RE: Lines for spey rods?

[jack cook]

Title: Message

I also have a number of lines for each rod.   For summer work I generally use an 85' line and fish somewhere from 70-85'.  Sometime I pull out the XLT if I am fishing a place where I need the whole 100 feet. For tip line I generally use the GrandSpey.  The 85 foot length and ability to turn over heavy tips and heavier flies make it a perfect choice. For nymph fishing I switch to a MidSpey, again a weight forward design which turns over heavy flies on a long leader.     Warning, I think the suggestion on the Rio page are very heavy lines and I tend to fish one or two line weights below what Simon suggests for the same rod.  For example I think the GrandSpey 7/8 is a perfect line for a true 9/10 rod.   Up on Aaron's site is a table which shows the head length and head weight for all the currently available Spey lines.  If you have a line which you like on your rod the look it up, calculate the weight/foot and when looking for other lines keep close to that number.  If you do the feel and performance of the line will be similar.   The most important thing is to try before you buy.  Borrow a line from a friend or go to a shop where they have lines you can try in the field.  Buying a line that does not pan out is something we all want to avoid.   If you are inexperienced get an experienced caster to help you, this will save you lots of time and trouble.  There will be a Clave on the Snoqualmie at the end of November and a big one the Friday before the Meydenbower show at the mouth of the Raging. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ransom, Sean Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 12:00 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Lines for spey rods? Loaded question. Where you fishing? Do you like long or short lines?    I think I own about 15 different lines in all different lengths and weights for my 4 rods. With so many choices it becomes addictive.   In the summer I like to use a floating line as much as possible. If I do need to use tips I will usually just throw on a rio or airflo sinking leader and that covers me 90% of time. I like to throw a full uncut floating line but you could just as easily get by with an interchangeable tip line. I like the airflo long delta and the airflo traditional for larger rivers.    For winter a line with tips is a must. A few souls throw full sinking lines on their speys but I do not think you need to and casting is a little tough unless you are a pro which I am not. I use a RIO windcutter with tips for the winter. It is a short line so you have to strip line but it picks up and casts much easier than a  longer bellied line.   Not sure how experienced you are so forgive me if you already know most of this stuff. Thought I would add some more info on line choices in general.   I would say there are 4 main classes of spey lines. I will just list major line companies I have experience with and there are quite a few more out there as well (hardy , loop ,carron).   Short belly ~55 foot heads ( Airflo Delta, Rio Windcutter)   Mid Belly ~65 foot heads (Airflo Long Delta, Rio MidSpey)   Traditional Belly ~ 75 - 80 ft.(Airflo Traditional, RIO Accelerator (discontinued)   Long Belly 90ft+ ( SA XLT, RIO Grand Spey)   Depending on the rod you purchase the weight designation will change a lot. Don't always expect if you buy a 9 weight rod that a spey line designated a 9 will work on your rod. For instance my T&T 9 likes to throw 10 weight spey lines in the shorter (mid, short) bellies and 8 weight lines in the long bellies lines.     For spey rods I believe grain weight is more  indicative of what will work on your rod rather than the line designation.   Check out RIOs website:   http://www.rioproducts.com/pages/speylinespecifications.html   You should be able to find most rods on that page and look at the grain weights. You can either buy the RIO line (which are very nice) or if you go with someone else you can match the length and grain weights RIO recommends to other lines.   Finally get out to River Run Anglers in Carnation. Aaron has almost every rod you can think of and you can actually test them out on the river and they have a full selection of lines. The folks there are very knowledgeable and can explain all this to you much better than I.   Also I think they are putting on a Casting Clave in late November which you should try and attend. A ton of good casters usually attend and I always learn a ton.   Always check out the following site:   http://www.speypages.com   Dana has a lot of good info there and his forum at:   http://www.flyfishingforum.com/speyclave/   is the best there is when it comes to everything spey. Search the archives for tons of good info.   Hope this helps a little and good luck. Fishing with a spey is a ton of fun and I know I will never go back to a single hander for steelhead fishing.   -sean -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard Embry Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 11:25 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Lines for spey rods? I'm considering getting a spey rod, which of course requires a compatible reel.  And, one possible component of the reel evaluation is if easily removable spools are important.   It seems a lot of folks like, and use, tip systems with interchangeable loops.  If this is the case, then the spool interchangeability isn't that important.  Or, alternatively, if you don't use a loop/tip system, then what line do you find yourself using the most?   Thanks for your help and comments!   Richard