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Post by Hodge on Sept 27, 2004 12:00:35 GMT -1
Hi all
Thinking of getting a shooting head system or perhaps a Teeny line for deep water. Does anyone have any experience of the above or have any recommendations. Somewhat of a novice in the ways of the fly and casting is gradually improving! Assume a full sinker would be more of a challenge?
Very impressed with the site and forum.
Cheers.
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Post by PaulBoote on Sept 27, 2004 14:33:55 GMT -1
Having had more than just a bit of experience with head systems, Teenies and similar animals (for sea-trout, salmon and steelhead), I posted summat about such lines last year (or the one before) on either the Fly Fishing Forums or its predecessor Fish & Fly Forums. An archive search of these forums should find it. I'd like to help now, but plundering my braincells for a set of duplicate advice ain't an option for me at the moment.
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Post by PaulBoote on Sept 27, 2004 15:07:31 GMT -1
You are a very lucky man, Hodge!
I opened a couple of Word files I have here, titled Sea Trout Stuff 1 & 2, and look what I found:
3/4/03, F&F Forums, answer to a man about Teeny lines:
You certainly won't need anything more than the T-130 -- it sinks at about 4 to 5 inches per second.
I have used both Teeny lines and head systems extensively for sea-trout both at home abroad since the mid-1980s -- from a 1.5 inches per sec clear head, through Wetcels II, III and IV, to the really heavy Teeny and similar headed lines which, if they hit you in the back or on the head when miscast, can leave a lasting impression.
You MIGHT just need a T-130 for daytime spate-water flyfishing and dredging deeper, faster pools at night, but consider this system -- one I use in preference to full lines, especially on larger rivers.
100 ft of orange Scientific Anglers Mastery floating running line (cut it it in half, if you like, and load 50ft to two different reels / spools. And a walletful of heads: for Britain I have: ST8 clear 1.5 inches per sec, Wetcel II, III and IV, and a 28ft head made from an old Airflo DI6 line. For mission impossible flows and depths (weirpools, for example), a T-300 or 350 or equivalent gets wheeled out -- rarely, though.
Two advantages to these head systems: 1) they cast like hell and require minimum backcasting space, and 2) the floating running line offers much better line control -- it can be HELL to have line that you have stripped in, sinking around your legs or being taken off by the current when you are trying to recast at night. You can even get a bit of a tight-line mend in to a sunken head if you get your timing right.
Worth considering and trying ONE head at first to see if you get on with it. Teeny lines wear pretty quickly, by the way -- the last few feet of the floating line before it meets the sinking head. My head-system does away with ruined lines -- when the front of the floating running line chew ups, I merely cut off the offending length, form another loop to connect with the head, and away it goes. Make your own heads from cheap lines, or buy 30ft ready-mades -- use the latter at 30ft or 27, 25, 24 -- cut them to suit the rod you are using them on. 4/4 how do I join them? answer: If you want instant, expendable connections -- and some noise as it goes through the rings -- use plain old braided mono loops well secured to the running line and backend of the head with a tiny tight-fitting soft-plastic sleeve and a drop or two of runny Fishin' Glue.
OR -- my choice -- strip a one-inch-or-so length of line coating from the line and head ends (dip these line-ends in acetone for a few seconds then remove the resulting melted plastic gunk with a thumbnail), allow to dry, then WAX THE EXPOSED CORE (to give it some stiffness to prevent hingeing of loop-to-loop connections later), then form loop (by bending exposed core back on itself; put a few stitches of rod-whipping thread into it with a fine needle if you like, to make it super-secure), lightly superglue it, then whip over with waxed tying thread (your tying bobbin will help this operation). If you want to go the whole hog, thin some Aquaseal / Aquasure wader repair gunk by placing its tube in hot water, then rub a quantity into the loop's whipping. Not too much -- just enough to give it a slick finish and to get your finger(s) REALLY messy. Result is a firm, flexible and virtually unbustable loop. They won't give -- I have banked snagged logs with hand-over-hand retrieves as well as many very large sea-trout on these loops, and continued to give them similar stick for several weeks afterwards. Make a good job -- it will be worth the effort.
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Post by Hodge on Sept 28, 2004 11:19:11 GMT -1
Many thanks for the advice Paul
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