----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 1:57
PM
Subject: Re: WW Grigg Rod and
Grashoppers' test of the shooting head
Casting shooting heads is way, way different than
casting a full standard fly line. During the casting motion, the caster
should only 'carry' out of the rod tip the length of the head plus anywhere
from 3' to 6' of the running line. False casts should be limited to one
or two, and shooting the line, as opposed to casting the line, on the forward
cast.
Shooting heads are tricky to learn because
casting stroke and timing are so different than a 'standard' cast. They
really are incredible when the caster learns the correct timing and the caster
uses the double haul. A friend of mine that is a decent
caster just cannot use a shooting head, and gave it away. It's too much
a departure from the memory his muscles have to cast a 'standard' fly
line.
Probably the best thing for you would be to, if
you have a particular fly shop you frequent, talk one of the fly shop staff
into demonstrating the cast for you and giving you a couple of
pointers.
Forget about Amnesia (pun intended here,
<grin>) and what Willy said. A better running line, in my opinion,
for our coldwater environment would be one of the standard fly line running
lines put out by SA or Cortland. Since the line will be used on your 8
weight, I would buy anything smaller than .031 running line (I think the rated
breaking strength of that size line is about 20#).
For beginning to intermediate fisherpersons, I
believe there are better fishing line options other than shooting
heads.
Just my $0.02 . . .
Richard Embry
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 12:52
PM
Subject: RE: WW Grigg Rod and
Grashoppers' test of the shooting head
Grasshopper... You must become a master of the Amnesia. When you can
cast the weighted Comet far and deep into the salmon laden river while
standing arm to arm with other shooting head loaded flyfisherman -
then and only then will you be ready to leave the
monastery.
I bought an 8 - wt, 4 piece, added an Okuma reel (based
on info from this board) and am well pleased with the result. Now if I can
just learn to cast a Type 4 ST without warning the women and children to
take cover, life will be good.
Bart
