Fishing

Fly Fishing Basics: Understanding the Benefits of a Shooting Head Fly Line

A shooting head fly line can be an asset in certain fly fishing situations. Once you learn the basics of this fly line you will understand when and how to use it, and find that it is an easy line to cast.

Ken Baldwin

Getting hooked in Alaska.
Getting hooked in Alaska. / photo by Ken Baldwin

A weight-forward fly line is simply a long line with a thicker, denser front section called the "head." This head, because of its weight, carries the fly and pulls the rest of the long, thinner line, what's called the "running" part of the line, with it.

The Basics of a Shooting Head Fly Line

Think of a shooting line as a weight forward fly line but exaggerated. The front section is thicker, shorter and heavier, and the running line is thinner, and slicker. Because of these exaggerations a shooting head is good for casting heavier flies and streamers, casting long distance, and casting into the wind.

How the Shooting Head Fly Line Works

When you have a denser, more compact head it does a number of things. The heavier weight of the head will load your rod more, which means, the rod acting as a spring is cocked further back by the weight of the heavier head, and then springs forward with more power to "shoot" the line further. The extra weight of the head can also carry heavier flies and streamers. Because of the more power it creates, and its extra weight, a shooting head is easier to cast into the wind.

The Running Line Helps Achieve Distance in Your Cast

One key difference between shooting head lines and weight-forward fly lines lies in the running line. In a shooting head system, the running line is thinner and slicker than the running line of a weight forward fly line. This thinner diameter contributes to the increased distance a shooting head can achieve. The reduced wind resistance, smoother glide over the rod guides, and lighter weight makes it easier to "shoot" the line.

The Basics Of This "Specialty" Fly Fishing Line

This basic explanation is enough to give you a working understanding of this specialty fly line. Just remember, a shooting head literally means the head of the fly line is specifically built to shoot your fly line out more efficiently. I use a shooting head fly line when I fish the surf, or large rivers where I know I'll be throwing streamers all day. Shooting heads are also a popular choice with the two-handed rod crowd.

Don't Let Fly Fishing Intimidate You

One thing I've learned in fly fishing is to not be intimidated by the gear and techniques you don't have a working knowledge of. I've done that a lot in the past, and when I finally do try the new gear or technique it's not as difficult or complicated as I thought it would be. Sinking tips and Euro Nymphing come to mind. Jump in and it is easy enough to figure out. KB


“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover

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Ken Baldwin
KEN BALDWIN

Ken Baldwin's career in fishing and the outdoors started twenty-two years ago. For twenty of those years he guided anglers in remote Alaska. Along with his work as a guide, he created a TV show called Season on the Edge, which aired on NBC Sports, worked on the nature documentary Our Planet 2, for Netflix, specialized in photographing the Alaskan brown bear, and has published his photographs and writing in several magazines. Ken Baldwin is a graduate from the University of Washington.

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