[NrthFrk16]

What are your opinions on tapered vs un-tapered heads when building your sinktip flylines.

Dana pointed out some good points in an article that he wrote for flyshop.com and I was just wondered what others' opinions were.

And what are your favorite heads to use? Ive got easy access to the Cortland heads and some older SA heads. Has anyone tried the Rio BigBoy heads?

Thanks!

 

[roballen]

I don't know this for fact but the only advantage i can imagine to a tapered head is it might land a little softer, but with a spey rod any tip is gonna hit hard . I do not use tips single handed at all tapered or untapered doesnt matter to me. I overheard Dec Hogan talking with John Hazel and he suggested a 20ft 120 grain tip. he thinks the longer head keeps the fly down better even with a lighter grain weight.
All the heads i fish are just the tips that come with the wind cutter usually use the 15 ft type 6. The one exception is a 15 foot piece of 550 grain deep water express but I almost never use that. I just keep it around just in case.

 

[Fred Evans]

Stick with the 'tapered tips.' Non-tapered will 'crash' on the water due to the lack of disipation of energy in a spey cast. All most all 'shelf' spey lines have a longish front taper to handle this transfer of energy.

Spey rods, unlike single handers, load from the bottom up, not tip down. It's the wrist snap at the end that (for a lack of a better term) reverse loads the rod.
fe

 

[juro]

The Rio tip sections have no taper, and at first I thought they would be ridiculous to cast. But with a stout butt section and a tapered leader they turn over "good enough for rock and roll" (winter tip fishing).

Like someone said, cast a million setups and feel them out for yourself. You'll find your favorite setups, I am sure of that.

 

[Philster]

Taper ain't the only consideration...

Here's another one for you to ponder. Hotshot westcoast striper boys rely almost entirely on shooting heads. The hottest of the hot never throw a one piece head. In general they have a 20 foot "belly" of type 4 for instance, and then a 10 foot "tip" that is heavier, say a type 6, to compensate for the lofting that naturally takes place on the end attached to the caster... I've used such lines side in saltwater, lakes, and rivers, and when the name of the game is getting down and staying down, these lines rock... Multi-multi tips anyone?

 

[Fred Evans]

Juro, could be completly off the chart here but I though the Rio sink tips were all 'tapered,' and 'compensated' so tip first, etc., and etc. Their on line for spec's shows them all as tapered tips.
fe

ps: Bless you for the 'modify' bit: completly forgot to ask if anybody has used RIO's "dredger" heads and what's the scoop on dropping the 'dime?'
fe

 

[juro]

Fred -

I'm sure you're right, I was referring to the 'chunk of sintip' they used to sell in lengths x grains in the leader style ziplock bags on pegboards. The tips I got with my Windcutter / tip system are also non-tapered. I'm sure they make 'em I just haven't seen any personally, and they do make straight tapers and I ended up with them

I've heard great things about the Rio density comp. I have a full sink line I've used for coho and stripers that's D/C and I like the way to levels out underwater.

 

[Fred Evans]

Gad Juro you're right about the "gray death" sinking 'do it yourself' materials.' Still have some of these in my garage as a reminder of 'don't do that anymore.' The stunning glory was fishing the Kalama several years ago when a gust of wind took over a 500'ish grain head and wrapped it around my knogin. Took me right off my feet, stars and all!
:>(