skagit cheaters?

[stevo]

Anyone use them?
I have the 7130 Echo DH rod with a 540gr Airflo compact skagit, 26' I think. Mostly use 12' of T14. This gives me a 38' head, not quite 3X the length of my rod. Would a cheater help? 5', 10'?
Thanks

[RazorClam]

from my understanding your head does not include your sink tip.( I may be wrong though.) My sage 1419-4 is set up this way, and I have no problem casting it. For the price of a cheeter I would just get a 10 ft and see if you like it or not.

[Orange Heron]

Originally Posted by stevo

Anyone use them?
I have the 7130 Echo DH rod with a 540gr Airflo compact skagit, 26' I think. Mostly use 12' of T14. This gives me a 38' head, not quite 3X the length of my rod. Would a cheater help? 5', 10'?
Thanks

Stevo,
Your just fine with what you are running. Most of the time the cheaters come in handy for the 14' -15' rods. I have the same rod and run the same setup that you are using.

Rich

[stevo]

Thanks guys, my B-day is Friday and may just get one t oplay with.

[SSPey]

don't waste your money. The common skagit line recommendation of 3-3.5X rod length was obsolete before it even hit the streets. Some of the earliest two-hand PNW shootinghead pioneers (late '80s, early '90s, pre-MOW) were using systems closer to 2.5X rod length.

I vary the ratio mostly between 2.5-3X, using the "longer" 3X with faster rods and smaller flies, to lessen blown anchors. Your Dec Hogan is a softer slower rod, and will work down to 2.5X if properly lined. Currently you're at 2.9X (26' head + 12' tip = 38' div by 13' rod), which is good, may even want to experiment with 10' tips as needed.

just lay off the gas, keep it moving, and gently apply power with the bottom hand

[hooksetter1]

Originally Posted by SSPey

don't waste your money. The common skagit line recommendation of 3-3.5X rod length was obsolete before it even hit the streets. Some of the earliest two-hand PNW shootinghead pioneers (late '80s, early '90s, pre-MOW) were using systems closer to 2.5X rod length.

I vary the ratio mostly between 2.5-3X, using the "longer" 3X with faster rods and smaller flies, to lessen blown anchors. Your Dec Hogan is a softer slower rod, and will work down to 2.5X if properly lined. Currently you're at 2.9X (26' head + 12' tip = 38' div by 13' rod), which is good, may even want to experiment with 10' tips as needed.

just lay off the gas, keep it moving, and gently apply power with the bottom hand

Yup... I believe that tapered Skagit heads like the Airflo Compact and Rio Flight have furthered their uselessness. However, if you're gonna launch ICBM's with a 10150 or 10160 and a level Skagit you might want one.

[stevo]

OK then, I'll save my $$$ for more hooks and feathers.

What is MOW?

[bobber dance]

MOW stands for McCune, Odonnell, and Ward. Three steelhead guides who have had a huge impact on spey rod and line desighn.The MOW system is a sink tip system that intergrates t-11 or t-14 into a floating head. The MOW kit includes a 12 foot floater. a 12 foot tip of t-14, and various cobonations of t-14 and floating line seamlessly intergrated. The premus is if you keep your tip at 12 feet you elimanate a lot of casting problems.

[Zugbug66]

Your setup will work fine. As stated before, keep your casting stroke slow and steady. I fish rods from 13-13'2", compact skagits without cheaters, 10' of t-14, and BIG flies with ease.