i've been using a fairly long belly line (from memory i think it's a Rio Windcutter??) for some time for my infrequent trips, and once i get back into the swing of it can cast fairly well, single or double spey. Because i've only fished in the warmer weather i've only needed a floating line.
This year i'll be fishing the Tweed, in November, and am expecting to be using bigger flies than i normally use, and possibly some form of sink-tip/sinking line. I'll be fairly well up the river & don't think i'll need a full sinker, and anyway, i don't much like using them. I've looked with interest at the Rio Skagit versitip.. sounds good, the cast looks simple enough too if a bit messy, but the lines cost a fortune. The other & cheaper option would be a Rio Mainstream Spey versitip. Bearing in mind the possible criteria, i.e. needing to get the fly down a bit, biggish flies, possible wild & windy weather, and the fact that i'm a fairly competent Spey caster, any advice on which line? Do i need a Skagit??

changing the subject - is anyone on this forum - Salmon Fishing Forum
I joined about 5 days ago and despite sending several messages, all unanswered, i STILL can't post to the forums. Is this site now defunct?

No 1, the SFF is still running.Springer the owner is probably away fishing.he sometimes comes on here.As do a few of the Moderators.
No2,why not just use polyleaders and save yourself a good bit of money,they work very well

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

well - i have used polyleaders, and they are very good, but unfortunately i'm not that organised and tend to throw them in my bag at the end of the day, and then forget which is which :-) Added to that, when i was on the Tweed last year the sink-tips were outfishing the polyleaders (but i concede all other things might not have been equal). But i was also thinking about the potential wild & windy weather and thought that a line (shooting head) that didn't need so much line beyond the rod tip during the cast might work better, and be safer, as might a fixed anchor cast like the skagit... but that's all theory :-)

In the wild and windy weather you have to control the running line of a shooting head,no easy thing.

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.