i have an 800 grain fly line..what would the line number be...i can,t find it on any fly line charts..my guess would be around #18..any ideas ,thanks.

The AFTMA chart never went that high and fly line weights were not linear so it would be difficult to just assume that it would equal an "18-weight" due to it be a certain amount more than the previous line or lines.

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Spey line?

[www.affta.org]

thanks for replying..no, it,s skagit line, 27 feet and 720 grains..i figure at 30 feet it,s about 800 grains...it,s the only line i can find to cast oversize hairbuga that i make...i cast conventioal not skagit style and works real well..i wanted to know if there was a regular line number, but i guess not.. thanks.

800 grain??? Wow, that's phone line cable. My 425 grain is rated 10/11 wt. I'd agree with you and Tom, that's about an 18wt.

Do you have a particular rod weight you're trying to use it on? Spey rod or single hand? You could try cutting it down to make a compact shooting head, but I'm not sure how short it would end up being with that heavy of a line.

no tom, i built a rod t handle it, but other fishers ask what the line size is and i say 720 grains and they keep asking for a line number so i was asking here in case someone knew...the best charts show is #15 but that,s 550 grains, getting close, lol.

Teeny Lines were making sink tips for tarpon, etc. In the 750 range some years ago. Some were using them to dredge deep holes swinging flies for salmon and steelhead on 10 and 12 wt. rods, mostly roll casting. Have used one of his 400's for many years, just no longer on a long rod, last time I used my 9 ft. 9 in. Loomis, and overhead casting, I was without a good shoulder for two weeks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2017 11:12AM by Spencer Phipps.

hi michael, yes it looks like rope but it,s only a 27 foot rope, lol...i fused a piece of #7 cheap level line to it in order fish with it, to cast.

ben: How deep do you need your fly to sink, how fast, how far do you need to cast, and how many casts do you anticipate making in a day's time?

hi phil, it,s just an overweight henshall bug for surface fishing mostly at night..with a 6" body and tail and 6" wing span. it looks like a big moth or a bat fell in the water...the fly line floats. i use a 71/2 foot flip/pitch rod blank to build the fly rod on..once the bug gets soaked it weighs about 150 grains so i need the rods power..here,s a tip, build yourself one of dr. bills fly line analyzer scales to weigh big flies wet or dry.it works great. instructions are in rod maker. it,s meant for weighing fly line but is good for big flies too. lol. also with this rod you can cast two handed, which is not tiring at all..my days of casting with one hand are long gone..just can,t do it...how far, 40 feet is no problem and is more than i need.

First I've heard of this method. Sounds like fun, but tiring. I have a basket full of fly lines, each with a tag marked with the weight in grains of the first 30 feet - something I wish manufacturers would do. I weigh the lines with a digital scale I got from a disgruntled member of weight watchers.

Ben, what you have is "Skagit Head" not a line. It is designed to have the weight in bulk to turnover large heavy flies. Developed in the Northwest by Steelhead anglers. Some come with integrated running lines, others like yours without. We steelheaders use sinking tips attached to get down to the appropriate levels.

Steelheaders adapted fairly quickly to using the grain weight designations, but those unfamiliar were wanting to equate them to regular line weights, as in your instance. There is no direct conversion formula, only comparisons.

hi phil, yes you are correct. it is a skagit head line. my mistake i misspoke. what i liked about it was not only the weight but also the taper... the back half of the 27' contained most of the weight so that spooled backwards you ended up with a super weight forward line and it kicked arse. it throws that big hairy bug like it was a flea...all i had to do was attach a running line and i was in business...also a fly must be tied on or it won,t cast, it is so out of balance with so much weight on one...you must tie the fly on and it comes to life, weird stuff. i understand about the grain weight..i was just thinking there might be a chart showing something equivalent....actually i think all fly line should be called by a grain weight instead of a line number, no messinng with conversions..thanks for the correction.

Ben, un-hide your email address and I'll send you some grain/line charts you may find helpful.

ok, phil..

hi phil, thanks for the charts...the spey line chart looks interesting.. something to think about.

Ben as you see in the chart, no one grain weight is the equivalent to what is a regular line weight. It depends upon the length, belly and taper. Example, a 500 grain Skagit is vastly different then a 500 grain Scandi !

Hey Phil, can you email me the line grain charts or the link to it? Thanks.

hi phil, the thing that caught my eye was the weight backward of the skagit head which when turned around made a super heavy weight forward line for these big heavy wind resistant bugs....all i had to do was add the running line..i could have used 30# dacron backing for a running line and probably got more casting distance but i wan ted something a little meatier to hold on when setting the hook so the the 7# fly line was used and i still get good casting distance...again thanks for sending the charts.