Replacement Tips for Scandi Line

[Fin]

Hello, I would like to get more versatility when fishing a scandi line on my 6wt switch rod. Besides mono & versileaders, has anyone used the Rio Replacement tips (designed for Scandi line) in various sink rates? Does it significantly change the casting effort (assume small fly used in Scandi applications). I would like to use this application for summer steelhead and shad fishing. Thanks in advance for any advice. Fin

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Most floating Scandi heads have a front taper so most use a tapered mono leader the length of your rod or the shorter Versi leaders with 4 feet of tippet material.

I think the Scandi heads that come with a set of tips have no or little front taper and need a special tip to work right?

On that #6 size Switch rod with a Scandi head most are using size 6 and smaller flies.

[winxp_man]

The Scandi body will work with the replacement tips. The regular scandi heads work good with the versa leaders or with basic mono leaders. I feel regular scandi lines don’t have the power needed with the taper they have to roll over any of the replacement tips. And if you do run some use the 10’ version. The 15’ makes you have a long belly line which is too long for a switch rod. I know because having given some guys casting lessons they had scandi lines with 15’ replacement tips. And boy it’s is crazy setup to cast.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think the Airflo "Rage" floating head is kind of somewhere between and Scandi and a Skagit.

When I was getting started in Spey/Two handed casting Doug Duncan fitted my 12'6"#6 Spey rod with a Rage head.

All the sudden I could really cast my Spey rod because it would turn over my leader and fly like a champ.

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Scandi floating heads vary some with shorter front tapers and longer, finer front tapers.

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On average, Scandi heads are for "summer/fall" fishing with small/medium flies.

On average, Skagit heads are for "winter/spring" fishing with faster T tips and bigger weighted flies.

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The two most common mistake we make with Spey/Two handed fly rods:

1) Using a fly reel that is too small and even too light to balance these longer rods.

2) Having the wrong type of line(s) on your rod and having the wrong weight of line.



Get with someone who is very experienced with Spey/Two Handed World to give you some head.

Locally we have Jeff Putnam and Andy Guibord who both have web sites.

[Fin]

Good info. Sounds like the 10 ft length is the way to go. Thanks.

[winxp_man]

Bill the scandi body is exactly that. A mix between the scandi and skagit head.

[Fin]

The two handed equipment & casting may seem daunting at first especially if you are proficient single hand FF.

As far as equipment, going to your local fly shop like Kiene’s will help shorten the learning curve. Lots of good info on internet. It is important to get a balanced setup for your application.

Two handed rod Spey casting. Take a lesson. Watch YouTube. Practice on a river. Go back watch YouTube. Practice on river. Reading how to cast is basically useless. You basically only need two casts to get you fishing-Snap T & Perry Poke esp w/ a Skagit line. Once you learn how to cast Skagit, your Scandi casts will be much easier.

The two handed FF opens up water a Single hand rod could not fish before. Back casts are non existent since Spey casting keeps line in front and minimally to the back.

You can get mesmerized by your long casts; however, the object is not to cast far but to catch fish.

Okay I will get off my soapbox now.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Some of the biggest things to come along in fly fishing in the past decades are:

Graphite fly rods

Breathable waders and raincoats

Lifetime warranty of fly rods

Indicators/bobbers

Stripers on a fly

Spey/Two handed fishing............it is huge.



What else?

[PV_Premier]

I have had good success w/ Rio scandi body and a 10' versileader on my 11' switch rods. I don't attempt to fish weighted flies on this rig unless maybe just a small bead. If I am fishing bead chain eyes I use an OPST commando and versileader or T8/T11 instead.

I tend to overline them by one with the scandi body, that is using a 6/7 or a 7 on the 6wt rod and so on.

I want to get a 96gr or 132gr OPST tip to try with the right sized scandi body. I think this could be a nice setup but I need to demo it first. IIRC the 10' versileaders are only about 55-60gr which is the basis for going a size heavy on the SB.

[Brian Clemens]

If you are trying to get replacement tips for your scandi body, make sure you match them to your specific scandi body weight.

If you are talking about a true scandi, give the Rio Scandi versileaders a try. They are 35grs at 10ft. Been fishing these a lot on my scandis and like them a lot.

A true scandi will not turn over the replacement tips as they are to heavy, and the scandi will not turn them over.

You can also fish T8 mow tips on scandi bodies from 6wt to 7/8wt, T11 mow tips on 7/8wt to 9wt. But I prefer Rio Spey Versileaders on scandi body's. The spey versileaders are 70grs at 10ft.

I've recently purchased the new Scientific Anglers Spey Lites and absolutely love them. Casts perfectly with 10ft Rio Spey versileaders. What makes them so good is they are a true scandi short. Not a scandi body which is more of a Skagit than a scandi. The SA Spey lites cast like a scandi, fish like a scandi and feel like a scandi, way better than the rage compact. This is the line I fish exclusively now 85% of the time.