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 		 A collection of helpful information and tips regarding Spey casting and Spey fishing gear. References of handy information previously published and collected here for ease of use as well as my own observations concerning gear and techniques I have used on the river.

The Current Airflo brand Spey lines specifications courtesy of Rajeff Sports LLC.

Compact Skagit Heads
Front loop color Feet Grains gr / foot at tip front taper  Rear taper line rating
white 23 420 14 7 1.5   5/6 
tan 23 450 14 7 1.5   6/7 
yellow 24 480 16 7 1.5   7/8 
pink 24 510 16 7 1.5   7/8 
orange 25 540 16 7 1.5   8/9 
light green 25 570 18 8 1.5   8/9 
dark green 26 600 18 8 2   8/9 
light blue 27 630 18 8 2   9/10
dark blue 27 660 18 8 2   9/10
purple 27 720 18 8 2  10/11

NW 2-hand heads (Skagit Heads)
Size Floating portion weight Front taper length of floating belly  Belly length Rear taper length Length of Floating w/o tip Total line length including sink tip Total head weight gr. Average rod length Rod / head length ratio
  6/7  440 14 13 3 30 38 520 12.5 3
  7/8  470 15 14 3 32 41 560 13 3.2
  8/9  530 15.5 15 3 33.5 43.5 630 13.5 3.2
  9/10 650 16 16 3 35 45 750 14 3.2

 

Scandinavian Shooting Heads
Spey Line Wt Grains Length Front Taper Belly Rear Taper
7/8/9 450 38 19 17 2
8/9/10 500 40 20 18 2
9/10/11 550 42 21 19 2
10/11/12 600 44 22 20 2

 

Size Delta Spey Long Delta Spey   Tactical two hand tips
Spey Line Wt Grains Grains   Spey Line Wt Length - ft Weight - grains Weight - grams
6/7 470 510   6/7 13 77 5
7/8 530 570   7/8 13 84.62 5.5
8/9 600 640   8/9 14 96.92 6.3
9/10 680 720   9/10 15 105.38 6.85
10/11 770 --   10/11 15 115.38 7.5
Head Length 50.5' - 57' 61.5' - 67'          


Spey Line Standards

The new standard for Spey lines describes four different line designs (shooting head, short belly, medium belly, and long belly) which will be identified by the letters H, S, M, and L respectively. Each line category has a different allowable grain weight over a given length of line. For instance, a line advertised as a 9-weight shooting head would have a grain weight of 430 (28 grams) in the first 40 feet. A long belly 9-weight would have 780 grains (51 grams) in the first 80 feet. The new standards will have a +/- tolerance value, but those levels have not yet been determined.

 

Shooting Head
 Head length 30'-50'
measured at 40'

Short Belly
 Head length 50'-60'
measured at 55'

Medium Belly
 Head length 60'-70'
measured at 65'

Long Belly
 Head length 60'-70'
measured at 80'

Line
Weight

grains/grams

grains/grams

grains/grams

grains/grams

6

250/16.2

420/27.3

460/29.9

600/39

7

300/19.5

470/30.5

510/33.1

650/42.2

8

360/23.4

530/34.4

570/37

710/46.1

9

430/27.9

600/39

640/41.6

780/50.6

10

510/33.1

680/44.2

720/46.8

860/55.8

11

600/39

770/50

810/52.6

950/61.7

12

700/45.5

870/56.5

910/59.1

1050/68.2

Lamson Reel Weighting to Balance a Spey Rod

Many modern large Spey rod sized reels are simply too light to balance 15 foot or longer rods and some of the older rods that were heavier than the modern 12 to 14 foot Spey rods on the market today. While this is not really a problem when casting two-handed it is very tiring and uncomfortable while fishing out the swing when the fly is in the water. To correct this I devised a means of changing the reel weight by adding brass weights made to slip on and off of the Lamson LiteSpeed reel center hub. Weights up to about 10 oz. can be used without interfering with the normal working of the reel and various sized weights can be interchanged or completely removed easily without in any way modifying the reel itself. Pictured are 4 oz. and 5 oz. weights I use to properly balance my RL Winston Derek Brown Favorite Spey rods. A friend uses a 1.5 oz. weight made of aluminum to balance this reel with a favorite Bob Meiser rod.

 

 

Phone:    360-903-4693
 

Copyright © 1997 - 2008 Bruce E. Harang
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
"Beaucatcher" is a service mark of Bruce E. Harang
Other trademarks referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.

Last modified: June 25, 2008