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.
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 The construction
The shooting head is a simple construction, where a piece of fly line is attached to a
thin shooting (or running) line. You cast the line in the normal manner and the heavier
shooting head will pull the lighter running line and typically enable a longer cast with
less effort.
This is the
author's setup: reel, extra heads and running line
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1st section: introduction and
preparation
1. Cast further
In which you learn why it might be convenient to
own a shooting head
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
4th section: casting
17. Casting a shooting head
Where we learn a few tricks to
cast better with a shooting head setup
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Submitted February 29th 2008
Top class article, where the information and methods to achieve the desired result are written in a clear and practical manner. Well Done and tight lines !