Gary Anderson 1204 spey rod

[Forelle]

Has anyone else try the Rio Outbound #8? That's what Steve and Gary had recommended to me as well, but I'm not sure if it's heavy enough for pure Skagit style casting. I've been messing around with a 400 grain shooting head with fair to decent results, finding a 300 grain head too light for my stroke. The #8 is coming in at 330 grains, while the #9 is 375 grains. I'm leaning towards picking up a #9 Outbound unless I'm hearing that the folks using the #8 are successful with Skagit casting. I suspect that folks are using the #8 to cast more Skando style.

[acrods]

If you are going to use that much grain weight, try the Hardy Salmon/Steelhead ST9/10 .It is 41' and about 395 gr. It is a total rocket on my 1265-3 . The problem with the heavier Outbound is that there is so much weight at the very end of the line that unless you have just a touch and go cast you get way too much stick.
Gary

[Rick J]

I think he is proposing to use the heavy grain weight skagit style so stick should not matter?

Have not heard about the Hardy - is it a head or a full line with running line? Do you attach tips to it? Sounds interesting!

[acrods]

The line is a Euro 41' Shooting head for spey rods. There is no running line, Or tips. Adding a loop and ploy tips should be no problem.
Gary

[Forelle]

Just fog giggles I tried the back end of a 9/10 Midspey, which scales out at 467 grains at 37.5 feet and has a taper similar to the Skagit lines. This rig works nicely, although I wouldn't mind a couple more feet of length. I'm also able to throw 15' 60grain tips fairly well. I would think that the back section and middle (or tip) section of a 9/10/11 Winducutter would work well too, maybe even better because it is 39.5 feet long.

[Rick J]

Boy did I have an eye opener on my trip to the GR with the Anderson 1204. I have been using the custom line Gary supplies plus the Rio OUTBOUND 8 and been happy but not ecstatic. So worked with Mike McCune to try and find a line to use for true skagit style casting. Two lines shine - the WC 9/10/11 and WC 10/11/12. Use just the back section so remove tip 1 and 2 - it is around 24 feet long. I started with a 15' floating tip off an AIRFLO DELTA 7. Then tried a 15' type 3 tip. The rod casts with very little effort even when throwing size 2 cone head leeches!!

The real trick to what these guys ae doing is they cut the running line and are using slick shooter in either 35# or 50#. The thing flat flies with no rod overloading!!! Those really into skagit - you need to try this set up!

[Forelle]

Thanks for the update, that's what I suspected would work well on this rod, when I started having success with the back end of my 9/10 midspey. Which one did you like better the 9/10/11 or the 10/11/12?

[Rick J]

probably liked the 10/11/12 the best - will really throw the heavy stuff with ease

[Jasonh]

So are you taking just the windcutter tips lines and doing this or could i save some money and get the floater and cut it, add a braided loop and attach tips? I am still a little confused. I would really like to be able to throw tips with this rod but have struggled to find a line. Any more help with this setup would be appreciated.

Jason Hartwick

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Up on the Grand Ronde last week Skaget master Mike McCune cast Rick's 12' #4 Anderson and liked it with a #10/11/12 Windcutter (running line and body only) with a 15' tip of any kind.

With one flick Mike cast it all the way across the river with an off shoulder cast.

It was unbelievable.