What have you used successfully for running line behind your lighter weight shooting heads - 2wt to 6wt?
Thanks!
Jim
Unless we are fighting wind, we use Amnesia behind every shooting head. Rio clear intermediate for windy conditions and floating stuff for some stuff.
…lee s.
The Amnesia that Lee suggests is about as light as it gets - but you have to treat it right(soak it before fishing, stretch it, strip it into some type of bucket of water when fishing).
The Rio Intermediate and Scientific Anglers Freshwater Shooting lines are fantastic. Use the smallest size available.
I have also made shooting lines from the running line portion of old WF floating or intermediate lines or worn out Integrated Heads (like Teeny lines).
Thanks guys. Now that I think about it, I’m probably not trying to make traditional shooting tapers but rather “custom” weight forward lines. I was playing around with my 4wt the other day, and found it cast a 5wt line better and farther than a 4wt. That got me thinking, what does it REALLY want?
I devised a plan to make “tuned” distance casting lines for each of my rods 2,3,4,5, and 6wts using shooting head principles. I had planned to use the running line from an old WF just as tailingloop suggested, but when I measured the DT2 line I have it was only 4 thousands bigger than the running line. Needed something thinner.
Thanks for the product suggestions and recommendations.
Jim
One of my original shooting lines (floating) and a L3F line by the same company were identical. That was quite some time back. I think you can no longer buy the L3F line ($12-$17), but you can still buy the shooting line ($29). Both were 100’.
…lee s.
Lee, I once grabbed the wrong combination of tackle and found myself at the water with a 2wt rod and a reel filled with wf6f. I turned the line around and cast the running line. It worked beautifully!
Jim
I’ll never, ever use monofilament as a running line again. I’ve ruined 2 reels in my life with a combination of mono shooting lines and big fish. It won’t happen again. The stretch of the mono under strain will get you sooner or later. My recommendation is to stay with a purpose-built shooting line from Rio or Cortland.
I use Rio Slick Shooter running line. Its a flat monfilament and it really shoots well. Cheers.
Lately I’ve been using 65-pound Spiderwire Stealth. It’s a “super” line, and the thick diameter (inthis pound test, not the lighter stuff) doesn’t cut fingers, doesn’t bury in the spool, and it floats. An additional plus on this coated line is that it is moderately stiff, retaining its shape when stripped.
Keith
RG/AR, when that happened, did you have 75-100 feet of mono over normal backing, or were you using all mono?
Jim
I was using all mono, but in my case, I don’t think it would have made much difference.
Thanks.
Jim
If all you are wanting to do is cast in the yard a stiff mono is the best by far. You can coat running lines like Rio slick shooter or a Mason mono with silicone and cast huge distances with a light rod.
However if you are wanting to actually fish with your set up I’d suggest a floating level line. Mono will sink and twist easily. Plus it has a ton of stretch which makes hook setting difficult. If you are casting from the water you’ll definately want a floating level line.
Also there are plenty of light level lines out there. Don’t be tempted to go with a light level line either. The less the coating the less it will float and the more it will twist. The object with a shooting head is distance and you can’t cast very far if your mono is sunk and twisted in a knot.
Generally for a fishing shooting head I’ll use a level line greater than .30 in diameter. For a larger head I’ll use a thicker running line.
John
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