Anyone ever chop a skagit head down?

D

downriver79

Steelhead
I have a 475 gr RIO Power Max 20' skagit head that I want to cut down to 450 gr. Basic math is about 24 gr/ft but that doesn't account for the taper. I have a reloading scale to weigh it on and was going to start by cutting off 6" and see what that weighs and go from there. But, should I cut that off the back end (loop to running line)? And what should I make a new loop with? I have various sizes of heavy mono and some 65 Lb Power Pro braid. Any advice is highly appreciated!
 
Yeah, I've done it on Airflo skagit heads to get a 420 down to 300 or so for SH use. Worked great, but Airflow are also super easy to weld a big loop from where I cut back. I went straight from the back. Best advice though is to cut off less than you think. Mine ended up 25 grains lighter than intended (works fine and I now prefer it), just something to keep in mind. I don't know how easy Rio's are to weld.
 
clarkman said:
Yeah, I've done it on Airflo skagit heads to get a 420 down to 300 or so for SH use. Worked great, but Airflow are also super easy to weld a big loop from where I cut back. I went straight from the back. Best advice though is to cut off less than you think. Mine ended up 25 grains lighter than intended (works fine and I now prefer it), just something to keep in mind. I don't know how easy Rio's are to weld.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I've never done my own welding so I don't really trust my work to hold. That's why I was thinking of going w/ braided line and surgeons loop + Loctite. Think that would work okay?
 
I've done the same as clarkman to make a single hand intermediate line out of an Airflo line. I believe I cut from the back and used a premade braided loop that I either bought from someone on WFF or Speypages. Maybe it was even a Rio product?
 
Salmo_g said:
A 20' Skagit is already so damn short I wouldn't want to cut it shorter. I'd just spring for the 450 gr. I have a 450 and 475 Max that I don't particularly like because they are too short at 23 or 24'.
Click to expand...
I've really only used Commando heads so I'm used to a short, compact stroke. The 20' head seemed long to me due to that. When I really noticed it was when I was in almost waist deep water and trying to make an upstream Perry Poke. Getting the anchor up above me was way more difficult than with a 15' head. I'm sure it would be different if I wasn't so used to the Commandos.
 
If you're set on this, I'd go the braided loop route. But also, as Salmo pointed out, it's gonna be damn short. For my use, that's what I wanted since it was for single hand use. At the time, it was also the only intermediate head option on the market, which is why I did it.
 
1768412572163.png
Buy something like this, easier than welding a loop, which can be done too. Which reminds me, I need a new heat gun for stuff like this!

Cheers!
 
Just a thought, adjusting tip and leader length might give you the result you're looking for. I shoot for a total system of 3x rod length. I use a short (23' 550g) head for a long rod (13'6) and generally a 12.5ft tip. That gets me to 35.5 ft, and that fishes well with 2-7ft of leader.

If I'm using a 10ft tip, I need at least 5ft of leader to land my anchor. If I'm using a 15 ft tip, I cut it down to 3ft max.

Just throwing out that there may be simpler solutions to your problem. Chopping lines is cool tho, so there's that.
 
Pink Nighty said:
Just a thought, adjusting tip and leader length might give you the result you're looking for. I shoot for a total system of 3x rod length. I use a short (23' 550g) head for a long rod (13'6) and generally a 12.5ft tip. That gets me to 35.5 ft, and that fishes well with 2-7ft of leader.

If I'm using a 10ft tip, I need at least 5ft of leader to land my anchor. If I'm using a 15 ft tip, I cut it down to 3ft max.

Just throwing out that there may be simpler solutions to your problem. Chopping lines is cool tho, so there's that.
Click to expand...
I was using 10' light mow tips with a 425 gr Max Power. I usually go with about 3' of leader off the sink tip with my switch rod. I thought since it was a longer rod (12'6") I'd need a longer leader so I went with 4'. I really struggled until I cut the leader down to 3', then it started clicking. Just didn't feel the rod load like I like to. I put the 475 on and that allowed for a slower stroke that loaded the rod, but just didn't get out there. Seemed like a 450 would've been spot on. Maybe I need to try the 425 with a medium mow or 12' of T-8 instead of 10'.
 
Here’s what I use, but you could nail knot, or Albright knot a section of #25-30 mono to the line and put a loop in it and be done.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5541.jpeg
    IMG_5541.jpeg
    633.2 KB · Views: 7
I’ve cut and built more lines than I can remember, before options existed. The market is now flooded with lines and people often try various heads to get a perfect match. Your doppelgänger is out there, wishing he had a 475 instead of a 450. Put out a wanted ad, you’ll get lots of offers for nearly-new used heads. Try several, sell the rest.

If you still want to cut, and it is only 6-12”, then cut from the rear. But, when you remove the rear taper, even if it is only 1’ long, it will load harder and feel different on the cast - especially if your rod has a flexible (soft) top section. You’ll need to add a little more overhang to compensate.
 
SSPey said:
I’ve cut and built more lines than I can remember, before options existed. The market is now flooded with lines and people often try various heads to get a perfect match. Your doppelgänger is out there, wishing he had a 475 instead of a 450. Put out a wanted ad, you’ll get lots of offers for nearly-new used heads. Try several, sell the rest.

If you still want to cut, and it is only 6-12”, then cut from the rear. But, when you remove the rear taper, even if it is only 1’ long, it will load harder and feel different on the cast - especially if your rod has a flexible (soft) top section. You’ll need to add a little more overhang to compensate.
Click to expand...
That's funny, I couldn't ever really explain it with mine on my SH rod and me preferring a bit of overhang.....but man, does it really sing!
 
Yes, and there’s an potential trap in this, most apparent in really short heads: one removes some line to make it lighter, but what remains loads harder (if using the same overhang, because the fattest portion of the line is now exposed). At that point, one potential response is to then cut off some more, and before you know it, it’s too light. Ooops.

To the OP: before you secure a permanent rear loop, you can demo cast the line for feel by temporarily nail knotting a 4” length of 30-50 lb mono to the cut rear, and ending in a small perfection/surgeons loop for your running line. Purely for demo purposes, to test if you’ve trimmed to a desired weight. This can be done down at the water, in tiny steps 3-4” at a time. Tie good knots and don’t snag up.
 
SSPey said:
Yes, and there’s an potential trap in this, most apparent in really short heads: one removes some line to make it lighter, but what remains loads harder (if using the same overhang, because the fattest portion of the line is now exposed). At that point, one potential response is to then cut off some more, and before you know it, it’s too light. Ooops.

To the OP: before you secure a permanent rear loop, you can demo cast the line for feel by temporarily nail knotting a 4” length of 30-50 lb mono to the cut rear, and ending in a small perfection/surgeons loop for your running line. Purely for demo purposes, to test if you’ve trimmed to a desired weight. This can be done down at the water, in tiny steps 3-4” at a time. Tie good knots and don’t snag up.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely experiment with the hang down length before I take any more off. I ended up removing 15" and 25 grains.
 
downriver79 said:
Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely experiment with the hang down length before I take any more off. I ended up removing 15" and 25 grains.
Click to expand...
Please report back, I've been too chickenshit to chop this 650 head I have off its integrated line and down to 550-25'ish....

The more I fish the more I realize that optimal lineups are cool but hardly necessary. You can fix it by fixing yourself, and that's what I really love about fly fishing. Flies can be sunk deep off floating lines, sink tips can fish shallow, on and on and on.
 
Pink Nighty said:
Please report back, I've been too chickenshit to chop this 650 head I have off its integrated line and down to 550-25'ish....

The more I fish the more I realize that optimal lineups are cool but hardly necessary. You can fix it by fixing yourself, and that's what I really love about fly fishing. Flies can be sunk deep off floating lines, sink tips can fish shallow, on and on and on.
Click to expand...
I'll definitely report back. I totally feel ya. The only reason I'm willing to try it with this one is because I've got nothing invested in it and nothing else to use it on. It came on a reel I 'won' on the auction site.
 
Well, the 475 to 450 chop job worked great! Whenever I got everything lined up and timed right it was shooting 50' of running line. Casts much better than the 425 or 475 did for me. Nail knotted 65 Lb braid since that's what I had on hand. Put a small surgeon's loop and covered knots with Loctite gel. Next time I'm somewhere that has the braided loops I'll pick one up. Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top