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Post by robmason on Feb 13, 2016 10:06:04 GMT
The return of Salmonscotty to the fold after a long sabbatical lead me to think how much had changed tackle wise in the last 10 years. Shorter salmon rods, "modern" shooting heads ( and modern casting) not to mention Skagits. This morning I have just opened the latest T&S to find a feature on Spring salmon fishing and another on which line for a springer. The only mention of a long bellied line is the quote in my title. All of the so called "experts" favour shooting heads or Skagits. My bow to modernity saw me using my 10 yr old Loop Quattro short bellied Spey line on the Tay this week. All 50 odd foot of it. To cover the main guts of the Ash Trees Pool on LK meant shooting an extra 7 or 8 yds of line. The fast sinking tip was getting down very nicely, but I did wish I had a Carron line on instead and be stripping less line. It must be easier to mend a longer bellied line, mustn't it? So what then is the advantage of the modern lines, aside from wishing to get down really really deep with very fast sinking tips? Rob
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Post by G Ritchie on Feb 14, 2016 15:38:00 GMT
I still carry a long belly sinking line with me early in the spring as a back up, can come in useful when the temperature is low and the rod rings are icing up. Using a fixed length of line without stripping any wet running line into the rod rings minimises this.
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Post by Willie Gunn on Feb 14, 2016 16:15:29 GMT
Rob, are you turning to the dark side?
Full sinker, raise rod slowly, wait tip line comes up, roll cast downstream to reposition line, single spey. Nothing hard, no rolling line to top, simple.
It helps to have a proper sized rod not a modern toothpick.
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Post by robmason on Feb 14, 2016 18:32:51 GMT
Rob, are you turning to the dark side? Full sinker, raise rod slowly, wait tip line comes up, roll cast downstream to reposition line, single spey. Nothing hard, no rolling line to top, simple. It helps to have a proper sized rod not a modern toothpick. Dark side? No, just a little more pragmatic. Flying up for the odd days fishing necessitates that. Multi tip lines with one reel and rod stowed in luggage mean I can travel light. I was surprised by the article because I don't think I have seen anyone fishing a skagit line where I have fished.
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Post by Willie Gunn on Feb 14, 2016 18:58:22 GMT
Travel light to Noway but would still take my Vom Hofes than an extra jumper.
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Post by robert141042 on Feb 14, 2016 20:37:57 GMT
Took out my 17ft. Diawi for a try last season with the hardy no 2 sinker and 2inch brass tubes that we used at the start once apon a time. Was surprised how far you could cast but the shoulders told me to go back to the 15ft. Swift. Also tried the Bruce and Walker Cairngorm hollow glass and the15 ft. hardy deluxe of yesterday. We have it easy nowadays. Bob
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Post by robmason on Feb 15, 2016 11:21:33 GMT
Travel light to Noway but would still take my Vom Hofes than an extra jumper. You are right of course but I am trying to justify my purchase of a cheap 6 peice toothpick over a more expensive one!
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Post by devronmac on Feb 16, 2016 10:17:48 GMT
I am probably just a little bit older than the rest of you guys and my arms and shoulders are not what they were but I am now a total convert to shooting heads and in spring use the Rio AFS hover/sink1 version. Not sure whether my 15ft Guideline LPXE is regarded as a toothpick or not but is is very light and the Marquis 3 balances it perfectly. Casting is a piece of cake and I seldom have more line out than the head and 3/4feet of running line. That lets me fish all day without feeling as if I have done 10 rounds with Joe Bugner. I also seem to be able to catch my fair share of salmon. Nothing else to say.
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Post by salmonscotty16lb on Feb 18, 2016 0:51:49 GMT
salmon fishing has progressed in the last 6 years or so, the flys that are in vogue now were pubiced in the likes of trout and salmon. turbo cones, monkeys ect. skagit lines and shooting heads were also talked about and used but from what I see the catches have not jumped up using the wonder flys, lines and fancy American casts. water craft and being a good angler will out fish any of that. i bet graham R and wullie G will agree most of there takes come in the 1/4 of the river closest to the bank they are on.
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dunkeld
Active Member
Tay Springer April 2010
Posts: 2,946
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Post by dunkeld on Feb 18, 2016 7:30:18 GMT
salmon fishing has progressed in the last 6 years or so, the flys that are in vogue now were pubiced in the likes of trout and salmon. turbo cones, monkeys ect. skagit lines and shooting heads were also talked about and used but from what I see the catches have not jumped up using the wonder flys, lines and fancy American casts. water craft and being a good angler will out fish any of that. i bet graham R and wullie G will agree most of there takes come in the 1/4 of the river closest to the bank they are on. I would say the skagits, SH et al have made casting easier, and in a lot of cases some can cast further. However there isn't the same amount of salmon in the rivers overall than there used to be (thats another very debatable subject for another day)or/and their behaviour has changed when in rivers. The North Esk counter shows more fish in the river yet the catch's have not shot up in line inmho. So while the tackle has no doubt got better/lighter etc, it is of course no guarantee of better success nowadays. let the debate begin
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fredo
Active Member
Posts: 1,095
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Post by fredo on Feb 18, 2016 8:26:43 GMT
You mentioned the reason the rivers are full of fish that will not take! Skagits....the weapon of choice of the thrash and splash exponents! I think there is a lot to be said for the one lift then cast approach when using Spey lines. Too many anglers spend far too long throwing their shooting heads backwards and forwards before getting round to casting, by which time most fish will be long gone.
(But I have to admit that I could never cast properly with a full line, and use shooting heads all the time now (with a great deal of care!)).
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Post by earnfisher on Feb 18, 2016 9:32:08 GMT
Like the remarks about river craft being still very important. Watch a lot of fishers walking along the top of the bank shadow across the water and then wade in as deep as they can to reach the other bank. One of my favourite pools you just stand at the top and let the line out moving the rod from side to side to get the fly under the trees. Starting off as a trout fisher on club water has been a great help. Bob
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GPT
Active Member
Posts: 78
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Post by GPT on Feb 27, 2016 12:04:07 GMT
I wonder if the advantage of being able to cast further or more easily with SH and Skagit lines is offset by the fact that your fly will spend far less time 'fishing' in a given session due to all the extra stripping back line you have to do each time before recasting. I find it bad enough with a 70ft head Spey line, having an additional 40ft of stripping to do each cast does not sound like fun to me, especially in the spring.
I can't see myself changing from full-length lines, although I would favour a multi-tip intermediate over a full sinker.
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Post by earnfisher on Mar 1, 2016 10:04:53 GMT
I like stripping some line not being a good caster. Often start just before the fly is below me. Catch a good number of fish this way. Also lets me watch the wildlife around me. Bob
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Post by doonrod on Jan 30, 2017 16:19:35 GMT
I like the Michael Evans Arrowhead sinkers and the Carron Jetstream 65ft full sinker . Great lines for even water . The Skagits and sinking shooting heads have their uses but on a mid- large size river with plenty of space and an evenish flow then the full sinker wins every time for me especially on a 15ft rod . I think you lose less fish with a full line as well .
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mows
Active Member
Posts: 102
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Post by mows on Jan 30, 2017 22:55:23 GMT
I like a green and yellow floating Devon in these conditions.
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spate
Active Member
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Post by spate on Jan 31, 2017 9:25:30 GMT
I suppose it's horses for courses, river size, conditions and bank side topography will dictate the best means of attack.
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Post by scotsmac1 on Feb 1, 2017 18:19:41 GMT
I think for new folks to casting, and fishing for salmon, find it so much easier to get the fly out to the fish, and enjoy their day on the water. I think a lot of gillies and guides have an easier time watching their clients at least covering fish, with these new lines. If hopefully they get the bug, then like anything they will improve and move onto more intricate lines. I think for ease and simplicity the new lines, SH and Skagits, are a great advancement in our armoury as salmon fly fishers. Choice is a good thing.
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