. Bought a shooting head that I thought would work as a sink tip. Casted horribly, and has been in a cabinet since then. Because of the research I have done over the past year on shooting heads my son will have a nice setup for bass this year.

[Wolfie2nd 0]

I'm fishing a greys gx900 on a 8wt sage vantage. Line yet undetermined its for sure not going to be the airflo. I fished it this morning before work and on lunch brake and I'm not a fan. So for now I guess I'm sticking to what works and that being a full line...

[Wolfie2nd 0]

Oh an no spare spool

[Piker20 0]

You may be able to use the SH you have even if it is for a spry rod by shortening it from the reel end. But cut too much off and you won't load the rod so 6inch a time is general idea. If you can get to a shop or a club, or even see someone fishing its the best way when you first get going.

[ditz2 0]

Seems like many years ago they used to use lead core trolling line to make shooting heads. I think they used either mono or braid at running line. I always thought I would like to try one but I never really had a use for one so I never spent the money to give it a try.

 

I thought at least one of the line manufacturers sells a line that has interchangable shooting heads from floating to fast sinking.

[Piker20 0]

Rio and guideline to mention 2 both do those kits but Wolfie is trying to rescue a line he's already spent money on.

[Wolfie2nd 0]

I rescued it alright. I just bought a looped running line and wrapped up the 40+ on a spool for later use.. Now that I can open a shop for line sales in the near future if I keep this up. But lawn test worked out fine so maybe I'm done.... We shall see..