The message
from "The Leaping Frog" contains these
words:

Sorry for my late response.

No problem.

well, probably the line needed to progress. The 57' being very similar
to my
current Rio Windcutter. If you manage to master 67', it will get your
further- not just in distance but use & "fishability" - than a short head.

I think the longer version will better suit the rod I intend using it
with. In a perfect world, no line should be purchased without trying it
first. But that's rarely a practical proposition. Few of us have a hard
enough neck to order a new line and upon finding we dislike it, send it
back. I think this happens more often with weight forward lines than
d.t.'s

My first introduction to weight forward lines was a freebie from Sierra
with one of their reels. I think it was the XDA Clear Head Intermediate.
God, but I hate that line! The head is just thirty-three feet long and
just as you are reaching the point where the rod is loading properly,
you find yourself on the cotton thin backing. With cold wet fingers it's
misery to use. However, I have caught a lot of fish using that line and
it can, with practice, be shot a very long way. But I certainly wouldn't
buy one.

check out www.speypages.com and hit the 'line' link. There might be
something there that can help you make a choice.
by chance I had done that before reading your response and it proved
useful. other people have actually recommended that website. In it, I
am still
waiting to find the video of the Spey-O-Rama. Alledgedly very good, if I
manage to find it!

I registered, but I haven't subscribed, so haven't been able to view any
video footage. But the write-up on individual lines is useful. Having
already decided to buy an Airflo line, I was pleased to see it had
received a good revue. I have been offered a day on the Spey latter this
week. With luck, The line will arrive in time for me to put it through
its paces on the very water it was designed to be used on.

Airflo!....: well, for no reason, I do not like airflo. I am too much of a
brand junkie and they just do not do it for me. That is irrational but that
is my privilege a sa customer!

I feel a bit like that regarding Scierra lines. Silly really, when
they're just half the price of their competitors. If I am buying
locally, I generally try to buy the best that I can afford, believing
money buys quality. Sometimes I have been proved wrong and buying
locally generally assures a sympathetic hearing if a problem arrises
later with the line.

On a different note, I contacted a mate of mine who is a casting
instructor.
Are shooting heads not less distrete than spey lines did I ask? No, my
friend he replied: a shooting head used underhand style is accompanied by a
5meter long leader and is very discrete indeed. Out of the window went my
argument!

A lot of people who roll and Spey cast haven't mastered the art of
actually shooting line. This is because, as with the overhead cast,
timing is involved. As a consequence, line is ripped off the water,
often where fish are later expected to take. The extended cast, placed
correctly, should land above and beyond the lie you intend to cover. So
even if it's a bit messy, it shouldn't really matter that much.

For salmon, I measure the leader from the top joint of the rod to the
reel foot. Anything longer isn't required and can severely impair
turnover, particularly with an upstream wind. I still fish a lot with
double tapered lines. Sometimes, shortening the taper of an old line by
four or six feet can transform its performance, greatly improving both
handling and distance. But it takes the heart of Bruce to do it,
particularly if it's a new line that for some reason you are just not
getting on with.

The truth is I am not very good a spey caster yet and would find silly to
start learning another casting style.It would probably confuse me and
require another set of lines. not theinvestment I have in mind.

Quite a few 'Spey casters' fish here and, to be frank, they're the bain
of my life. Many can throw a beautiful long line, but it is generally on
pools where a long line isn't required and is in fact counter
productive. The Carron is a rocky spate river with many small deep
pools. The water immediately under ones' rod tip is easily deep enough
to hold that coveted double-figure springer. But all too often, by the
time our paragon of casting expertise has a line of a sufficient length
out to properly load the rod, the fly is fishing in the tail of the
pool.

The postie has just been; and the only line he delivered was written on
paper...:-(


--
Kim Sawyer
Sutherland
Scotland