Fall/Winter Steelhead --- Best Skagit Head

[Idadon]

Cabela's #6 TLR Switch Rod. I've decided to line my spare spool with Rio Slickshooter and a Skagit head. Seems the two popular choices are the Rio Skagit Max Short (425 gr) and the Airflo Skagit Compact (420). I figure on picking up 2-4 tips and try to cover most situations. I've already got a Rio Switch for light weight fly situations. Mostly looking for negatives for either of these heads keeping in mind I'm an experienced single hand but novice/intermediate switch. Should I go up in grains or are these weights good.

I guess I should add that I might fish anywhere between Washington down to the Russian in California. Maybe even the Lower Deschutes, Clearwater and usually the Salmon. Won't know for sure till I get there.

[speyfool]

Cabela's #6 TLR Switch Rod. I've decided to line my spare spool with Rio Slickshooter and a Skagit head. Seems the two popular choices are the Rio Skagit Max Short (425 gr) and the Airflo Skagit Compact (420). I figure on picking up 2-4 tips and try to cover most situations. I've already got a Rio Switch for light weight fly situations. Mostly looking for negatives for either of these heads keeping in mind I'm an experienced single hand but novice/intermediate switch. Should I go up in grains or are these weights good.

I guess I should add that I might fish anywhere between Washington down to the Russian in California. Maybe even the Lower Deschutes, Clearwater and usually the Salmon. Won't know for sure till I get there.

I'm not sure about grain weights for that rod. But, I'd suggest using an intermediate sinking skagit head. I decided to give it a shot several years ago and have never gone back to a floating skagit.

[TaylerW]

OPST Commando heads are it!

[Rick J]

I am a big fan of RIO Skagit max and really like the shorts for most of my fishing. As others have mentioned - not sure grain weight for that rod - if you have a chance to try might be good unless you have already tried that grain weight on that rod and like it

Regarding the OPST and the RIO Skagit trout lines - these are short heads - RIO are only 11 feet and OPST lengths vary but the 425 I think is around 16.5' - they are mainly ideal for real tight quarters or if you want to cast and impart a stripping action to the fly _ ie streamers for trout so not sure that would be my first choice for swinging for steelhead.

Regarding tips - if you want a floater plus sinking would likely look to the MOW T11 - floating, 2.5x7.5; 5x5 and 7.5x2.5 - if you want full sink just get coils of T11 and make your won - maybe 10' and 12' tips

[Idadon]

The OPST site recommends a 300 grain head for my rod weight but the the Rio site recommends a 425-450 grain head. I know the Rio site is taking into account I am using a two-hand. I'm wondering if the OPST site is basing their weights on a single hand rod. They have 425 grain heads but this weight is recommended for 8-9 weights? ??????

Good advise about the tips! Thinking I'm going to do that. You know, fixed income and all that.

[Rick J]

The OPST lines recommend much lighter grains than typical for Skagit heads and for some reason it seems to work. The 300 grain is even shorter so not sure I would go the OPST route

[lake flyer]

I have that rod and am using an Airflo Skagit 390 gr and using 10 ft tips.

[Idadon]

That line at 22.5' + a 10' tip at least makes your length in the accepted range of 3x Rod length. Seems kind of light from what I've been told but if it works good deal. I'm starting to think this whole Spey thing was invented to drive me nuts. Not being one to avoid a challenge I am committed to figuring out Skagit Line mechanics. I'm now looking at making my own tips and maybe some cheaters to match them (should I need a cheater). While on the subject does anyone out there know what a floating cheater would be made from?

[Rick J]

do you have any access to any old single hand floating fly lines? Just cut off the first 10 or 12 feet or might want to trim some of the taper off the front before cutting it to length you want - I have several of them I made up to 15'

[Idadon]

I do have some old lines. Good idea! I see them at garage sales all the time too. I even have a couple of Rio Grand Spey experimental lines I can chop up. Thanks!

That gives me another idea. Could I use the back of one of those Grand Speys as a shooting line. Not sure how long the level backend is but might be long enough.