{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Grandpa's shad flies

I'm with Dalton on line terminology. The popular lines are properly called integrated shooting heads and are not full sink. The fast sinking portion or head is 24-30' long and has some taper. Even an intermediate running line doesn't make it a full sink. A full sink is 90' or so of tapered sinking line with no joint, like the Rio Lake 7. I have that line but have yet to try it, also am curious how it casts.

Deciding on 200, 250 or 300 grain can be difficult as the river flow varies and American shad are often deeper. Taking two rods is one answer but I use an old fashioned, non-integrated shooting head set-up and can change heads as needed. Rio non-tapered tungsten heads are good and reasonably priced. There are places where I use a much shorter head and can handle soft strikes better, especially with American shad.

Integrated shooting head lines are not "full sink" but they aren't "sink tip" either!

Mark B.

On Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at 9:57:34 AM UTC-5, Dalton Terrell wrote:

10-4, I was thinking you meant the full sink type of line rather than the integrated shooting head style.

Dalton

On Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at 4:13:33 AM UTC-5, TurbineBlade wrote:

Yeah, the depth charge is a good example.  The head does sink fast, and the running line much less so which (to me anyway) gives you a as close to a diagonal line from your rowboat to the fly.  Other companies have similar lines, usually identified as "integrated fast-sink shooting heads" since there isn't a loop-loop connection.  

My experience with regular "full sinking" lines is that they do get down, but the belly of the line tends to sink as much or more than the "head" making strikes a lot harder to detect.  

The depth charge type lines are more expensive, but well-worth it IMO.  

I'm still not great at casting them, but you really don't have to cast them very far to catch all of the shad you want.  I usually just flop them to one side, and then water haul over to make the cast.  

Gene

On Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 8:37:39 PM UTC-5, tperkins wrote:

I am partial to the Orvis Depth Charge, 300 grain for my 8wt. Gets deep quick and loads the rod nice. 

On Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 5:45:17 PM UTC-5, Dalton Terrell wrote:

Gene,

What fly line do you use or recommend? I remember the old Rio Deep Lake 7 line that was full sinking that way, but don't think it's made any more.

I also probably need to replace my 7 and 8 wt sinking lines soon, they're both old Rio Striper 225gr and 250gr with sinking heads and intermediate running line. Fishing this past weekend with a friend, he was getting much deeper with a 250gr Rio In Touch, with sinking head and intermediate running line as well, so deep that he snagged the bottom a ton and broke the fly line three times with 20lb tippet. Obviously a defective core on that line, but I've gotten an equally bad one from Airflo years ago.

Dalton

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