question for the spey guys

[PaulC]

Hey Guys,
Just got my first spey rod in the mail today.
I'm primarily a salt guy but do make a couple trips up north for steelies.
I ended up going with a 5/6/7 wt. 11'6" Meiser highlander stick.

I don't fish big water when I'm up there and figured the shorter length would be better for overhand in the salt for halibut, and off the jetties for sea bass, calicos, etc.

What type of running lines do you guys like to use in a shooting head system?

Bob supplied a head and some tips, but I still need to pick up a running line. I'll order it from Kiene's of course

Anyone else fishing two handers in the salt for stripes, halibut, etc?

Here's a couple pictures of the new rod.
It belted out test casts of an entire 400 grain integrated line with no false casts and minimal effort. I have to say I'm hooked.
Can't wait to work on the spey casts in the harbor for practice with a floating setup.

Will probably have to track Jeff down again next winter for another casting lesson to unlearn bad habits
-Paul

[aaron]

Sweet stick! The airflow ridge running lines have been tried and proven. There are also new running lines out from Monic and SA that are very popular. Hard to go wrong with any of them.

[nrthcsteel]

Nice rod! Im waiting on a MKS from Bob. I use an airflo running line and am happy with it, been hearing good things about the Monics, not sure how they would hold up in salt but Im sure someone would know. I just built myself a Meiser 12wt. switch rod to go after ling cod with. Definatly made it for two hand overhead casting with casting ridiculously heavy shooting heads in mind. Bob told me a lot of east coast guys are using this rod to chase down BIG stripers. I think your rod will work in salt. Thatod definatly has steelhead written all over it, the Klamath and Trinity would be a blast on that rod. I built a 11'6" 5/6/7 Beulah for that exact purpose. Enjoy your new toy and maybe Ill see you up north. Kevin

[sculpin]

Hey Paul, I have the exact same rod. I haven't fished two hand overhead with it yet so I can't help on the running like question. I know quite a few rave about the Rio Slickshooter running line. I had a bad experience with it myself but I think I got an old spool of it. The memory in the line wouldn't go away, no mater what I did. Good luck with the rod and line matching.

Mark

[PaulC]

Hey Mark,
What have you been using line wise on your rod for more traditional spey casting?
I'm still figuring this whole thing out. Bob's been a great help, but I'm also curious about what you've been happy with.
I'm sure you've got more time on the rod than my 1 hour demo session.

Hey Kevin,
I definitely think this rod will be fun on the smaller steelhead rivers up north. I just gotta practice my cast and get ready....
My buddy just started throwing a G-Loomis two hander 10wt for stripes on the coast and has been loving it.

Hey Aaron,
I heard good things about the airflow line. The previous thread on the monic line also got me thinking. Lots of choices. Maybe I'll just give Kiene's a call and give it a go with what they recommend tomorrow.
Should be fun. There's some bigger halibut showing up in some protected water spots where this rod will really open up new opportunity.
-Paul

[sculpin]

Paul
I'm not going to be of much help on Traditional Speylines either. All the lines I have, I have spliced out of pieces from several different lines. I guess their called Frankenlines. I've taken Mike Kinney fishing a couple of times when he's been down here working with Bob. He's a pro at building lines and he gave me some great pointers. My lines are spliced to launch big, heavy, flies into places I know hold fish. To get lines to do what I wanted, I found I had to build them myself. Plus, I'm a hard headed tinkerer. I do have a Skagit style line I put together with a 15' t=14 tip that would probably cast well overhead and work really well in the surf. I cut back a SA 12wt long belly I bought on clearance, for the Skagit Head part of the line. It will cast a block Skagit style and get deep. You'll have to just come up and try them out yourself some time.

Mark

[slage]

Hey Paul,

I have an "older" 11'6'' 5/6/7 Meiser that I bought from Keith K @ Kienes.
Traditional casting wise, I have been very happy with a 9wt. Rio Atlantic Salmon/Steelhead floating line.

[Adam Grace]

I agree with Aaron, Airflo makes some great shooting lines, very smooth and they tangle less than most other lines that I've tried out.

[PaulC]

Thanks guys. Ordered the Airflo Ridge running line from Kiene's and hope to give it a shot this weekend.
-Paul