Quick Loading Shortened WF Line.

[Linecaster]

Thought I would share this with you as I tried this wonderful idea and it works. Fantastic for tight fishing but I believe for any situation it is a tremendous help. Saves a ton of false casting.

A shortened head for any rod from 0 weight upwards, a forum member from Texas Fly Report named Don (Zenkoanhead) introduced us to a 24' "shooting head". This system is absolutely terrific. I have applied it to my 2# 3# and 5# and works perfectly. Loads the rod quickly for short casts and with no false casting can shoot a 60' cast easily.

Normal line weight is measured on the first 30' of line, so you purchase a WF line 2 weights heavier than your required line weight and as a general rule of thumb measure off the first 7' of the line from the fly end and this will include the front taper.

Cut the line.

Then measure from the end of the rear taper forward towards your last cut 17' and cut again.

Then strip off the fly line coating (about 2-6") place the two together and splice. Use your wifes nail poish remover, hold the required amount of line in the acetone for about 5 minutes then using your thumb nail strip off the coating.

The way I did it was to bind the two lines together with a nail knot (10lb tippet mono) then pull on the two core lines together until the plastic coating on the two pieces of fly line are close to the nail knot.

Then cut the inner core of the fly line leaving it a little long and burn(melt) the end to form a small blob to prevent it pulling back thru the nail knot (both sides) also do the same with the ends of the nylon used to tie your nail knot.

Then use Loons or Rio UV knot to seal and smooth the joint.
If done carefully the joint is smooth and I have tested mine by pulling very hard on the line my son on one end myself on the other with no ill effect.

I purchased a small scale that measures in grains and fine tuned the lines to the "correct" weight for the rod, I found I had to take quite a bit more off the belly of the line but even if the "head" is a bit too long you will find a pleasant differece in the loading of the rod.

Shake out 15 foot plus of line strip wht you need for your cast, pick up and on back cast allow line to shoot another few feet, then the right amount is there to fully load and shoot whatever amount is needed on the forward cast. Takes a little getting used to but no more unnecessary false casting.

By keeping the two tapers the line behaves "normally" and you don't have to try to find a running line it is already there.

Eric Grove

[Host Ray]

Or you could just buy a shooting head tapered line and forget about all the wasted time and funky splices.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...pers/Floating/

[Linecaster]

This is not a shooting head but more a shortened Weight Forward which loads the rod quickly and does not have to have a special running line.
Bass Pro have 30' lines which are great but you have to have a running line such as braided nylon attached to it. This line tends to tangle and catch onto the rod keeper when wet. You also have to get the full 30' of line out to load the rod.
Eric Grove

[Host Ray]

This is not a shooting head but more a shortened Weight Forward which loads the rod quickly and does not have to have a special running line.
Bass Pro have 30' lines which are great but you have to have a running line such as braided nylon attached to it. This line tends to tangle and catch onto the rod keeper when wet. You also have to get the full 30' of line out to load the rod.
Eric Grove

1) it is exactly a shooting head "A shortened head for any rod from 0 weight upwards, a forum member from Texas Fly Report named Don (Zenkoanhead) introduced us to a 24' "shooting head".
2) forget Bass Pro it's not your best source for fly fishing, (look at the link)
3) all standard FW lines have a running line after the "Belly"
4) a high quality shooting head "taper" (not shooting head) will have a running line with no knots or splices and not made of braided nylon like Bass Pro's (look at the link!!)
5) Wulff's Triangle Taper and SA's "Expert distance" are a few examples http://solutions.3m.com/3MContentRet...ersion=current
6) the best way to ruin a line's presentation ability is to cut off the front taper, this is the part used to transition from line to leader

[Linecaster]

There is no 0-3 weight included in that link you gave.

Neither the front or rear taper of the line is removed only a piece from the belly of the line.

As regards to shooting head notice it was in parenthasis.

Those willing to spend high dollar on the special line, fine, it cost me $15 to experiment and have a great quick loading line.

[Host Ray]

I give up, cut up your $15 Bass Pro lines and have a ball.

[Uncle Barry]

Good evening.
You could go out and just buy a 2-4w Shooting Head.
And connect this to a Darcon type of stuffed running line.

The 2 to 4w SH, is designed to be cut to suit the rod's loading and the casters feel.

Yes, some small fly fishing products business do produce such an item.

Kind regards,
UB