Fly Fishing

jeremy · Location: Portland, Maine

I like to fish a spey rod in the salt during the herring run when there is lots of big bait (herring and alewives) in the ocean going rivers. Typically the rivers I fish are really big with very little back casting room - and reaching the other side is definately an advantage. I have a 13 foot spety rod with a floating spey line that I got a few years back when learning how to spey cast. Well, I am definately no pro - but, I think I am beyond understanding the very basics and now I have a need that I am not sure how to fulfill. The flies I fish are very big and when I throw spey casts, I can get the fly where it needs to be -- but the cast breaks down because of the size of the fly. This does not happen when swinging atlantic salmon or steelhead flies which are much smaller. So, my question is this .. If I wanted to stick with a floating line and the 13 ft. rod is there a model of line that would help me shoot big/heavy flies easier? Would it make sense to perhaps step up the line weight a notch? It just seems that my spey line is not the right line for the flies I am fishing .. if anyone has any advice or fly line recommendations it would be greatly appreciated.

PS. I should also note that the line itself has been used a lot for steeheading on switch rods and swing flies in salt and freshwater environments .. so the line is old and tired to say the least. Perhaps a new line might make the difference too?

wrh · Location: capital district NY

You might try a compact skagit head as they move and turn over flies like nothing else.

kory_k · Location: New York, NY

I agree 100% with wrh. The skagit is a perfect line for throwing large, bulky patterns with little or no backcasting room. That is specifically what it is designed for. I have thrown monster flies for steelhead with it with a wall of trees at my back and the skagit does it almost effortlessly. The line has an extremely large diameter front taper designed specifically for this purpose.