best skagit line

New fly rod… No, this is not a requirement, but if you want to maximise a skagit line to its absolute full potential, look out for a medium action mid-curve fly rod, not fast like most newer Scandi style rods of today. for 11’ to 13’9” rods. Available in Commando Head Sizes ranging from 200 grains all the way up to 475 grains, to cover all your needs on the water. The exact sink rates within those three categories will vary based on length and grain weight, so not all Bucket tips are the same across grain weights, but the three sink rate within each grain weight system is a constant throughout our sink tips. That type of water is especially important one big water like the Skagit River in Washington and the Skeena River in British Columbia, where big fish hold in surprisingly shallow water. Skagit lines are sold in grain weights by some manufacturers. For example, all of our 5 Foot Micro Tips—the Riffle, Run, and Bucket, all weigh the same, even though there are three different sink rates, or densities. This makes the line much thicker, heavier in ratio to length and therefore much more powerful when matched with a capable rod. Additionally, those who like to fish a sunray shadow type pattern in Summer will prefer a Skagit line because it is shorter, therefore you can retrieve more line in before having to make a cast, and thus they have covered more water. 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 two-color line has a textured, black marker at the end of the head for a visible — and audible cue — for where to begin your cast. Like all our sink tips, these come in Riffle, Run and Bucket, or S2, S4 and S6. *If you're already rocking our Commando Head and Smooth Systems, you'll want to go down 25grns when choosing your Commando Groove. (*Note to receive an order before Christmas, UPS ground must be ordered at least by November 14th (This is not guaranteed, but there are faster options available for those late shoppers)). The thickness of the shooting line you choose depends on two factors. The commando head is a short, fat tapered line that holds the power and grain weight to make the Skagit cast come together. We have tested it in both hot and cold conditions and have found it outstanding at any temperature. Our lightest 10 Foot Commando Tips, the 80 Grain series, comes in S2, S4 and S6 of level sink tip. Select your two-handed rod below and you’ll find our suggestions. OPST Pure Skagit Lazar Line epitomizes everything people love about monofilament running lines: slickness, easy shooting, and thinness. Or, you can single spey or snake roll with Commando Heads. Consistent performance in hot and cold conditions. It is allot simpler than most would expect to choose the correct Skagit line for the fly rod you already own. 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. Slide into that slot with the Commando Groove! But for streamer, dry fly and nymph fishing, where you often fish at close range and strip flies right up to the rod tip, we knew we could improve it. With the addition of a tungsten sink tip and a weighted fly, the angler can put the fly closer to these deep and lethargic fish. If you like to make a cast and then kick back and enjoy the scenery while your running line is streaming out, maybe taking a bite of your sandwich as you achieve more distance than ever before, Lazar Line is for you. Underhand? The heads feature RIO’s Multi Density Control - a seamless blend of three or four different densities that ensures the smoothest transition of energy when casting, and the very best depth control when fishing. Simply put, a Skagit line is shorter and heavier than the usual shooting head. Enter the Commando Smooth—a Commando Head and a thin, slick coated running line integrated into one with a smooth, gradual taper. These tips work well on rods from 3-weight to about a 7-weight, or about a 175 grain to a 250 grain Commando Head. Summary on Skagit Heads In summary, Skagit heads are the most versatile spey lines available. A running line is a level (non-tapered) length of fly line thin enough to fit 100ft or more onto a salmon fly reel, but now that you have a VERY thick Skagit line on your reel, the capacity of your reel is diminished. Features printed, color-coded, welded loops for easy line identification. Seatrout anglers who are 100% all about stealth are converting to Skagit Switch lines because of the fact they are short heads, forgiving and the perfect accompaniment of a floating or intermediate MOW or Fo tip on the front is ideal for their purposes. Address12644 Interurban Avenue SouthBuilding 3Tukwila, WA 98168, HoursMonday—Friday: 10:00AM–5:00PMSaturday & Sunday: Closed, Telephone:+1(206) 858-8476E-mail: [email protected]. Single hand Skagit with a haul? Finally, our 168 grain tips work best on 7-weight spey rods to 9 weight spey rods, or about a 375 to 475 grain Commando Head. Our Trout Series Floating Tips come in 5, 7.5, and 10 feet long, and weigh 20, 35 and 50 grains, respectively. Only smoother. Like our 10 foot Commando Tips, these come in 8, 11 and 14 grains per foot, or 96, 132 and 168 grains total, with a Riffle, Run and Bucket option within each grain weight. For single or double hand fly rods, the Commando Head is revolutionary. Its super supple polyurethane construction provides beautiful presentations, cast after cast. Skagit Tips come in two main forms: 2. And if you have a 9 foot 5-weight, you owe it to yourself to test it out with a 200 grain Commando Head. This ultra-thin, extremely slick running line will shock you with how little memory it has. Originally developed purely as a sink tip line system, the Skagit line also can be an effective full floating line particularly on lighter switch and spey rods. Scandinavian: Shooting head - ideal for smaller flies and better presentation – easy to cast Switch: Integrated lines with attached running line. That being said, we have used them with good results on 10 foot rods. The main difference is adjusting your technique to compensate the Skagit head being almost half the length of the shooting head you are used to. These are what we really think of as optimizing 9 foot fly rods, plus or minus a foot or two. If you are looking for a line that can do almost anything, experience the Commando Smooth. They didn’t used to, but customer demand has made this happen. But, this is purely a statement for your information. There are limitations to Skagit however, but if used properly and at the right time, you will have the advantage and quite possibly catch fish when others would give up. Each of these tips will present your fly shallower or deeper depending on the ratio of floating butt section to sinking tip section. The original OPST Commando Head changed the game for trout spey and single hand Skagit tactics. We still laugh when we take strips of line off of our reels because we can't believe how good it is, even after years of use. With any of the Skagit lines a front tip needs to be added, as well as a shooting line. Monofilament Running Line Monofilament running lines are the best option for achieving maximum casting distance and line speed. It's just like the wildly popular Commando Head. The Commando Smooth is designed to be used with our Micro Tips and Commando Floating Tips, from 5 to 10 feet long. The running line is orange to provide a nice contrast against the Sauk Blue head. Featuring the same popular and effective taper designed by Skagit Guru Ed Ward, now in a floating rear third and an intermediate front to really slow down that swing and presentation, along with getting that head and tip under the conflicting surface currents for a more user-friendly swing as well! Wanna roll cast? The Scout is perfect for single-hand spey casting or when fishing switch rods in tight quarters. This takes a little getting used to. As the Skagit revolution grew, many anglers wanted a choice in their running line. The Commando Head's short length and thickness makes it ideal for this style of casting. With these tips, rod length is more important than Commando Head weight in making a choice. RIO’s INTOUCH SKAGIT MAX GAMECHANGER heads are the perfect delivery system for casting large flies and sink tips. Ideal for those mentioned above asking if it is hard to cast, those finding it easier to cast can use it year round. You may be surprised at their short length, but this was no accident. This could potentially increase hookups. It is slightly ticker however. On the short end of the spectrum are our 5 foot Micro Tips. However, these tips are dual density—the back half of the tip sinks at one inch per second slower rate than the front half. Many will find casting a Skagit so much easier to cast because there is allot less importance put on the timing of the cast due to its shorter length. Meiser Rod Shop By custom I mean either you state the length and weight or just tell Steve what rod and let him figure things out. On the short end of the spectrum, the 5 footers are for rods from 6 to about 9 feet long. – How nimble are your fingertips? For example, if the river is swollen after a heavy downpour or snow-melt, or you feel the fish are lying deep, or even you think there might be a fish sitting in particularly fast water and your sink tip isn’t getting down to it, this is when you consider using a skagit line. Fishing when fish are active and willing to move to a Skagit setup is capable of a! Of tips you have the ability to change your line to suit the current conditions belly 's or scandis sink... For a line like the Commando Smooth—a Commando Head is a short, fat tapered line that do. Of choice feet long anything at all, except a jarring strike a. Ratings as follows ; 450grain - 7/8wt, 550grain – 8/9wt, 650grain – 9/10wt and 750grain – 10/11wt footers. 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