troutspey

OPST Commando Smooth

OPST Commando Smooth Sale!

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The new-ish OPST Commando Smooth is on sale at 25% off starting today. Most spey anglers are familiar with the OPST Commando Head. It’s the head that started all of this “micro-skagit” stuff, and is the most popular single-handed spey line on the market. The Commando “Smooth” is the integrated version of the Commando head. … Read more

January Missouri River Forecast

Missouri River Fly Fishing January Forecast

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Missouri River Fly Fishing January Forecast

January Missouri River Weather Forecast

Pretty stable for the next ten days with air temps in the mid 20’s at night along with daily highs in the mid 30’s. Lots of cloud cover predicted so may be a decent time to fish?

The average temperature for January includes a highs of 35F and lows of 15F with 0.51 inches of precip which adds up to about 9″ of snow. The wind chill can be impressive with winds from the north. The prevailing wind is generally from the southwest which is not nearly as biting as the evil wind. Check out the 2020 totals here on US Climate Great Falls site.

The water temperatures are not terribly cold. Yet. Currently hovering around 35-ish. Bouncing between 35-37F for the past couple weeks. Without the frigid well below zero temperatures for a good long spell the river will not become slushy or un-fishable.

The water levels are holding in the lower than average zone by  about 1400cfs. Don’t know as of posting what the water direction will be before the end of the wet season in June, but we do know our snowpack is below average.

 

January Fishing Forecast

Cold. Our coldest fishing month. Or one of the top 3. Again we will not know the outcome until later this spring. The non winter-like November and December have led us into quite a boring start for the New Year. Wear warm clothes, warmer socks, and bring your Thermos.

Morning fishing is for those who like to sneak out there before the fish are bothered by the winter sun. Some wait until after breakfast to begin their slow journey to the river. Fish the noon til 4pm slot until the sun stays out later if you like the meat of the day.  As the winter fades to spring then you may begin to enjoy the morning more often. But that is a couple, or a few months away.

Nymphers come on strong in January. The primary attack for fish catching includes anything pink. Or at least start with anything and then figure it out. Firebeads are really a hot ticket in the next couple months. Really strong through the end of spring.

Fish the real winter water all month long. The stale stuff. Almost stopped, yet still moving.  The inside bends towards the end of the moving area. Then focus on depth. The water is pretty low so go with shorter than normal rigs. Split or not is your choice. A house divided on this lead filled topic.

Swingers comprise about half of the winter Missouri River angling participation stats. Skagit fishers are getting fish on the line. Fishing pretty well from top thru the canyon. Check with the shop before heading out for not only boat ramp health but shelf ice coverage.

Headhunters Fly Shop

Open daily for all things Trout. Your leading Montana fly shop for all things Trout Spey. We have the full lines of RIO, Scientific Angler, OPST, and Airflo spey lines, tips ,and accessories. We have become the authority in this arena with the entirety of the staff engaged and involved with the two handed rod all winter long.

January is a busy month for booking spring, summer, and fall guide trips and nightly Missouri River lodging. You want to start your Missouri River legacy this year? Or continue your family Montana trip? Start making your Montana trout memories by getting your name on the books for 2021.

Headhunters open daily @ 8am til 1pm. Mask Mandates continue at Headhunters of Craig.  Enjoy your January whether you be skiing, finishing up the waterfowl season, or hibernating. Give us a shout. We love talking trout![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/88700134″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Spey Special Ends Soon

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Lots of folks have taken advantage of our fall Spey Special this year. $400 for a full day guided trip with excellent and experienced Spey Casting instructors and guides like women’s World Speycasting Champ Whitney Gould. If you don’t have the gear we provide that as well! The Spey Special ends DEC 31, so just … Read more

2017-18 Trout Spey Lineup

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 2017-18 Spey season has begun on the Missouri River, and it’s time to layout the gear we use while swinging the Mo’. Last season we began a transition from 6 and 7 weight spey outfits down to true ultralight rigs in the 2,3 and 4 weight class. That transition is now complete. For 95% of our fishing we are using true “troutspey” equipment. We occasionally may reach for a 6 weight, and the shop will continue to sell lines, tips, reels and the other gear you need to rig rods up to 9 weight. Our clinics – and this post – will focus on equipment below 360 grains (5 weight).

WHY SO LIGHT?

Remember, those 2, 3 and 4 weight spey rods that sound so light, effectively correlate to 4, 5 and 6 weight rods. So really, your using standard gear. If you’re new to spey fishing, these rods will feel much more familiar to your hand. Most are 10’6″ – 11’6″ in length. Your reel will be a 5-7 weight reel. In terms of total weight, you’ll not be far off from your 9′ #5, though the swing weight will be increased significantly.

These ultralight rods are a pleasure to fish with and you won’t feel overmanned with a 14″ trout on the end of your line. Softer presentations can be important, especially when fishing soft hackles, and these sticks do the job when lined properly. We’re fishing for trout after all, so why not use some trout gear. Thanks to manufacturers like Echo, Scientific Anglers, Sage, OPST and RIO, trout spey anglers now have a decent amount of gear to choose from.

RODS

The ECHO TR Trout will continue to be our most popular spey rod for the 2017-18 season. It’s a great rod, finished nicely and really does everything you’d ask from a trout spey rod at a reasonable price of $379. Everyone seems to like the army green/orange tipped cosmetics, and many folks comment on the slender grip, which can make a long day of casting more comfortable. Like all of the TR family, these rods throw both Scandi and Skagit lines with ease. If you like to throw giant Galloup-esque flies, you can comfortably over line these rods to increase turnover power. Pretty much all of our staff owns at least one of these rods, and we use them for demo rods in our casting clinics. We’re very familiar with them, and have matched them with nearly every line we carry, so we can easily get you paired with the right line for your casting and fishing style. If you’re looking for a 2 weight, however, you’ll have to look elsewhere. The Echo TR comes in 11′ #3 and 11’3″ #4 variations. Also, we still throw the 12’6″ #6 occasionally on the Missouri, and it’s an excellent choice for Summer Steelhead on the Ronde, Deschuttes, etc. Great rod, great company and great customer service.

The SAGE ONE Trout Spey is one of the first – and arguably the best – dedicated Spey (not switch) rod on the market. Designed with help from Skagit guru Mike McCune, the Sage is a really sweet caster designed to throw relaxed sustained anchor casts. As you’d expect from Sage, the finish is top shelf like the action. You will definitely feel a weight difference in your hand when you pick up one of these vs. a price-point rod like the ECHO TR. The 10’9″ #2 is the preferred rod for swinging small and medium sized soft hackles on lighter tippet, while the 11′ #3 is the daily driver that will throw everything up to about a heavy #4 streamer. A perfect rod for the Missouri. We also like the 11’6″ #4 for throwing Scandi lines. Unlike the 2 and 3, the 4 is a rebranded rod from the previous ONE Switch series possessing a little faster action. While it will definitely throw a Skagit head, it shines with a longer and lighter Scandi head. Price of entry is steep, however, at $950. If you’re a dedicated spey guy or gal and a fan of Sage, you’re all in. If you’re new to the sport that may be more than you want to spend, and we don’t blame you.

New to Headhunters this season are Gary Anderson Custom Rods (ACR), from the Rogue River country in Oregon. While his name may not be familiar in Montana trout circles, Gary Anderson is widely known in the west coast spey community. His rods are used by some of the best two-handed casters in the sport, including our own Whitney Gould. The ACR Nova lineup will be first in the shop. The performance and finish of these rods easily outpaces the price, and Gary has created more troutspey models than the rest of the industry combined! The Nova comes in at $450 and is available in 2, 3 and 4 weight configurations. We will likely be bringing in some of ACR’s Elite series rods as well. We expect Nova rods to be one of our best selling models in 2018. Demo rods available some swing by and grab one for a pass or two.

The Orvis Clearwater series remains polar for those looking for Steelhead or Steelhead/Trout crossover rods. The 12′ #5 Clearwater is the only 5 weight rod we stock, and it’s an excellent choice for big streamers on the Missouri or Yellowstone, as well as lighter Steelhead work on the Grande Ronde. This would also be an excellent choice for Alaska or Patagonia trout, or Pink Salmon. The 12’6″ #6 and 13′ #7 are also popular choice for Steelhead, the latter being one of our more popular models for winter Steelhead on the coast. For newbie trout and Steelhead spey anglers, the $349 price point is easy and leaves plenty of cash for heads and tips. Orvis is not the biggest name in Spey, but everyone who throws these rods likes them. Hopefully they will enter the troutspey arena in the future…

The ECHO Glass Two Hand series remains popular with the crowd that likes, well… fiberglass. These rods have methodically slow actions that really throw some strong, nice loops. And at $279 these might be the best deal going if you like the action and the super retro honey colored blanks. The 10’6″ #3 is an excellent soft hackle rod with a soft tip that protects lighter tippets and helps increase hookups. The 10’8″ #4 is a good daily driver, especially if you fish smaller water or fish in situations that don’t require longer casts in windy conditions (sound familiar?). The 12’4″ #6 and 12’9″ #7 are also excellent rods for both big trout and Steelhead, but smaller anglers will definitely feel the extra weight after fishing one for a full day.

Thats our core group of rods, but always have some others bouncing around the shop and commonly bring in more models when our staff gets a chance to try and evaluate other rods on the market. If you’re interested in any other models ask one of us and we will likely have tried it.

LINES

Lines are the whole deal, right? At least that’s what I tell folks at our spey clinics. And it true. A couple of years ago there were very few lines available for smaller trout spey outfits. None of you defined them as “good” lines. Suddenly, we have choices. And it’s changing the way people fish for trout during late fall and winter. Thanks to the advancement of lines designed specifically for lighter trout spey applications, more and more anglers are out there swinging on their feet.

Remember, we have all of these lines in demo, and encourage you to try before you buy! Once upon a time I though when we finally got the lines we needed in the lighter weights the “grain window” would tighten up and we see less variation in line recommendations and preferences. Not true. I’m continually amazed at the wide grain window I see people choose for each rod in our shop. So take a few heads out for the day and see which you prefer.

Olympic Peninsula Skagit Tactics (OPST) really got the game going with their Pure Skagit Commando Head ($55), designed for shorter single and two-handed rods. These lines changed the game in our shop. We finally had the right lines to match up to our UL two-handers and single handed rods. The Commando is our most popular selling Spey line, and brings incredible versatility to the swing game. Customers and staff use these on two-handed rods from #2 weight on up, and we sell plenty to anglers who use them on single hand rods both while wading and from the boat. They have a nice smooth taper that throw fast tight loops and behave like a quicker Scandi line when downsized with a floating tip.

The new Scientific Anglers Spey Lite series brings us the first Scandi line created specifically for UL spey applications. Something we’ve been waiting for, and are excited to finally add to the arsenal. Near surface presentations are ofter better than deep presentation on the Missouri (like now as I write this!), and the Spey Lite Scandi throws a long way with power. Swinging soft hackles is an increasingly popular tactic, and this is the best line for that purpose without a doubt. The Spey Lite Scandi is an integrate line (1 piece) with a visual, audio and tactile transition zone that is easily to hear and feel in low light conditions. You can add a “poly-leader” as well to achieve a little depth. SA also has a Spey Lite Skagit head that is available in both an integrated and shooting head configuration. Like the Scandi version, it’s an excellent caster that throws tight loops, but with more power to turn over bigger flies and tips. I’ve been using the Shooting head model with mono running line, but have come to like the textured transition of the integrated Scandi model so much that I may switch to the integrated Skagit. It would also be nice to lose that loop-to-loop connection when retrieving a fly or landing landing a trout. The only downside of an integrated line is price ($89 vs $49 for a head) and the fact that you really need to dedicate a reel to that line.

The Airflo Skagit Scout is another very popular line in the shop. The Scout seems to be more popular with those seeking to perfect that effortless sustained anchor casting stroke. I also notice the anglers who like this line are the ones who like things overweighted a bit. The Scout throws big flies and heavy tips with ease, and is one of the better choices if you’re the type who always has 12′ of T8 and a Sex Dungeon on your rod. If you do a lot of winter Steelhead fishing you will quickly identify with the feel of this line. Very popular with the ECHO TR #4 and a favorite of local outlaw fly tier “7weight”. Normal price of $59.

RIO’s Skagit Trout Max was designed to match up with the Sage ONE Trout Spey rod series, and it’s an excellent match on those rods as well as the rest. The Trout Max series are all 11′, and are the shortest heads we’re aware of. Depending on grain weight, this can be 1-5 feet shorter than competitors heads. This creates a very powerful and compact system that can turn over larger flies than you would expect in relation to the line weight. The short head is also a blessing for those that retrieve the fly (instead of a static swing), giving you a few more feet to work that bug back before that shooting line/head connection jams in your tip-top. Watch some of videos of Mike McCune and you can see how easily this line casts in the hands of a pro. The Skagit Trout Max is $50.

SHOOTING LINES

We carry shooting or running lines from OPST (mono), Scientific Anglers (coated), Airflo (coated) and RIO (coated). If there is any are where even novice spey anglers quickly form an opinion, this is it. In general, the same guy who likes a Scandi line, also likes a coated running line (and probably integrated as well), which is good, because that’s all a pretty good match. And conversely, the guy who likes a slow, sustained anchor Skagit cast probably likes his shooting line to be mono. Again, this is good and all pairs real well.

For coated lines we have several, but the Scientific Anglers textured shooting line (.032″) is probably the most popular. It’s small enough to shoot well with lighter heads (though nothing like mono), and the texture that helps shoot ability also helps with grip and line management. The RIO ConnectCore Shooting line is also popular, but I think the fact that it comes in 4 sizes just confuses people. It’s good stuff, shoots really well and comes in a size smaller (.026″) than the SA. Some folks consider it a bit “tangley”. Both of these excellent shooting lines are $59, so significantly more expensive than mono.

OPST Lazar Line is our primary monofilament shooting line, and it comes in several sizes and colors. We also have some general purpose bulk mono at our reel winding station that you can get spooled up with. Both work fine but the OPST seems to last a little longer and is available in more and larger sizes. All mono stays kink free much longer when used with a swivel in-between the mono and the head (ask at the shop if you don’t know about this). And remember, mono is cheap, but it’s also disposable. It’s not going to last forever.

TIPS

We have an incredible selection of Skagit tips and “poly” leaders in the shop, and I cannot claim to have tried every one of them. The iMOW series from RIO ($25) is certainly the most popular, and we really like the “black/white” color combo that makes it easy to identify each tip without have to search for microscopic printing. As the industry “standard”, I suppose we compare everything to them, which is a testament to great design from McCune, O’Donnell and Ward (MOW).

Speaking of microscopic printing, Scientific Anglers has the market cornered with their line markings. I can actually read them without readers on every one I’ve ever picked up. Bravo. In terms of fishability, I really like the TC Skagit Tips ($25) and use them often. The “light” 80 grain series that we use on our troutspey outfits is also 8′ instead of the usual 10′. I like that. It gets down all I need (and not too much) and I don’t miss that extra two feet while casting. These are dual density tips (S1/S2, S2/S4 etc.) so it is a different system than the T8 material that RIO uses. We do not like the bright optic green/white floating tip. Too bright for smart trout near the surface.

OPST makes Commando Tips ($15-$24) to match their Commando Heads. They come in 5′, 7.5′ and 12′ lengths in 3 different grain weights and 3 different sink rates called “riffle” (slow), “run” (medium), and “pool” (fast). It’s a little bit confusing, and I’ve always thought these tips fished a tiny bit deeper than the rest. The tree lengths do allow you to pick a tip that does exactly what you need it to do, however. I think the little 5′ tips will find a home in many head wallets. I would probably pick the 12′ “pool” as the deepest fishing tip if I had a need to get really deep. Like where Walleye live.

SINKING LEADERS (aka POLY-LEADERS)

Used on Scandi lines and heads, single handed lines and occasionally on very light Skagit heads, sinking leaders are an effective and economical way to add some depth to your system. RIO make the VersiLeader ($15) which comes in a wide variety of sizes and sink rates, is our most popular sinking leader. I always have a few on me, usually in intermediate and 3ips sink rates. The only knock on VersiLeaders is that that are a bit fragile. Stretch them to hard or rake then over the rocks a few times and they begin to fall apart. But at $15 its not a big deal. You’ll likely get a season out of them.

Scientific Anglers recently introduced Sonnar leaders ($15), which are more durable, stiffer (which may or may not be good), and have a coating that extends to the tip (VersiLeaders have a short piece of mono at the end). You can easily throw a perfection loop in the coated tip. They seem to have a stronger core and I have not been able to produce any coiling by overstitching them. They have also proven to be very durable and are a different execution of the sinking leader. I really like them and have been using them exclusively on my Spey Lite Scandi setup. So far so good, check ’em out…

REELS

In past years we discussed reels specifically for two-handed rods as we were often using larger 8-10 weight reels for our 6-8 weight rods (the oversize is to accommodate the extra heavy spey lines). We still carry and recommend larger reels for Steelhead rods like the Orvis Battenkill Spey, Hatch 7plus and 9plus, and Galvan Grip. But as we’ve downsized into UL Spey rods we find ourselves using typical trout reels in the 6 and 7 weight range. We do recommend larger arbor reels for those using mono shooting lines, but other than that just use what you want.

THE LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY TO TRY THIS

If you’re interested in giving this a try, but are not interested in shelling out for a whole new outfit, here’s the best way to try it on the cheap. Is all you need is an understanding of how to execute a spey cast or two.

First, grab 5 or 6 weight fly rod from your quiver. Doesn’t have to be fancy, fast action or pretty. Any old crapper will do. Longer is good, and so is slow action. Second, grab a fly reel to match your rod (5 for a 5, etc.) and strip the line and backing off of it. Now, head down to your local Big Box store and buy a 100 yard spool of 20 or 25 lb. monofilament and spool it up on the reel. Stiff stuff is good, like the stuff that says “catfish” or “big game” on it. Tie a big Surgeons loop in the end of the mono.

Now, you need to get out your wallet. Find a shop that sells Trout Spey gear and pick up a Skagit head. Its going to cost you around $50. Any of the above Skagit lines will work, but get a Skagit head (not a switch line, nothing integrated, and not Scandi heads) and make sure its short… 11′ – 16′. This Skagit head/mono combo is going to be the easiest to learn with, and show you best what can be done with zero room behind you and a spey cast. You’ll want something around 330 grains for your 6 weight. 250 for your 5. Look in the sale bin, you can fudge it heavier, but don’t go lighter. You’ll also need a Skagit tip, and I’d recommend a RIO iMOW tip in the 7.5 intermediate / 2.5 sink configuration ($25). You also might find the older MOW tips (not iMOW) in the sale bin. If so, get that one. Put 5 feet of 0X on the end and your favorite streamer. Go fishing.

So, for about $75 bucks you can get yourself setup and see what you think. This will be an effective outfit. If you really get into it, you’ll probably want to get a dedicated spey rod, but you won’t need to. You’ll likely be surprised where and how effectively you can fish, or maybe you’ll hate it and never try it again.

You can also attend one of our free trout spey clinics this winter. The next clinics are on December 2 or 3. Call the shop to sign up at 406-235-3447.

 

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Swing Season 2017-18 is Here!

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’ve been swinging with our two-handers for a few weeks now, and we know a few of you have as well. In our brains, the 1st of November is the beginning of “Swing Season”, but as the weeds disappear from the Missouri River and the Brown Trout start to move, we can’t resist. Some of us have even been exploring further form home, using our Trout Spey rods to fish places we’re familiar with but haven’t approached down and across before.

Despite anemic runs of Steelhead, we’ve heard a few decent reports from the Clearwater/Snake/Ronde systems. If you’re headed that way in the next few weeks we wish you luck. Unfortunately, the State of Idaho decided to open a limited “kill” season for the handful of Steelhead that returned to the upper Columbia tributaries. That won’t help your success, but it may do further harm to a fragile resource. If you do catch a Steelhead, take care to land him quickly (not on the beach) and release him gently. Steelhead have enough problems already.

CURRENT SWINGING CONDITIONS – MISSOURI RIVER

Right now things are pretty good for the swing. Water temps are right, and the drifting weeds have decreased to the point that you won’t be pulling your hair out. Both floating and sinking lines will work this time of year, and if you ever wanted to try and skate up a trout on an October Caddis, now’s the time. For streamers, we recommend sticking with our typically small and flashy Clouser’s, Kreelex’s, Skiddish Smolts and the like. Small Buggers like the Thin Mint are also a good call. If you need your fly to be bigger, stick to a heavy sink tip and bury that sucker between the Dam and Craig.

Most freestones in the region should be in play as well. Warm weather this week will keep the water temps on the Madison, Jefferson, Yellowstone, etc. in the right zone. Where you can target Bull Trout you may have some interesting options as well.

SPEY CLINICS

We will continue to offer our free Spey Clinics again this year. Like last season, we will be offering 1 day clinics on two separate weekends. The first clinics will be on December 2nd and 3rd. The second session will be February 10th and 11th. Sign up at the shop or call 406-235-3447. Space is limited to 12 students per session. We always have waiting lists for these clinics, so don’t sign up because you’re bored. Our free clinics are designed for those new to spey casting, so please don’t suck up a spot if you’ve attended in past years. We will likely be holding a few advanced clinics for more experienced casters, so keep your eyes peeled.

Clinic Details:

  • 9am to 3pm or later.
  • Pastries, Coffee and Juice provided.
  • 1.5 hour presentation and Q&A session. Remainder of the day is on-water.
  • Rods provided, but bring your own if you have one!
  • Demo lines available to use with your rod.
  • FREE!

TROUTSPEY

Last season, we began to make the shift from light Steelhead gear to Troutspey gear, and we will pretty much complete that transition this season. While we will still carry a small assortment of “steelhead” rods (and a bigger assortment of lines), we will focus on Montana waters and the ultralight gear designed for them. The majority of the demo gear in the shop (and at our clinics) will be Troutspey rods and reels designed for <350 grains.

We will also be adding a few more rod models in the shop this season, including rods from Gary Anderson Custom Rods (ACR) built in Rogue River, OR. Some have already arrived and more models are on the way.

Swing by the shop if you have any questions about spey rods, spey reels, spey lines, sink tips, leaders, shooting lines, or anything else. Our staff will be happy to help you get setup for the season.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

ECHO TR2 SPEY and TROUTSPEY

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The ECHO TR (Tim Rajeff) has consistently been one of our most popular Spey rods over the last several seasons. It’s combination of price and performance is unbeatable, as it’s ability to throw a variety of lines and casts. ECHO has reworked the TR series for 2017 (now TR2), and so far we love what we’ve cast. A slight rise in price brings a very nice cosmetic upgrade, and two new Troutspey models that we’ve desperately been in search of.

We were told that existing models would remain the same other than paint, which is a nice glassy army green instead of the stealthy – but ugly – matt finish of the previous seasons. Subtle orange trim was added, with nice utilitarian components and cork. I personally prefer my spey rods to look understated – and these do – instead of the 8th grade wood shop lathe experiment that many two-handers seem to display. Nice job ECHO!

Last year the lightest models in the TR lineup were a 12′ #4 and 12′ #5. The 12′ #4 was a strong rod, perfect for the Missouri, but it was a touch too long for a 4 weight, and really fished at the 4 1/2 – 5 weight range. An excellent tool, but you never felt like you were swinging an “ultralight” rod. The #5 was an excellent caster, but sits at that weird zone in between a big trout rod and small stream Steelhead rod. ECHO killed the #5 for 2017, and I suspect that was due to lack of sales.

The two new Troutspey models consist of an 11′ #3 and a 11’3″ #4. Both are sweet rods. True spey actions instead of compromising switch actions (which we disdain) and have that UL feeling in the hand, which is the idea. We’re finding the 11’3″ #4 is pretty much the perfect rod for the Missouri, slinging Skagit heads in a wide window up to 360 grains, which will turn over most tips and flies we’d find ourselves using on the Missouri. The new Ariflo Scout is a great matchup. This setup got rave reviews from the customers at both of last weekends spey clinics.

If you’re looking for a floating setup, we like the Scientific Anglers Adapt 320. This line is referred to as a “switch” line, but we don’t use that word around here. The 22′ head with integrated running line will fit faster Scandi strokes perfectly. This line is not often talked about, but it currently the best “troutscandi” we have found. We just wish it was rigged as a shooting head.

The 11′ #3 is perfectly capable of handling the Missouri, but you’re going to find yourself a little short – or working too hard to stretch it out – on the bigger runs around Craig. We’ve spent some time with this rod on medium and small sized freestones (think late season on the Big Hole) and it’s our favorite rod for those situations. Frankly, it’s the funner to cast of the two, with a lively and light action. Just lacks a little power that you might want on a windy day at Wolf Creek Bridge.

Like the 4 weight, the grain window is pretty wide on this model, and sustained anchor casters will be happily overloaded while faster strokes can lighten it up and retain plenty of speed. I’m not a fan of mono shooting lines, but on the really small stuff (2 and 3 weights) I’d probably recommend it. We’re pretty happy with 40lb OPST Laser Line, and while a bit larger in diameter than some would recommend, we don’t feel that we’re sacrificing anything, and we get better line-grip while retrieving streamers for trout.

I’ve tested a lot of line weights on these models, and while I have my personal favorites, I have not found a line that I couldn’t get out to the fish. Something I can’t say about all rods.

Like the 4 weight, most guests at our clinic exclaimed “wow” after spending a half hour with the 3 weight. In general, we do think these lightweight troutspey’s fish best with Skagit heads (which is how they were rigged for the clinic) and retain more versatility that way, at least with the current limited crop of lines available for UL Spey rods.

If you’re debating a purchase, we recommend swinging by the shop and picking up 3 or 4 heads and taking a day to test them out, preferably from both sides of the river. Most quickly find the grain weight they like. Popular heads on these rods are the aforementioned Airflo Skagit Scout and the OPST Commando.

I mentioned the 12′ #5 was killed (RIP), so moving up the line we find the previously built 12’6″ #6, 13′ #7 and 13’6″ #8, all standard lengths for those weights. We are carrying (demo rods as well) the 12’6″ #6, which has long been a favorite rod of our on both the Missouri for trout, and on upper Columbia tributaries for Steelhead with floating lines. This rod works fine with a Skagit head and sink-tip, but if I were on a week long winter Steelhead trip – and was expecting rain and high flows – I’d definitely recommend the #7 or #8 for serious lobbing and dredging. We don’t currently inventory these rods, but can have them here quickly for you to try/buy if you’re interested.

Quickly, the two troutspey models have become favorites around the shop, both with customers and our staff. They are an unbeatable deal and could be called the best spey rod for the money. But we consider them to be much better rods than the price suggests. Those new to the sport will be attracted by the price, yet you won’t outgrow these rods, and you’ll never feel like you don’t have enough rod as long as you’re using the right model for the situation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][us_grid post_type=”ids” no_items_message=”” columns=”4″ items_layout=”shop_trendy” items_gap=”” ids=”20963″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][us_grid post_type=”ids” no_items_message=”” columns=”4″ items_layout=”shop_trendy” items_gap=”” ids=”14608″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Troutspey Clinic

Next Troutspey Clinic – Jan. 28 & 29

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our next Troutspey Clinics will be held Jan. 28th and 29th. You can expect the emphasis to be on trout and Skagit techniques with lightweight rods. Over the years our clinics have slowly morphed from a Scandi influenced general casting clinic, to an ultra-light trout rod, Skagit style of casting. I think we’ve finally arrived at gear specific to trout, and a focus on that as the intended target for most of our attendees.

Of course we will still have heavier rods present as well as all of the lines to go with them. Especially important to those who want to try a variety of lines and maybe get a few pointers on Skagit vs Scandi technique. Or even try a mid-belly line if you want that challenge.

There will be one class each day, and as usual they will fill up fast. Again, we are limiting our classes to 12 students this season. You’ll get excellent instruction and a great student to teacher ratio, but you can’t wait until the last minute. Call the shop to sign up.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Shooting Line can be a Drag – More from Mike McCune

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/193638623″][vc_column_text]More from the Godfather, Mike McCune. One of the most common questions I get at our spey clinics is “how do I manage and handle my running line while spey casting?”. I try to avoid answering this. It’s a personal thing, and there are many opinions and methods for accomplishing this task. Hold line with two-hands or one? Bottom hand or top? Or my mouth? big loops or small? And on and on and on…

In this short video, Mike gives you a basic method for short line management and one for longer amounts of line. If you constantly battle shooting line drag, watch this. I also like this variation from Deneki.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Mike McCune – Perry Poke Video

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/193603477″][vc_column_text]If you haven’t had a chance to attend one of our clinics with Mike McCune – and wife Whitney Gould – this will give you an idea what it’s like to spend the day with him on the water. For those who don’t know, Mike is a longtime AK/WA/OR/CA Steelhead, Salmon and Trout guide. and one of the Godfathers of Skagit Casting and line design. We’re fortunate to have mike spend a little time with us each spring. Some of our staff go spend a little time with him each fall on the Grande Ronde as Dewey and Braden did last month.

Mike and I like to shoot these short videos while out on the river. No plan really, just pull the boat over, turn on the camera and let Mike share some knowledge from years of fishing and guiding. We usually pick a topic that we falls under “frequently asked questions”. He’s an excellent communicator and his visually descriptive terminology will help you become a better caster. I like to keep the camera close so you can watch his hands and feel the rhythm. Most viewers would prefer to watch a wide angle speycast shot from a distance, fluorescent line booming a hundred fifty feet over the water. But you’ll learn more by watching what happens inside the circle.

Here, Mike shows us how to perform the Perry Poke. To be specific, a downstream shoulder, right-handed, river left Perry Poke. Mike also shares some thoughts on ultra-short Skagit Trout heads, anchor point importance and more. When I go fishing with Mike here on the Missouri, this is the cast I see him performing most often. It’s a simple and effective cast. As Mike says, “it’s a good fishing cast”. Agreed.

If you’re interested in improving your spey casting skill set, watch it at least once. After that, turn off the volume and just watch Mike’s hands over and over again.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2016-17 Spey Lineup – Rods and Reels

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The season is in full “swing” for the folks who enjoy swinging trout up on a two-hander. Most folks are done chasing Steelhead in the upper Columbia drainages, and big game season has just ended. The balmy autumn has plenty of folks out on the river and they are enjoying some incredible fishing. It should be “winter” fishing, but it ain’t. And that’s how it always is now.

This weekend we begin our annual free spey clinics, which involve lots of learning, fine-tuning and equipment testing. The team at Headhunters has spent the last two months playing with all the new gear for the 2016-17 swing season. Here’s our favorite stuff beginning with rods. Keep in mind that we are largely recommending accessible and affordable gear for new spey anglers, or possibly more experienced ones who aren’t sure they want to use a spey rod for trout. We also believe that while there are many great rods out there – and a few dogs – regardless of price these models hold there own.

DEMO IT BRO!

Remember that we have all of this gear and more for demo at the shop, including lines. We sell very few rods without customer having first tried them out with a variety of lines. Why would you not! Please stop by and let us show you the different options available.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

RODS

We’ve really made a move from the 6 and 7 weight trout/steelhead combo rods that we’ve used in past years, to full blown ultra-light “troutspey” sticks. At least when we’re fishing for trout. The newest arrival is the ECHO TR Trout, which has very quickly become the staff and customer favorite. The Trout models are additions to the revamped TR Series that has been tremendously popular over the years. Two models – an 11′ #3 and 11’3″ #4 – pretty much cover everything you’ll need for trout in the Rockies. The action is perfect and adapts to a wide variety of lines and casts. The grain window is large, allowing you to fine tune the rod to your casting style. It throws Skagit and Scandi lines equally well, and as we use both here on the Missouri that is a very important attribute. So far we’ve thrown OPST Cammondo heads, Airflo Scout heads, Scientific Angler Adapt lines, and Airflo and RIO Scandi Compacts, and liked them all. Tim Rajeff decided on the 11′-11″3″ range as the sweet spot, and we agree. The new army green gloss finish with orange trim is sweet. We love the skinny grip which keeps that “trout rod” feeling in your hand and makes it easier to use the rod tip to give action to the fly. It will also be more comfortable for women and younger anglers. Best of all the price – $375 – is unbeatable and we feel these rods compete with any rod at any price. Not saying they’re necessarily better, but I would take this series anywhere in the world (and have!). Kudos to ECHO for bringing us a fantastic Troutspey rod at an inclusive price. We’re also continuing to carry the 12’6″ #6 and 13′ #7 models for Summer and winter Steelhead. We also love the 12’6″ #6 on the Missouri for big runs and long casts with a Scandi head. If you’re looking for an affordable first rod the you won’t outgrow, this is it.

The Sage ONE Trout Spey remains in our lineup, and is another popular – but much more expensive – troutspey rod. With a very specific action built around the matching Skagit Trout head, the Sage ONE Trout Spey is a rod thats a little more dialed-in for it’s intended purpose. The 10′ 9″ #2 is designed for swinging small soft hackles on light tippets. The 11′ #3 will easily push streamers up to a weighted #4, and is designed to fish heavier tips. Both have a specifically designed Skagit action. When we grab these we know where we are going and what we are throwing. If sustained anchor Skagit casting for trout (or other resident species) is your thing, these rods may be for you. Beautiful finish and hardware, and loads of Sage technology inside. While we wouldn’t necessarily say the action is better than some of our other favorites, it definitely is unique among troutspey rods. If it fits your style you’ll love it. At $950 you will need to. We highly recommend the RIO Skagit Trout that designer Mike McCune created for these rods. If not, the OPST Commando is another recommendation.

Orvis doesn’t drop down to the true Trout Spey sizes at #2-4, but their Clearwater Spey Rods are very popular with our staff and customers for summer and winter Steelhead, and the 12′ #5 and 12’6″ #6 are fantastic dual purpose heavy trout and light Steelhead rods. They posesses an all-purpose action similar to the Echo TR, but we think it leans a little more to the right – the Skagit side of things, that is. When ECHO revamped the TR line this year, they eliminated the 12′ #5, which leaves the Clearwater as our only 5 weight spey. This is an excellent rod and an overlooked line weight. I would have no problem throwing this for light summer Steelhead on the Grande Ronde or smaller coastal rivers. And if you really want to dredge the Missouri or Yellowstone with heavy tips and larger Galloup-esque streamers, this might be the perfect tool. The 12′ 6′ #6 is a great Summer Steelhead rod and works for trout when needed, and the 13′ #7 is a rod we commonly sell to those headed to the Olympic Peninsula for winter fishing.

Sage has too many offerings in the spey rod category, and we’ve chosen to stick with the Sage METHOD for an advanced do everything Steelhead rod. We loved it’s predecessor the TCX, and while the METHOD is not quite as powerful, it’s a lot easier on your shoulders. These are fast action rods that throw Scandi heads like a laser and you can overload with a heavy Skagit head to fish long tips and massive intruders.

The ECHO Glass Switch and Spey series have always been a staff favorite, and most customers appreciate these easy casters. The price is pretty sweet too at $279-299. I’ve owned quite a few 7 weight two-handers but right now the Echo 12′ 9″ #7 glass is the only one in my quiver. While some folks view it as a novelty, I would have no problem bringing this to BC as a dedicated sink tip rod. If you’re looking for a spey rod for the Missouri – but you might make a trip to the Ronde – the 12′ 4″ #6 is an ideal choice. The lighter 3 and 4 weight switch rods are a blast for trout and the soft tip sticks light biting fish. You really can’t go wrong at this price. They’re cool retro paint job and surprising performance will keep them in your quiver for years. They are a touch heavier than graphite rods, and while bigger, stronger casters won’t really notice, smaller folks and women tend to not like these rods.[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”20855″ align=”center”][vc_column_text]

REELS

Many of our customers are new to two-handed fishing, and as you can see from our rod selection we like to keep things real – and affordable – for anglers who want to ease into the game. And we don’t feel you need to buy a rod for $1000 when there are plenty of less expensive rods that perform equally well. The same goes for reels, though we find that many of our customers like to spend a little more on a reel than a rod. Probably due to the fact that a good reel should last you for the rest of your life, and possibly a good portion of someone else’s. You’re also likely to move that reel between rods. We don’t care either way. We want the sport to be approachable to every person that walks in our shop, and an inexpensive reel can help that happen.

The Hatch Outdoors Finatic is my personal favorite for two-handed outfits, whether it’s for Cutthroat on the Blackfoot or Dean River Steelhead. Some folks find them a little heavy for their dainty dry fly outfit, and they are. But that tiny bit of extra weight balances perfectly on spey rods. We love the fact that they come in both mid and large arbor versions, and we use the mid-arbor versions exclusively for all spey rods. We are constantly changing lines and that extra depth accommodates more systems in more sizes. There is something about the Hatch drag that I prefer for swinging the fly. It behaves perfectly on both light takes from cold winter trout and shitty hatchery Steelhead, and on blistering smashes from wild BC hens and early fall Browns on the Mo’. The mid-arbor 5plus ($500) pretty much covers everything in the “troutspey” universe, and the mid-arbor 7plus ($600) handles all of my Steelhead rigs except for big long-belly rods like a 14′ #9. They are not cheap, but they aren’t ridiculous either. They are bulletproof and can transfer to the Salt. Like I said, it’s all I use.

But not everyone wants or needs to spend half-a-grand on a reel, and Orvis has a couple of different offerings that we really, really like. For the last few years, we’ve sold a bunch of the Orvis Battenkill Spey, big click drag reels reminiscent of older Hardy designs in size IV and V. These are excellent matchups for the #6 and #7 Clearwater rods, and they ooze old school on the ECHO Glass #6 and #7. The Battenkill V is a great choice for long belly 8 and 9 weight rods, and will hold a tremendous amount of line. The good news is that the aesthetics, clickity noise, and price are excellent at $139-149. The bad news is that the jump down to the Battenkill III is a quantum leap in size. It’s too small for even the lightest troutspey rods. Fortunately…

This fall Orvis released the new Battenkill Disc Reels (we will get them in the online store soon), featuring a drag similar to the popular Hydros series, but with the old-timey design of the Battenkill spey. Really blocky and smooth. The drag is smooth as well, and the transition into the smaller sizes is much more uniform. And with a standard/mid arbor design you can fit a wide variety of lines on them. These reels will be an excellent choices for a budget/performance spey rods at $159-189. I believe these may end up being our most popular troutspey reels.

And a third reel from Orvis we recommend for spey is the recently introduced Orvis Hydros SL large and wide arbor reel. This reel was expected to make a big splash this season with it’s tremendous drag, tough as nails build, huge retrieval rate and great price at $198-239. Two things have hindered sales in the trout world. First, it’s what I would call a too-large-arbor reel. It’s just too big and I’m talking from an aesthetic standpoint. It kinda looks like a trailer winch on your 4 weight. It’s also a very heavy reel. Too heavy for it’s recommended line size. WAIT… Guess which two reel attributes most two-handed anglers appreciate in a reel? They like them heavy, to balance out long rods, and they like a quick retrieval rate for fighting a fish with a long line, and finishing up at the end of a run. The super large arbor also prevents your shooting line from coiling as badly as a smaller arbor. The drag is a little heavy for some, though it’s highly regarded in the Saltwater. This of course won’t matter for spey unless you are swinging tiny soft hackles on 4x. I think this may be one of the better spey reels on the market for both trout and Salmon/Steelhead swingers. and at a little over $200 is represents a fantastic value for performance.

Our easiest-on-the-wallet spey reel is the ECHO Ion, which we’ve sold for years. These reels are ugly. These reels have a weird compressed o-ring system for securing the spool. These reels are heavy. The paint chips off these reels in a hurry. WAIT… these reels are tough. These reels have never failed that I’ve heard of. These reels are $79-99. Yes, they are that inexpensive, and yes they will not let you down. Probably our most popular spey reel for beginners and for good reason.

And if you want to go the other way and spend more on a reel than I have on several vehicles, you can opt for an Abel Super Series reel. Solid, heavy reels with cork drags, Abels are considered heirloom reels. While there is no one attribute I find in them that makes them particularly great spey reels, the paint job on this one reminds me of BC, which reminds me of some of my greatest Steelhead days ever…

OTHER REELS

Of course there are many other fine reels out there. If your looking to line up a troutspey rod in the 2-5 weight range, you probably have a reel lying around, or you can stick to other brands like Galvan or Nautilus, both of which might be a little on the light side for optimum balance with a spey rod. If you are building a rig for Steelhead we highly recommend the above reels, or going with a heavier Saltwater reel, though they can be overkill and expensive.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2016-17 Spey Clinics

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MONTANA TROUTSPEY

The Swing Season is upon us, and we are starting to line up our free Spey Clinics for the 2016-17 season. Folks are asking about it and many have already swung a fish or three this season. Our clinics and methodology continue to evolve, as spey fishing for trout – not Steelhead – has become the primary focus. Lighter and shorter rods, ultra compact heads, and a new generation of flies are where the typical Montana angler is headed.

We still have plenty to say about Steelhead and the equipment and techniques we use to catch them, however. And in our class you’ll likely be starting out with a 12’6″ 6 weight outfit, one we consider ideal for summer run Steelhead. But the trout gear is there as well, and we’re finding most of the questions we receive revolve around fishing in Montana.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”2016-17 Class Schedule

DECEMBER 3 and 4
JANUARY 28 and 29
FEBRUARY TDB

-all classes limited to 12 students-
” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Raleway%3A100%2C200%2C300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700%2C800%2C900|font_style:600%20bold%20regular%3A600%3Anormal” css=”%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22border-top-width%22%3A%222px%22%2C%22border-right-width%22%3A%222px%22%2C%22border-bottom-width%22%3A%222px%22%2C%22border-left-width%22%3A%222px%22%2C%22padding-top%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-right%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-bottom%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22padding-left%22%3A%2210px%22%2C%22border-style%22%3A%22solid%22%7D%7D”][vc_column_text]We have always held a class a month throughout the winter starting the first weekend of December. This year will be no different, but we will be offering two classes on that weekend. You can sign up for either the Saturday or Sunday session. The format will remain mostly the same, though I always try and keep it up to speed with new changes in gear and technique.

We will meet at the Craig house behind Headhunters at 9:00am for a visual presentation designed for those who are new to spey casting. I’ve found that even experienced two-handed anglers gain at least 1 new thing from the presentation. This is the best time for Q&A if you have some. Coffee, juice and pastries provided. We will then move down to the river for our hands on casting with our very experienced spey casting team of Ben McNinch, Sara Roholt, Curt Reynolds, Dwayne Sutphin, Mark Raisler and myself. With a limit of 12 at each class you’ll definitely get plenty of hands-on instruction.

GEAR

Bring your own gear, especially if you don’t like it. Likely it was lined up wrong at that big box store. We can fix it up and make proper line recommendations.

If you don’t own gear that’s no problem as we have more than enough for the entire class. Our gear is also split between Skagit and Scandi rigs, so you can try either. And if you don’t know the difference no problem. Thats what the clinic is about.

Later in the afternoon you can try a wide variety of demo rods from ultra-light 2 weights up to typical winter Steelhead rods. You can also try a new or different line on your own rod, as we will have a large assortment of lines form OPST, Airflow, Scientific Anglers and RIO.

SIGN UP SOON

If you’re interested we recommend you sign up as soon as possible. Our clinics always have a waiting list, and we are reducing the class size somewhat this year so space will definitely be limited. Call the shop at 1-877-379-3597 or 406-235-3447 to sign up. You can also correspond via email.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][us_image image=”20176″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Troutspey Techniques

Mike McCune – Troutspey Retrieve Methods

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Mike McCune does an excellent job of covering the primary methods we use to add action to the fly when swinging for trout with our two-handers. You also get to watch some excellent, relaxed, compact, troutspey casting. Watch enough and you might get pretty good.

This may be one of the most oft asked questions we get at the shop. “We understand the cast, but how do we fish the fly?” As Mike says in the video, imparting some action to your fly usually makes a big difference when fishing for trout. If you try to use a dead “Steelhead Swing”, more often than not you’ll have fewer fish come to the fly.

The first “jigging” motion is the main retrieve the Headhunters crew uses on the Missouri River. You can do this with your running line under your rod index finger, or do it independently like Mike. When using mono running line you will want to make a half wrap around your fingers so it doesn’t slip when a fish takes.

We also use his upstream “Madison” retrieve is certain situations, but as Mike states, we use them all and they all work.

Watch the video below.[/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/146467809″][vc_column_text]Here endeth the lesson.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Womens Spey Clinic

Women’s Spey Clinic

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Headhunters manager Sara Roholt and guide Beth Hood held our first women’s spey clinic this weekend. As expected from these two, the clinic was a success and all who attended learned a thing or two about spey casting, rigging and equipment from these 2 spey-junkies.

Sara and Beth are on the water all winter throwing their spey rods, so this isn’t a social experience. These gals know what they’re talking about.

Former Headhunters staffer and Bozeman photographer Jess McGlothlin was also in attendance, and provided these great photos. click to enlarge[/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][us_image image=”15200″ onclick=”lightbox”][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][vc_column_text]

ON WATER

Saturday was on the cool side, and excessively windy. The girls chosen spot (at Ben McNinch and Nick Stipech’s pad) proved to be the least windy spot on the river. An excellent choice.

Sara and Beth followed our standard clinic protocol, starting with an hour-plus of classroom explaining the gear and terminology, followed by on water casting instruction. Sara ran the in-classroom session, as her knowledge of equipment proved invaluable. Beth headed up the on-water casting portion, and worked on fundamentals starting with the final launch stroke.

Sara thought that most attendees were interested in applying spey techniques to local trout fishing in Montana, as opposed to future Steelhead trips. We think that’s great. Get out there and swing up some Montana natives!

“It’s exciting to watch a group of women of varying skill levels come together to learn something new! Sara and Beth were excellent teachers, and it’s hard to imagine a better setting for the new Montana Spey angler to put their new skills to use.” – Jess McGlothlin

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EQUIPMENT FEEDBACK

Because we receive a lot of feedback about gear at our clinics, we were looking forward to a women’s only perspective. Sara’s compiled feedback was that the group really enjoyed the Orvis Clearwater Spey (first) and the Sage Method (second). Not as popular were the Echo Glass Spey/Switch and new Redington Chromer. We’re receiving a bunch of Echo TR’s this week, and I would expect them to be as popular as the Orvis.

Very interesting. The Clearwater (med) and Method (fast) are two completely different rod actions, but two of our favorite. No surprises there. The Echo Glass Spey and Switch rods are shop and customer favorites, but we have always heard negative comments from the ladies. We attribute this to the extra weight of these fiberglass rods. Men seem not to notice, but women most definitely do. The new Redington Chromer has received “meh” reviews from our staff, and from this group apparently.[/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][us_grid columns=”2″ post_type=”attachment” items_quantity=”” images=”15204,15205″ orderby=”post__in” items_gap=”” items_layout=”gallery_default” img_size=”us_600_600_crop” overriding_link=”popup_post_image” breakpoint_1_cols=”2″ breakpoint_2_width=”768px” breakpoint_3_width=”480px” breakpoint_2_cols=”4″ breakpoint_3_cols=”2″][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][vc_column_text]

SKAGIT vs SCANDI

The group used both Skagit and Scandi lines, and Skagit prevailed as the easiest and most enjoyable. We all know that Skagit lines are a bit easier to throw. The ladies group would also agree more fun to throw. They definitely do more of the work for you, which is nice.

Sara, Beth and Headhunters also provided some warm soup, veggie trays, chardonnay and I heard there was some Bailey’s floating around. All appreciated from the sounds of it. It was a little windy and cool Saturday.

MORE CLINICS?

Will we hold more ladies Spey Clinics? Up to Sara and Beth, but I would expect that we will. If you’re interested I suggest harassing Sara at the shop.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Montana spey fishing

Two-Handed Report

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]above: Mark Raisler and Beth Hood readying the 2hand arsenal for a day on the Mo. FINALLY We’re finally getting the right conditions for both swing and boat streamer fishing to produce some fish. It’s been OK for the last month, but not great. Lots of little flies in skinny water. Slow retrieves. Not what most … Read more

Montana Guided Spey Trips

Guided Spey Trips

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Requests for guided two-handed Spey fishing trips on the Missouri River have been on the increase. We’ve actually done some the past few seasons, but have not formally made it an official part of our guided trip packages. Until now.

Beginning November 15th and running through March 15th, Headhunters will be offering Montana Troutspey Trips on the Missouri River. These trips are designed for both experienced and rookie two-handed casters, as our focus will be on catching fish.

(If you want to spend hours talking about shooting head theory and the merits of touch-and-go vs. sustained-anchor, we recommend that you attend our free Spey Casting clinics, a much better forum for discussion)

COST

Our winter Spey Trips will run you $400, and includes all equipment, and a light lunch. Expect trips to run about 6 hours. If you already have the proper gear (anything up to a #7), we recommend you bring that. We will be offering an unconditional refund for weather cancellations, so don’t worry about the “too cold” factor.

Our “regular” winter floats trips will also be $400, so don’t feel like you’re locked into Spey fishing.

If you want to know when the best time to come is, we typically experience our very best two-handed swinging during November, December and early January. And I mean very, very good fishing.

We do have lodging available as well in the winter.

ADVICE

A little advice here. I’m seeing quite a few anglers trying to turn this into a version of Steelhead fishing. They are throwing 8 weights with big sink tips and giant blue and purple intruders right out a winter Steelhead box.

This is not Steelhead Fishing, and we are not trying to make it that. If you want to catch some fish, listen to us and your guide. You need to impart some action to the fly. You should be mending downstream. You need to use flies that represent something trout eat. You need to fish the right water.

If you’re obsessed with Steelhead, go Steelheading (or check out Instagram, you can live it virtually there).

These trips are about learning how to use a two-handed rod to pursue trout, especially in the off season. Enjoy that.

Give us a call if you’re interested in booking a Troutspey trip this fall/winter.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Montana Trout Spey Fishing

Trout Spey Line Selection

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’ve been receiving lots of questions about “Troutspey” rods and lines lately. Folks are getting geared up for the fall. Streamers are on their mind, and many folks are choosing to swing them on foot, rather than from the boat.

We’ve already announced that we have several smaller spey rods designed for trout, including the new Sage ONE Troutspey (3110-4). We are also carrying two models from ECHO, the Glass Switch 4106 and the SR 4106. Both are 4 weights, but fish and feel similar to the Sage #3. (There is also a Sage #2, but that is designed more for smaller soft-hackles and such).

The “big news” isn’t really about the rods. In fact the ECHO’s have been around for a few years. The big change is the extremely short Skagit heads that go with them. RIO is producing an 11′ Skagit Trout Max for the ONE. We are also carrying the OPST (Olympic Penninsula Skagit Tactics) Commando heads, which come in at 12′-13’6″ in these smaller sizes. You can add to your choices traditional Skagit and Scandi heads from Airflow and RIO, Airflo’s new “Switch Streamer” and “Switch Float”, RIO’s Switch Chucker, and the Wulff Ambush. Plenty of choices. Too many.

And we haven’t even talked about running lines yet.

We are spending a great deal of time really getting these rods dialed in with the right lines, as well as discovering the pluses and minuses of the new short lines and different running lines on these ultra-light rods. I feel as though we are close to halfway through our testing.

I’ll start off with some recommendations we have come up with thus far. Please remember that most of our crew approaches spey casting from a mostly Scandi/traditional point of view. We make no claims of being Skagit experts.

SAGE ONE TROUTSPEY:

240 gr Scandi, OPST Commando 225 (12′), and RIO 250 gr SkagitTrout Max. (Still to come, Commandos in 200 gr and 250 gr, Ambush and Skagit Max Short)

This rod likes a 240 gr Scandi head (29′) a lot, but it might be a touch long for shorter anglers or when you’re right to the top of your waders. Dewey, Sara and I all thought it was perfectly balanced and threw with ease. Dewey and I are both 6’1″ (6’4″ with the flat brim trucker). For us there was no real problem with timing or speed. Sara (5’3″) on the other hand, had to work a little harder and lift her hands higher, especially when wading over her knees. This rod was designed with sustained anchor casts in mind, so it’s no surprise that you have to “overload the D” with such a short rod. But once you get it the lines sails. Probably the line for early season (Nov/Dec) floating presentations.

The 250 gr RIO Skagit Trout Max (11′) is designed specifically for this rod, and it works that way. At 11′ feet, you’re going to go through a learning curve, even if you’re an accomplished spey caster. So short that pre-launch moves are almost non-existent. Keep your hands low, and do not try to load up a D-loop. A continuous sustained anchor sweep and launch works wonders. Don’t stop! We are finding a 10′ MOW tip works much better than a poly-leader. I think the extra mass helps keep you on anchor, and gives all that energy somewhere to dissipate. We like the 5×5 iMOW the best for the Missouri.

The 225r OPST Commando (12′) is a little bit smoother and lighter, but probably requires a bit more skill. These are new to us and we’re still learning. OPST actually recommends a 175 gr head, which we have thrown but find hard to feel. An expert sustained anchor Skagit-head would probably fly it across the river. We do like the extra foot of length. Our comrades over at Red’s Fly Shop on the Yakima are recommending a 300 gr Commando, so it seems we are lacking a consensus on this one.

These lines are designed by Ed Ward and Jerry French (total Guru’s), so it’s hard for me to argue with their recommendations (175 gr). I think we just need some more time on the water with these.[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”14836″ onclick=”lightbox”][vc_column_text]

ECHO SR 4106:

RIO 225 gr Skagit Max Short (17′), OPST 225 Commando (12′) and Scandi 270

It’s important to me that we get this rod dialed in, as it comes in at a price more tolerable to most folks than the Sage ONE ($329 v. $950). This rod has been the trickiest to get properly lined up, but the “SR” stands for “switch rod”. This rod was designed as a switch, not a spey. It’s a little lighter in the tip, so you have to be careful about overlooking it.

It makes no sense on paper, but our favorite line thus far is the RIO Skagit Max Short 225 gr (17′). According to the charts, we should be 100 grains above that (or more), but the rod loves this head. Dewey and I spent a good deal of time throwing it with a 10′ 5×5 iMow tip attached, and it sailed with power, speed and a tight loop. Really more like a Scandi head. It had no problem turning over the tip and weighted fly.

A 270gr Scandi also sailed on this rod, but we ran into the same problems we did on the Sage ONE Troutspey. It will be a little long for some folks, depending on your height and casting stroke, and very close attention needs to be paid to your load and anchor point. The Skagit Max Short performed way better and almost as smooth.[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”14837″ onclick=”lightbox”][vc_column_text]

ECHO GLASS SWITCH 4106:

OPST Commando 225 gr, Scandi 270 gr

The same specs as the Echo SR – 10’6″ 4 weight – but a completely different animal. This fiberglass rod has a slow action with latent power perfect for Skagit lines. It also liked the 270 Scandi, but the above mentioned problems were probably magnified a little more.

This rod really likes the OPST Commando 225, and we also recommend using a MOW tip vs. a polyleader. We highly recommend all of the glass ECHO switch and spey rods. You can make a lot of little mistakes and still pull a rabbit out of your hat. Our only complaint is that physically smaller anglers notice the weight difference over graphite models. Dewey and I think it feels like any other two-hander, but Sara commented on the “extra-heavy feeling”. This has been true of most women+ECHO glass at our spey clinics. Still, they are among our favorite rods, especially for the price ($279-299).

RUNNING LINES:

We have always been fans of traditional plastic coated running lines (built like a fly line), but have been using mono shooting lines more and more, especially with these ultra-light Troutspey rods. These rods do not really give you any advantages when casting, nor are they easier. It’s more about the “fun-factor” and matching the appropriate sized gear to your quarry.

Our problem is that we fish on a very big river with big winds, and the fish tend to hold in the “middle”. We need maximum distance out of our gear. Using mono running lines gives us some distance advantage.

Our favorite is the OPST Lazar line, which is a newer and highly touted mono. While OPST claims several advantages over other mono running lines, I find that the small diameter and super slick coating are most noticeable.

We also use the RIO Slickshooter mono running lines, but are not big fans of the “Gripshooter lines. The grippy coating on the last 15′ of the running line pretty much negates any mono running line advantage. We find this especially true with these lighter heads. Also, the Gripshooter coating pulls of pretty easily, and it’s more expensive.

One huge disadvantage we are finding with mono lines has to do with weeds.We typically don’t do that much spey fishing this time of year, so floating weeds are not an issue. In the winter, the Missouri is crystal clear.

But with all of the line testing we’re doing right now, we’re out there during the weed “breakup”. The mono running lines are going to sink, and when they do they are going to grab some grass. We are discovering that even a couple inches of weeds (not much) can stop these lightweight heads dead in the air. So, for the time being we are back on the Airflo Ridge Running line (dropping in diameter from 30b to 20lb, and RIO’s Connect Core. We will switch over to mono later in the fall. If fall ever gets here.

ONGOING:

Consider this part one of what will be several to come, and most information here is not set in stone. If nothing else, maybe this information will help you sort out your own Troutspey rod and line setup. More to come soon.

SKAGIT POINTERS:

If you’re looking for a few Skagit pointers at Headhunters, seek out Ninch. He is the most accomplished Skagit caster on our staff, having absorbed all of Mike McCune’s teachings at our spey clinic. Remember: continuous sweep and launch stroke!

These new short heads definitely present some challenges. There are a blast to cast, but will take a little tweaking to your style, depending on your background. Also, you can use them on single handers. Might be worth a try under the dam for some fish taco materials.

DEMO’S AVAILABLE!

We have all of these rods available for demo, and we’d love to hear as much feedback as possible. Don’t be shy about coming in and trying one out for the day.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Montana Troutspey, spey fly fishing

I guess we’re starting Troutspey a little early…

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It seems like everyone is Jonesing to Spey. We still have several weeks of great dry fly and streamer action left! You’ll still be in shirt sleeves 6 weeks from now! But anglers are coming by, asking for the “swing” report, talking new gear and debating trout vs. birds vs. a quick run over to the Clearwater. So here we go…

SAGE ONE TROUTSPEY IN STOCK

The eagerly awaited for Sage ONE Troutspey is now in stock at Headhunters. Took long enough. A few are already spoken for, and a couple will immediately go into the demo fleet so you can take them out and see what all the fuss is about. Lots of folks coming by the shop and asking about these new ultra-light spey rods. Try or buy, you will like them either way.

We do have them on our online store, so if you don’t want to risk missing out on one, press “Buy”! If you hate it, we will work something out to get you into the right rod, or make a partial refund. I expect these to go relatively quickly, and I’m not sure what the backstroke will be like at Sage.

Troutspey Day #1

Spent Sunday on the river with local trout bum John Heckert, swinging the two-hander down around Cascade. John has been teetering on the edge of the Spey Canyon for a while. He fell in at our Labor Day sale when Ninch and Sara hooked him up with a used demo Echo Glass Spey rod. He does a lot of wade streamer fishing, so it only made sense.

This was John’s first time with a spey rod. We had an excellent instructional day, hitting both banks multiple times and adjusting our casts to the ever changing breeze. Perfect day to be out on the water.

The fishing? Meh. But we did tangle with a few fish. My first spey trout of the fall, and that’s nice. Still a bit early, and the lure of rising fish tempted us to break out the single handers a few times. If you do go, i would go really early and hit some of the long beaches. Swing it way in shallow until the sun hits the water. When there are lots of bugs available, the fish will ignore your swung fly.

Spending the day watching John adapt to a new style reminded me what a great rod the Echo Glass Spy & Switch series is. Really forgiving, but with tons of power and speed if you want it. The only negative that we’ve ever heard regard the weight in your hand. Not terrible, but definitely heavier than graphite.

Still too early

Yes, like I said it’s still bit early and I didn’t really expect the swinging to be phenomenal. But in a month or so, things will relay start to turn on. By Thanksgiving we will be hitting the peak of swing season. Hold your horses! You’ll have to deal with rising fish and incredible nymph for a while yet.[/vc_column_text][us_separator show_line=”1″ line_width=”default”][us_image image=”14438″ onclick=”lightbox”][vc_column_text]John Heckert concentrating during his first day with a spey rod. You can tell John is concentrating because he has his tongue out. Like this guy…[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”14439″ size=”medium” align=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][us_grid post_type=”ids” no_items_message=”” columns=”4″ items_layout=”shop_trendy” items_gap=”” ids=”14423″][us_grid post_type=”ids” no_items_message=”” columns=”4″ items_layout=”shop_trendy” items_gap=”” ids=”8949″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Troutspey Around the Corner

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Swing Season (spey season) is approaching. We’re not there yet. There’s still some big hatches to be had, as well as our epic Montana streamer fishing. But it’s getting close.

Sara, Ninch and I are starting to get the lineup card in order for winter spey season on the Missouri. We were down at the ramp today tossing the Echo Fiberglass Switch #4, with various lines. Included were the Airflow Switch Streamer and the brand new RIO Skagit Max Troutspey.

Tossed them both well, but those smaller rods seem to like the mono running line we rigged the Troutspey with.

There’s very few anglers around the Missouri River right now. Must be the smoke. It’s thick.

The quiet “slack” time allows us to walk over to the river and do some testing. Might even get a 6pack from Joe’s on the way there. Joe’s is on the way there. And back.

If you’re interested in attending one of our Spey clinics this winter, call the shop to find out about dates and sign up. The first class already has some victims.

Stay tuned for more Troutspey…[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”13798″ link=”” onclick=”lightbox”][/vc_column][/vc_row]