Scientific Anglers

Montana Trout Spey

Trout Spey Gear Roundup

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Ed Note: A re-post of this comprehensive Trout Spey Gear Roundup scribed by John this past month. We thought it important to post again as we now headlong into the TROUT2H Season. Swing Season has arrived! SWING SEASON 20-21 October is here, and that means we’re hearing the word “swing” around the shop more … Read more

SA Casting Loop Video

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SA Casting Loop Video

#1 error from casters that I see in the boat? They never stop the rod on either the fore or aft cast. Perpetual motion.

Analogous to throwing a dart, you must stop the forward motion of the rod.

You have to stop the rod. You have to. It is a must.

It is physics. I don’t make that poop up man. Many guests believe I am speaking gibberish.

And, some of them are right?

I always say that the fishing stuff spurting from my mouth is true. All of the non-fishing diarrhea emanating from my person? Straight BS.

See folks. Watch the video. I’m not making it up!

Watch that fellers rod stop on the front and back. It stops. Like your hand hitting a brick wall. It stops.

And there is a pause to let the line straighten. You cannot push fly line. No matter how hard or fast or whippy you try.

You gotta stop the rod. There is not a substitute for this.

Do yourself a favor in 2019 and take some casting lessons. BEFORE YOU COME TO THE RIVER.

You know professionals take lessons every day. Professionals have casting instructors. Yes they do. Honest. Speaking with Whitney Gould a couple weeks ago, who is currently the Women’s World Champion Spey Caster, while she was on a break from her casting instructor. Yes, the best in the world have casting instructors. The best in the world have casting instructors.

So, many of us do not fish 100+ days a year. We may only fish 3 days a year. Those anglers also need casting lessons. Honest.

The best in the world get coaching. Lots of coaching.

Guide Ben Hardy always says that when you come here you are not to practice your cast. The Missouri River is the SHOW! You don’t practice your baseball swing when you get to the World Series? Nope.

So practice happens before you get here. In your lawn on Sundays for 10 minutes a week. Or seek out a casting professional and raise the bar man. Preferably both.

I have had guests do just that. Get casting lessons. Practice for short periods of time before you arrive. Don’t go and practice for an hour. Nobody casts fro an hour straight. Shorter periods of practice, more often That is a recipe for casting success.

Do you know the outcome of practicing? More trout to hand. More success. Bigger smiles.

Yes, bigger smiles.

And life is too short to trim the smiles from your day.

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A few items for Fall Fishing Magic!

A few items for Fall Fishing Magic!

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A few items for Fall Fishing Magic! Heading headlong into fall here in Craig Montana. A few times that may make your fall fly fishing adventure better when visiting the Missouri River. A few clutch times in that image. RIO Line Cleaners. I use them nearly daily. The only reason I don’t, is sometimes I … Read more

RIO, Scientific Angler, and TroutHunter Tippet Comparison

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Tippet Brands Headhunters stocks tippet from RIO, Scientific Anglers, and TroutHunter. All three companies make great tippet. I’ve used all three and they have all performed well. So what kind should you buy?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Cost Cost is a primary consideration. It can be hard to tell what kind of value you are getting in a … Read more

New Scientific Anglers Spey Lite Lines

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A couple of months ago, Scientific Anglers sent me a few prototypes of some new “Trout Spey” lines they were working on. I’ve been fishing them regularly and have been really impressed. They cast extremely well, and feel right (not too heavy, not too long) on a variety of 3 and 4 weights I’ve tried them on. Last night, I returned home after swinging the Missouri with said lines (last fish on the prototypes above), and there on the counter was a package from SA with the final product.

Called the SPEY LITE, they are available in Skagit heads and integrated lines, and a Scandi Integrated line. They are offered in grain weights 150-360. The colors are nice but understated. The Skagit in a Horizon Blue, and the Scandi in a standard Willow Green. I would like to see the Scandi in a shooting head, but after fishing the integrated version for a while now, I may be coming around. The reason I like the head system is mostly for convenience. With an integrated line I have to have a reel dedicated to that line. Also to come later are matching shooting lines. If the shooting lines on the integrated lines I’ve tried are any indication, these should be very popular among the trout crowd.

One of the most innovative features is the textured transition zone. SA has added a transition zone into the integrated lines that is both colored – so you can see it – and textured – so you can hear/feel it. I immediately found this to be super helpful while stripping in to make a cast. No more staring into the sun to see if was at or near the right spot. This feature alone sets this line apart. I expect this feature to be on the shooting lines when they come out. For now, you have to get an integrated line to see what it is like.

Casting wise, these lines performed how I like a line to perform. They cast and fish light, but with power. They are not clunky rectangles like some Skagit heads, but they’re no whimpy either. They also seem to fish with less drag on the swing than some lines, which is very nice when fishing smaller flies and slower currents. The soft-hackle crowd is going to love these on a #2 or #3. The Scandi lines have a built in intermediate tip, which is nice for casting turnover, fishing small unweighted flies, and maintaining your anchor in the wind.[/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][us_image image=”26548″ align=”center”][vc_column_text]

SPEY LITE SKAGIT HEAD

150 GRAIN 11’ / 3,4m 11’ / 3,4m 150gr / 9,8g
180 GRAIN 11’ / 3,4m 11’ / 3,4m 180gr / 11,7g
210 GRAIN 12’ / 3,7m 12’ / 3,7m 210gr / 13,6g
240 GRAIN 13’ / 4,0m 13’ / 4,0m 240gr / 15,6g
270 GRAIN 14’ / 4,3m 14’ / 4,3m 270gr / 17,5g
300 GRAIN 15.5’ / 4,7m 15.5’ / 4,7m 300gr / 19,4g
330 GRAIN 17’ / 5,2m 17’ / 5,2m 330gr / 21,4g
360 GRAIN 18’ / 5,5m 18’ / 5,5m 360gr / 23,3g

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SPEY LITE INTEGRATED SCANDI

150 GRAIN 20’ / 6,1m 100’ / 30,5m 150gr / 9,8g
180 GRAIN 20’ / 6,1m 100’ / 30,5m 180gr / 11,7g
210 GRAIN 21’ / 6,4m 100’ / 30,5m 210gr / 13,6g
240 GRAIN 22’ / 6,7m 100’ / 30,5m 240gr / 15,6g
270 GRAIN 23’ / 7,0m 100’ / 30,5m 270gr / 17,5g
300 GRAIN 24’ / 7,3m 100’ / 30,5m 300gr / 19,4g
330 GRAIN 25’ / 7,6m 100’ / 30,5m 330gr / 21,4g
360 GRAIN 25’ / 7,6m 100’ / 30,5m 360gr / 23,3g

[/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][vc_column_text]I should add that I have been using the Third Coast Textured Spey Tips from Scientific Anglers, and really like them. The light sinking versions are all a 4×4 combo of two densities (I/S2, S2/S4, etc.). I tried them to see how well they cast on SA’s own lines, and they do it very well. I should add that I don’t really like the floater. It’s too bulky and is half white, half optic green. A little bright for trout fishing. But if I’m using a floater I can use a ploy-leader or the Scandi.

Speaking of Poly Leaders, there were also some new Sonar Leaders in the package. Scientific Angler’s version of the popular “poly-leader”, these appear to be much higher quality than others I’ve used. Way stiffer, and the coating flows right into the level 1 foot tip. I’ll need to get out and fish them.

The new Lines – retail and demo – and leaders are on order and should be arriving shortly at Headhunters. I know many of you have been jonesing for a Scandi line for your Trout Spey. Here it is. And I think those looking for a true-to-weight Skagit head that casts tight will love this new head.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Headhunters is the Trout Spey Line HQ

Headhunters is the Trout Spey Line HQ

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Headhunters is the Trout Spey Line HQ We have them all. Almost all of them. We may not have every trout spey line ever made but we have most of the bases covered including well over 100 trout spey demo lines you can try any day! Here is the current list of what Headhunters in … Read more

The Missouri River Fly Line Source is Headhunters in Craig - Headhunters Fly Shop

Missouri River Fly Line Source is Headhunters in Craig

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Missouri River Fly Line Source In downtown Craig Montana you will find your Missouri River Fly Line Source. You can judge a fly shop by a ton of different parameters like customer service, friendliness, accurate information, the attention to detail in the fly department, the sheer number of flies, the clothing lines, rod selection…but I have … Read more