Older spey rods trying to find the correct Gr weight.

So, I am not new to spey rods and have quite a few, however I grew up in Scotland but moved 20+ years ago over here. My father, who is still in Scotland gave me a few of his rods with the appropriate spey lines to go with them. I love these things, older slow.. slow action rods but mostly because they have meaning to me. To avoid the TLDR;, I want to put modern lines on them. Although it's fun casting spey lines, it's a lot less work to cast scandi heads or skagit heads.

My issue. These are AFTM 10/11 but if I go with the recommended heads for a 10/11 they totally overload.. I mean it's not even close. If I line down from there I get the same thing. I have a 6wt (Echo Tr 12'6) that takes 540gr skagit heads but the last time I tried putting a 625gr on one of the '14 10/11wt rods it felt like i was casting a noodle and couldn't successfully cast it at all.

Seems odd to ask but is there some old -> new or uk -> us conversion for AFTM (Yes I am aware this is an american standard)?

Call Rio Products and ask to talk with Simon Gawesworth......



Bring your rods to Kiene's Fly Shop on the weekend when Andy is working.

He should be able to help you get closer.

You need a longer floating Scandi head for a 14 footer.

I would highly recommend trying specific grain heads, even if there is a conversion chart available. We all develop our own preference. Also you'll want to match the line with the fly size you intend to fish. I have most of the popular manufactures spey lines (skagit, scandi, short, med and long bellies) that you could try out while I'm teaching on the American River in Sacramento or if you wanted to try them out during a lesson please let me know. -JP jpflyfishing.com

Skyler,
Jeff P is in your neck of the woods and knows his stuff. Schedule a date with
him; bring your rods. Guides like Jeff have many heads (no pun intended)
and will help you find the right match. A great guide like Jeff will keep in mind the difference
between your casting and his. Money well spent!
Best,
Larry S
Sun Diego

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Originally Posted by Jeff Putnam

I would highly recommend trying specific grain heads, even if there is a conversion chart available. We all develop our own preference. Also you'll want to match the line with the fly size you intend to fish. I have most of the popular manufactures spey lines (skagit, scandi, short, med and long bellies) that you could try out while I'm teaching on the American River in Sacramento or if you wanted to try them out during a lesson please let me know. -JP jpflyfishing.com

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Hey Jeff, thank you for the offer. I may well take you up on that. It's a complete mystery to me what these things will take. My collection of heads has a lot of concentration between 420 and 500 but only a few either side as I mostly throw 6s and 7s. Like Bill said, I generally think Skandi lines would be better suited to these rods. The smallest one I have is a 14ft and unless I'm using massive tips I would think I'd get a lot of blown anchors with the skagit heads. The main rod I want to line up is a 16ft 10/11 thomas and thomas. Beautiful rod and quite a handful. It would be awesome to catch a couple of steelhead on it with the lineage in the back of my mind.

If you go to the Clearwater river in Idaho from Sept 15 to Oct 15 for Steelhead you will seen many there using those long long Spey rods.

There they use long rods take long Scandi heads for long casts.......most there will be using 14 foot and longer rods.



Doug Duncan is the guy who I would contact for some help.

Sadly for us he just now moved to from here to Washing to be closer to good Steelhead water.

If anyone here emails Doug he will help you with good answers.

http://duncanflyfishing.com/

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Originally Posted by Skyler76

So, I am not new to spey rods and have quite a few, however I grew up in Scotland but moved 20+ years ago over here. My father, who is still in Scotland gave me a few of his rods with the appropriate spey lines to go with them. I love these things, older slow.. slow action rods but mostly because they have meaning to me. To avoid the TLDR;, I want to put modern lines on them. Although it's fun casting spey lines, it's a lot less work to cast scandi heads or skagit heads.

My issue. These are AFTM 10/11 but if I go with the recommended heads for a 10/11 they totally overload.. I mean it's not even close. If I line down from there I get the same thing. I have a 6wt (Echo Tr 12'6) that takes 540gr skagit heads but the last time I tried putting a 625gr on one of the '14 10/11wt rods it felt like i was casting a noodle and couldn't successfully cast it at all.

Seems odd to ask but is there some old -> new or uk -> us conversion for AFTM (Yes I am aware this is an american standard)?

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That Echo TR 12’6 6 wt should take a 450 skagit. 540 gr. is overloaded.

My older 14ft and 15ft Spey rods never felt right with a skagit head. With a longer scandi head (35ft+) they worked pretty well. But then I found the right traditional line, mid belly nirvana was achieved! I felt like my longest rods were meant to fish a traditional mid belly line. When fishing with heavier tips my 12.5 to 13ft rods work best with the skagit principle. Hopefully Jeff or Andy can help you!

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Originally Posted by Mark Kranhold

That Echo TR 12’6 6 wt should take a 450 skagit. 540 gr. is overloaded.

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Nope, that is actually incorrect. The grain window written on the rod is 420->540. Unless you put on a ridiculous tip (T14+ sink 12'+) it won't even load past the tip with any skagit head under 500gr. At 540 with a 10' T10 it's quite happy and doesn't overload at all. Since the model I have they've changed that grain window considerably. It's an odd rod that acts more like a 7-7/8 if you ask me.

My nephew has that rod and a 450 skagit sings on it! I don’t go by the large grain windows manufacturers are stamping on rods nowadays, a 6 should be in the 400 Scandi range and 450 skagit zone! 510-540 is a 7wt.