Tips are now the most popular type of tips used with Skagit shooting heads. Most Skagit leaders are not tapered and instead are a single piece of spooled monofilament. Skagit and Scandi methods each have applications appropriate for steelhead fishing. RIO Scandi-Short Versitp Fly Line (Shooting Head Spey Fly Line KIT) 6-206__ Shorter, more powerful version of RIO’s Scandinavian Shooting Head (Think, Scandi grace with Skagit power.) Choose variant here: [Line weight] #8/9 DH #9/10 DH #10/11 Choose variant here: [Density] Float Int/S2/S3 Int/S5/S6 Int/S6/S7 Deneki Chronicles: Clearing Line for Bonefish, Guide’s Corner: Chad Bryson, Rapids Camp Lodge Head Guide, Alaska West in July is a Fly Fisher’s Dream, Deneki Custom Fly Series: Rapids Camp Smolt. Rio Scandi Body is a versatile body that combines Skagit power with Scandi grace. Sink tips, poly leaders, sizing scandi and skagit lines are all … All of our lines are custom made to specifically match the rods grain carrying ability, the … By creating an account, you will be able to: ... Spey and Skagit Fly Lines: Sort by: ... Scientific Anglers® Spey Lite Scandi Integrated: That is why Scandi shooting heads evolved, not because huge flies were needed, but because long casts from difficult casting locations were needed. Springer Well-known member. Designing fly line tapers involves unique physics, that drives a specialized science that is ever evolving. The longer a line stays in the loop, the farther it will cast. A Scandi or Skagit head is attached to the running line with a loop-to-loop connection. The Scandinavian cast ordinarily uses a longer, narrower D-loop than the Skagit cast. Because the tip of the line helps control the sink rate of the fly being used, many different lengths and densities of tips may be used with the same Skagit head. Whether fishing Skagit, Scandi or Traditional Spey style, RIO has an excellent selection of integrated Spey fly lines and short, Spey shooting heads for you With all of the different Skagit Spey lines out there, I thought I would try and simplify things a little. Understanding of casting dynamics often arose from these changes in technology. Tips include: They are offered in grain weights 150-360. Below, we'll put the microscope on the Skagit family of lines in an effort to help you make an informed product decision. Skagit and Scandi Line Systems. The "Skagit Heads" and "Scandi Heads" excel in different situations and selecting the right line can make a difference in you fishing success. The change in fly line designs affected fly rod designs, and visa versa. The idea is to just get your fly out there far enough to "swing" it into the bucket. The only choice when swinging flies for winter steelhead and a great line for swinging streamers for trout. At first, the differences between Scandinavian and Skagit styles doesn't seem very apparent. In addition to a variety of lengths, the market offers lines built for specific fishing situations. Leaders used with Skagit lines are often fairly short, no more than 5', more often 3'. Olympic Peninsula Skagit Tactics is a group of steelheaders who focus on Skagit-style swing fishing for everything from king salmon to smallmouth bass. The Skagit method often presents the fly more across-stream, or even slightly upstream, then the fly is allowed to drift and sink before coming under full tension. Both employ lightweight, medium-length, two-hand fly rods and shooting head fly lines. The main differences between Scandi and Skagit lines is that the Skagit line design concentrates more weight in a shorter mass, especially in the sinking tip portion, which helps turn over heavy, bulky flies. Each tip/fly combination will affect the casting properties of the line. The line design aides the mantra, “it takes mass to move mass”. Also, apparently Atlantic salmon are more prone to come to the surface than are our winter steelhead. View our Salmon Running and Shooting Lines. The Skagit method could be termed a Pacific Northwest winter steelhead method. Polyleaders are actually made from fly line material and when added to a shooting head, become part of the total length and mass of the head. The two methods have evolved independently on opposite sides of the planet. Other lines recommended with this rod are 480 to 510 grains. Both methods insist that the cast is thrown with emphasis on the under-hand (if you are Scandinavian), or bottom-hand (if you are North American). The difference in casting strokes between the two methods might be characterized by the fact that the Skagit cast can use a hard, extended anchor on the water and a continuous acceleration to the stop. Both employ lightweight, medium-length, two-hand fly rods and shooting head fly lines. Scandi Heads. So, Spey lines have different parts. The fact is, both Skagit and Scandi lines and techniques can be used on the same rods. As you recall from our previous posts, both Skagit and Scandi line systems are made up of three components - a shooting head, a tip or polyleader, and a running line. However, lines with long heads take more room to operate, and they take more skill. The competition is fierce, and improvements have come in rapid succession. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The main areas where this revolutionary thinking and technological change happened was on Scandinavian salmon rivers and in steelhead rivers of the Pacific Northwest in North America, hence: Scandi for Scandinavian and Skagit named after the Skagit River. In the world of Trout Spey, Scandi lines are *very* new. The Scandi rods store the most power in the tip of the rod, while Skagit rods concentrate power lower into the butt. This belly creates mass that loads the rod quickly for a lot of line speed. This allows an angler to use the same rods year round with both small flies fished near the surface and large, heavy flies to be fished deep. Last night, I returned home after swinging the Missouri with said lines (last fish on the prototypes above), and there on the counter was a package from SA with the final product. Then slowly the entire concept of what a fly line or fly rod could be began to change. On a grease board Jay talks about the different applications for Scadi and Skagit lines. The all new SDS Scandi System is a totally interchangeable shooting head solution for modern two handed fly fishing techniques with switch and double-handed fly rods. PO Box 368 Airflo Fly Lines - Spey - Skagit Switch Airflo Fly Lines - Scandi - Scandi Compact . There is more mass in an equally sized Skagit head than that of a Scandinavian style heads, which is what helps Skagit lines throw large, heavy flies and tips. However, an important distinction to make is that spey is a style of casting, not necessarily a type of rod. At first these new materials were applied to the same general designs that had been proven with older materials. Click Here. Front tapers dissipate (or bleed off) energy so the line stays in the loop for an extended period to enhance flight time. In its purest form, a mere touch of the fly upon the water is a sufficient anchor with a Scandi cast. 1 2 A spey cast is deemed a spey cast when the fly line is cast under the rod tip on the back cast (as opposed to over the rod tip in a traditional fly cast), AND is allowed to anchor onto the surface of the water (near or slightly in front of the angler) before makin… Traditional Spey casting methods have evolved slowly over the past several hundred years. There are few other kinds of products where general consumers are as critical as fly fishers. Nordic Skagit Heads – new Skagit fly lines by Skagitanglers.com Nordic Skagit Heads is a brand new series of short fly lines designed and developed by the Danish web shop Skagitanglers.com – the new lines will cover all sorts of situations while fishing for seatrout (sea run brown) and salmon. In the modern world of Spey fishing, anglers have a multitude of choices when it comes to selecting a fly line. R.B. Designing fly line tapers involves unique physics, that drives a specialized s. The back taper and belly on a Scandi line are short. 67296 East Hwy 26 Skagit lines/heads are short and heavy - even shorter than Scandinavian lines in most cases; working on a ratio of less than three times the rod length. For example, an average 11' 7 weight switch rod will like 375-400 grains with a scandi and 425-450 with a skagit. Completing the range of Guideline shooting heads, the SCANDI Lines fill the gap between the Compact and the Skagit lines perfectly. Scandi (Scandinavian) heads are designed to be fished primarily on or near the surface. My account New customer? Yes, but minor changes. Many salmon and steelhead rivers have natural vegetation close to the water. Skagit History Skagit lines were born out of necessity. Those are regularly called the Traditional, Skagit and Scandinavian methods. The only downside is that because of the long taper and fine tip of these lines, they have trouble delivering a heavy pay load. Skagit and scandi lines are both shooting head line systems. More responsive rods and lines led to new casting techniques. This means that the line is comprised of three individual pieces - the shooting head, the running line, and a tip or polyleader. Multi-density M.O.W. The running line–usually 100 feet long–is a PVC-coated fly line with a very thin diameter, and it is connected to the Dacron backing. Your email address will not be published. A Skagit system is a heavily weighted line with a sinking leader or tip attached to it. Traditional Spey casting methods have evolved slowly over the past several hundred years. During this same period, scientific methods also became available for analyzing the dynamics of fly casting. When superior synthetic materials for rods and line construction became available, casting techniques also began to change. A fly line extends itself during a cast by rolling down a loop. Both lines evolved because the general public was able to access water owned in common by their governments. We recommend both Airflo and Rio Spey and Switch fly fishing fly lines and our experienced staff stand ready to help you select a fly line that will be properly matched to any Spey or Switch rod you may own or be planning on purchasing. Do I need to make adjustments to my casting? Spey lines … The Rio Scandi Body is a short body to which a multitude of tips can be attached. Anglers casting Scandi Heads often install a Polyleader/VersiLeader to extend the front taper length. The very thin running line is carried forward by the thicker and heavier mass of the Scandi or Skagit head during a cast. Whereas both the Skagit and traditional cast have a hard anchor on the water, a Scandi anchor is more of a soft kiss. Unfortunately, we found that Scandi lines are not yet up to the level of their Skagit cousins and for most people and rods, we’d recommend waiting for the next generation of rods/lines before giving these a go. Fly and Flies offer the best spey fly lines for all thecniques. These Days Skagit lines come in a lot of different sizes and shapes, here are some of the more common types: Compact Skagit: The standard issue, good for most rods in … This isn't a problem when fishing surface or near surface flies during the warm months. Scandi lines on the other hand have more grains in the top leg and less grains in the lower leg and hence less grains to carry. Scientific Anglers' newest Skagit line is a short, powerful head from 11' to 18' in grain weights of 150 to 360. The Caddis Fly Shop has the expertise and can deliver a superior fly line for Spey and Switch rod fishing from RIO and Airflo. Skagit Lines. The good news, however, is that this is the third and final part of the spey line equation. But Skagit heads are more efficient when large heavy flies are needed. Amazingly light and response, the 12’9” 9 harnesses the power to fight the largest anadromous fish. Called the SPEY LITE, they are available in Skagit heads and integrated lines, and a Scandi Integrated line. Part of the reason is that Scandinavian flies are usually slightly smaller and lighter in weight than many of the flies used in the Pacific Northwest during the winter season. At first, the differences between Scandinavian and Skagit styles doesn't seem very apparent. Scandi lines were developed for fishing Atlantic rivers in Scandinavia, and Skagit lines were developed for fishing for winter steelhead in the Pacific Northwest of North America. The Scandinavian and Skagit methods have each evolved over the last twenty-five years. Yet, within the subtle differences between rod/line designs and casting methods, there is an interesting divergence in actual fishing application. As a matter of fact, Scandi shooting heads are perfect for this work. When their influence on the line is portrayed on paper, the overall design of the Scandi shooting head doesn't seem radical, but their influence on our sport has been revolutionary.. With the design of more responsive, lighter weight rods and more compact shooting head lines, the differences between Skagit and Scandi method and respective tackle is becoming less pronounced. This evolution was fueled by incremental changes in rod/line technology which resulted in improvements in the use of materials that were available. The Skagit River and the Olympic Peninsula have defined our products, the way we fish, and our philosophy. That is why all Spey distance competition lines are in the traditional Spey configuration. Smaller, lighter-weight rods equipped with more compact lines could accomplish ample fishing distances with less work. The science of Spey casting/fishing seems to have diversified along three main schools or philosophies. If you continue to use this site we assume that you are okay with it. In the beginning, Scandinavian rods were stiffer and faster action than Skagit rods, which are actually fairly "traditional action." Spey Lite Skagit Head. For as long as the line is in the loop it has forward momentum. Compact Skagit heads are designed to throw big flies and sink tips in tight confined spaces, perfect for winter steelhead fishing. Messages Long D-loops are not handy in this situation. Scandinavian action rods are very fast and Skagit rods are pretty moderate. As a result, fly casting became more efficient. This same mass in the tip of the line is also often constructed from dense material to enable a fly to sink quickly. Kit comes with the easy casting Scandi-Short Body and 4, 10′ Tips (Floating, Intermediate, Type 3, Type 6) in a RIO Regular Shooting Head Wallet . Skagit lines do need a front tip added (whether floating or sinking), and a shooting line at the back before they are ready to fish. Skagit heads tend to be thicker and offer more water resistance to get a better load on the two-handed fly rod. "Skagit"/"Scandi" refers to the type of shooting head in this system. As the majority of Switch rods are around 11 ft in length, a good starting point is to utilize a line with a head length of around 33 ft. When fishing for steelhead, the Scandinavian method fishes the fly downstream at a steep angle that brings the fly across slowly on a steady predictable course. This enables Scandi lines to load with a lighter amount of grain weight. Skagit System. Scandi or Skagit heads suitable for rods from 13' and beyond will effectively carry tips and poly coated sinking leaders from 10' to 15' in length Messages 9,430 Reaction score 39. Skagit heads are fished using a sustained-anchor cast. When most people think of spey, they instantly think of two handed rods. Simply put, this means either a “Skagit” type line, or a “Scandi” type line. 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