6 replies to this topic

[Bubba_Da_Man]

I am wanting to buy a new fly line for my nine weight rod. I like the idea of interchangeable heads. I am looking at either the Rio Versi Tip system or Rio Max II Shooting Heads. I need help on deciding which one to buy. What are the pro/cons of each? I will be fishing a lot of lakes for pike, bass, etc. but I also fish the local rivers in the spring for Steelhead. Any help is appreciated.

-Brandon

[Piker20]

I use a shooting head kit for my salmon and heavy salt/pike work. I have a floating head loop/loop to running line. If I want to use a sinking tip I can either add a 5ft sinking polyleader to the SH line, or for a longer sinking portion I take off the floating SH and use different density SH to the running line.

PROS
SH require retrieving at the end of the swim before you shoot them again, so great for fish that will respond to pulled flies.
Always able to cast regardless of the area behind you.
Very flexible for floating , sinking etc.
Weight is all up front so great for big flies

Cons
You need to retrieve SH lines and in a strong flowing water can be a pain.
? can land a bit heavier than spey lines might.

The only difference in the Rio lines you mentioned I can see is the taper of the head. The Max II appears to be more finely tapered than the versi and I wonder how it would handle heavier density sinking polyleaders. It seems designed to prevent the heavy landing but I don't think it matters all that much, the heavy tube fly makes a good plop all on its own!

My choice (is) would be versi tip. Especially if you can pick up the pre 2012 line. Should be some good dicounts on that now new line is out. The Loop and Airflow ones are good too.

[Bubba_Da_Man]

Thanks for your help. After doing further research, my only concern with the Versi Tip is the head length. The sinking heads are only 15 feet long and I might need to fish a little deeper than that. With the shooting heads being 30 feet in length I should be able to reach any desirable fishing depth. I'll be doing 90 percent of my fishing in still open water so I'm not worried about having to retrieve my line in strong currents and I have another fly line that I will be using for Steelhead in the rivers.

I'm leaning more towards the Shooting Head setup but I appreciate your suggestion nonetheless.

[Piker20]

The Head length is more to do with the ease of casting. A shorter head weighing 500g will be 'easier' to cast than a head twice the length weighing 500g. They both have the same mass but it is where that mass is that is critical.

The depth that they sink to is all the same, it is the speed they sink that matters.

So a sinking tip at 2inch a second will eventually get to the lake bed if you wait all day.
A sink tip at 8inch a second gets there 4x quicker. On the big man made UK waters, before Airflo made their Di7 line many guys used (still do) lengths of leadcore line to drag their flies down to where the pike and big browns live. These were a hell to cast though. Most used a drop and move the boat method.

So the Versi head in its heaviest tip will get just as deep as any other head in the same sink rate.
The shorter head will fall at a sharper angle to the running line than a longer head because the mass is concentrated closer to the tip but if you need the depth it doesn't really matter.

If you plan to fish a team of flies in stillwater, like we do on the lochs, then look at the lines designed for trout fishing that are belly sink lines. You might see them sold for 'washing line' method. It means your line sinks more horizontal instead of tip first and its meant to help pull the flies along in the horizontal plain instead of the tip fly being higher and the fly nearest the fly line being deeper. A good line if you know all 3 or 4 patterns you are casting are what the fish want. Buzzers for example.

[Bubba_Da_Man]

After doing yet more research, I have decided on the shooting heads. The heads for the Versi Tip are sink-tip lines and the Max II heads are full sinking. I feel like the full sinking heads would present my fly/flies at a better angle to the fish compared to sink-tip Versi Tip heads.

I thank you nonetheless for your help and suggestions.

[Piker20]

enjoy and good fishing.

[bad fish rising]

i use the RIO VERSI-TIP line everyday.
it is a great line.
i would suggest if you have a 9wt rod buy a 10wt VERSI-TIP.
i have an 8wt line but use a 15' sink tip from a 7wt SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS MASTERY SHORTHEAD SPEYLINE on it most of the time.
the spey tip has more grains so casts larger flies with a shorter stroke.
the largest fly i have thrown is a 4/0 rattlin murdich minnow w/ a 6mm glass rattle in it.
it is 6" or 7"s in length & 2 fingers wide.