First published September 1st 2002 - More than 8 years ago

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More about: Advanced Casting Do it yourself Fly lines Reference Shooting heads Spey rods Tackle Two hand rods Fish Better  Comment

Shooting heads DIY

The more than Adequate Shooting Head DIY, a guide to building your own shooting heads for fly fishing

By Martin Joergensen

More and more salt-water fly fishers seem to choose the shooting head setup as their preferred setup, when fishing from the coast. Steelheaders also use shoting head setups and even salmon fishers, using two hand rods will in many cases prefer a shooting head.
In Denmark, where salt water fishing for sea trout is one of the most common types of fly fishing, the shooting head has become very widespread in the last few years.

In this article I will try to cover some advantages and disadvantages of the shooting head over the WF line, and I will thoroughly describe the way you can configure a good shooting head system for your rod. The article will teach you how to calculate, make and trim a shooting head. It will also tell you how to cast it - just on the introductory level.

2. Backsides
Where you learn why a shooting head might not be the best thing since sliced bread anyway

3. Make your own
In which you learn that it's a good idea to DIY

4. Killer lines
In which you learn that some shooting heads sink fast - and just how fast

5. Line weight considerations
Where you learn to determine the proper line weight - and make the first cut

6. Using weight as a measure
Where you learn that weighing the line might sometimes be necessary - or just a good idea

7. Running line considerations
Where you learn the plusses and minuses of different running line types

2nd section: cutting and trimming the line
8. Calling for help
In which you learn that having friends is a nice thing

9. First cut
Where you are warned that the first cut might be the last

10. If all else fails
In which we learn that everything can be overdone

11. Casting tests
In which we prepare the newly cut head for the first step in the trimming process

12. Action! Cut!
In which we learn that iteration can lead to perfection

3rd section: finishing
13. One point casting
In which we learn how to cast a shooting head when fishing

14. Backwards or forwards
In which we learn that the head has a front and a back end - and that they're different

15. Finishing up
Where we learn different ways of doing the final cosmetics on the setup

16. Further trimming the head
In which we learn that the process might not be finished yet

Did you find the above interesting?
People who looked at the above also looked at: Leaders&Tippets This small article is a selection of questions and answers about leaders and tippets accumulated over the years. Martin Joergensen has harvested the most popular questions with the assistance of his fellow GFF partner Steve Schweitzer. Production leaders What is production leader tying? Tying more than 2 leaders at a time! But, if you are like me, you find out that tomorrow you may go fishing, so you scramble to tie just enough leaders (usually 2) to handle the day and go on with life. Making loops These loops are often refered to as Orvis loops. I don't know if Orvis invented them, but they do sell them -- and at high prices too. Making a loop directly on a fly line This is a way of making a loop on a fly line that will give you a very neat and tiny loop and a smooth transition between the different parts of a rig.	These other stories related to "Two Hand Rods" might also interest you: US North West fishing With friends: These are some pictures from my visit to the North West - Seattle, where I had the pleasure of fishing with some very nice people in the early winter 1995. Go to the story The Mörrum Circus Salmon: Fishing for huge atlantic salmon in the Swedish River Mörrum is an experience that makes you urge for more. GFF partner Martin Joergensen went there for four days in June 2001 and cannot wait to return. Read his story here. More about Two Hand Rods
A few random articles for your entertainment Tube Flies - A tying, fishing and historical guide - Mark Mandell and Les Johnson This is the all-time classical volume on tube flies, and as the subtitle "A tying, fishing and historical guide" implies it deals with all aspects of tube flies. If you are looking for a general introduction to tubes in book-form, this is the way to go. August 19th 2007 First GFF podcast ever This first ever GFF podcast takes you with GFF partner Martin Joergensen to the Danish coast on a cold January day. Listen to the waves. Meet his dog Divus and hear him tell you why it might be a very silly idea to go fishing for sea run brown trout in water, which is almost freezing. January 16th 2006 Jan's GP One day, while fishing my favourite water, Barnsfold in Lancashire, which is surrounded on one large side with a good head of pine trees round the reservoir, I noticed quite a few terrestrials being blown on to the water. The trout were going crazy for them. August 6th 2007 The measure tape II Jari Wiklund participated in the Danish Fly Casting Championships and finished second. Read his report from the event and his reflections about casting for the sake of casting and (almost) not a word about fishing. He quotes Lefty Kreh who said: June 25th 2006

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