Circling back to say thanks for this review. Been fishing my 7 wt Shorty for the past year...after a little modification to my casting stroke...this thing is a real rocket launcher. 15-20 FULL strips of running line is easy money with a 480 Scout and 12 foot sink tip.
Fished the 6wt Pro Short Spey with a 420 Skagit Scout (Recommended by T. Larimer) on an Erie trib for steel. Handled great!!! No issues. Had to adjust sink tips as location and water changed but it handled them well. Thanks for a great video showing the flexibility!!!
Great! As another line choice, look at the 420 Airflo Switch Streamer line for shorter ranged fishing as since it is a full line, there's no joint rattling through the guides at shorter ranges. It's basically an Airflo Skagit Switch line with an attached running line (20' head). The thick running line on this line makes for good cold weather handling. The Super Dri technology makes for a very good floater, making it easier to pick up and easier to see. I've had a chance to take my 360 version out with 15' factory tapered tips (Airflo 9/10 multi-tips) giving a total weight of 465, and fished it as a multi-tip Scandi line. It went great and this combo will get a lot of use in the future.
I took the 7 wt. rod out a few days ago for more line testing, and cast the 360 Airflo Compact Scandi, the 480 Skagit Switch and the Delta II 8/9 wt. All worked fine with the 360 being a surprise as to how well it went. the 480 Skagit Switch felt perfect which aligns with the 480 Scout recommendation. The 8/9 Delta II was also a surprise with how well it went. It only becoming difficult when I was butt or waist deep in water. Then the short length of the rod turned the 56' head into work, but when wading knee deep or less, the Delta II 8/9 went surprisingly well. I wouldn't fish the 8/9 Delta II as my regular line though as the wading limitation would be a problem. If I had to pick my go-to Airflo lines for this rod, it would be the 480 or the 510 Skagit Switch and Rage or Scandi in the 390 - 450 range. The latest line has only been tried in the yard, but I just took delivery of a 360 gr. Airflo Switch Streamer, which is a full line, but built like a tapered Skagit head. I put a 15' 105 gr. Airflo 9/10 sinktip on it, bringing it's total weight to 465 over a combined length of 35'. It went extremely well. This could well be my primary line for this rod as I like full lines and 15' tapered tips. We'll see if the early indications hold once I get to fish it.
I’m new to fly fishing and looking for recommendations for a reel for this rod. I’m looking at getting a 4 weight for trout and a 7 weight for steelhead. Originally I was hoping to get one all around rod for both but after doing some research it sounds like I will be better off with two setups. Do you have any recommendations for reels for these 2 weights? I’m in NW Washington state.
@@jpryor6551 It depends on your budget of course, but the Echo Ion reels are a good choice for a reasonable cost in the 4/5 and 8/10. For the 7 wt., you could step up to the Echo Bravo 7/9 as the drag on that one is sealed. It has tons of capacity as well.
I have three setups: an Audio Technica wireless PRO 88W, a Zoom H1 recorder + lav that I sync in post to the video, and a Rode shotgun mic. I also have a small analogue mixer that attaches to the camera hotshot that lets me mix the shotgun mic with the wireless in situations where I want to capture ambient sound and voice. In this video, the full shots of me was done with the Audio Technica wireless recorded in camera. The on-the-water stuff was done with the Zoom H1 and a lav, then synced in post with the camera's audio track, which is not used beyond the syncing stage, as it is garbage. The Delta II lines took a different approach with 5' length differences between the line weights. 7/8 and 8/9 lines were nice, 9/10 OK and the 10/11, well let's say don't bother. The green Deltas were all close in length and performed well from 6/7 to 11/12 (I had them all).
@@hooked4lifeca Thanks Peter. Very professional audio and video quality, I appreciate the tips. Good to hear your thoughts on the Delta 2. I have heard the same thing about 9/10 and 11/12 in so many words, glad the lighter line weights are still nice!
@@hooked4lifeca I practice cast this rod today with the Airflo Skagit Switch 480 gr., a 5'/5' T-11 MOW tip and a pretty heavy conehead fly. No problem. Had a little more trouble with the 510 gr. Skagit Switch but I'm working on it.
Tried a 400gr. OPST Commando head this morning on the rod and liked it. Will probably acquire a 480gr. Skagit Scout to round out the collection of heads.
@@hooked4lifeca I’m between the 6 and the 7 for year round steelheading on the Deschutes. Based on your input that several line sizes are viable, do you think that would be the smart choice over the 7?
I usually lean heavier as high line wt. rods are more tolerant of weather conditions. It's actually about the lines they can cast. Light lines don't do as well as the same style of lines in a heavier weight, when the wind starts to blow. Heavier rods also deliver more distance when we need it, all other things being equal. I usually fish 8 wts.
They overhead cast quite well. The 71111 works best with a short head, overhead line in the 375 grain range. If you don't mind stepping up to an NRX+, the 11' 8 wr. is an awesome overhead rod that I plan on using at the cape as soon as the border opens up (assuming this fall).
Tom Larimer and I Recommend a 480 Airflo Scout or Switch if you like longer heads. When you try the 3-6 let me know as the SA Scandi lites are amazing on them.
Hi Jacob, talk about long heads, I'm about to sortie with a 56' Delta II 8/9 on the 71111 as soon as the river drops. Yard casting was impressive, but only moving water tells the final tale. An underhand stroke with the 390 Rage makes this little stick quite the rocket launcher. It handles an amazing array of lines. One of my clients recently got to fish the 71111 for a day and his reaction was, 'Holy Spectacular Spey Stick, Batman!'
I have not fished those rivers, but I do know people who do fish them with relatively short rods. Some people fish these rivers with switch rods.The phrase I've heard over and over again about fishing out west is that one does not have to cast far to catch fish. I have fished Vancouver Island and there's no doubt that a rod of this length would work just fine.
I've been using a reel that empty is 8 oz and 10 oz. loaded. That reel balances the rod 3" into the cork, measured from the top of the handle. A reel that is 6.75 oz. empty, 8.3 oz. loaded balances it 2" into the cork. Anything in that ballpark is going to work. It's a light rod so it doesn't' need a brick to balance it. Please let me know when you buy it. :)
On this rod? The Rage 450 will do the job with all sink rates. However, that results in a rig that is 40' long. Not everyone would be happy with that. Using a 450 G2 Skagit head as if it was a Rage head produces a rig that is around 33' long when used with a 10' PolyLeader. We're used to thinking of Skagit heads for Skagit use only, but the reality is, we can use them as regular heads if we go light. The shorter head would also make the tossing of the fastest sinkers much easier. Just remember to cast it conventionally rather than using Sustained Anchor technique. Why not go heavy with the Skagit head and use PolyLeaders? Or use a Skagit Switch? We're likely to blow our anchor when we go heavy and/or short when using PolyLeaders as they don't have the line stick of regular sinktips. The solution is to go light with our Skagit head, just like a Scandi head. Or just use a Rage.
hooked4lifeca yes I did pick up this exact rod. I’m looking for the easiest way to get out there with the least gear needed. I like the touch and go, and like to cast Scandi style more than skagit. I get a deal on rio products so I was thinking based on your last grain wt recommendation, to get a switch chucker. The head is a less aggressive skagit style head but only around 22-25 feet. 450 grains and comes with a decent integrated running line. Using the Scandi style of casting and 4-6ips poly leaders, do you think I’ll be in the ball park here? Thanks so much for all your videos and the help you provide.
You're gonna love that rod. :) Your idea for using this line will work fine. The Switch Chucker comes in a 420 or a 465 and either one will work on this rod. I've cast Rage heads and PolyLeaders from 390 to 480 and they all worked. So the basic decision for you is do you prefer a heavier or lighter load on the rod? From a performance angle, the only difference will be that the 465 will be a little bit better in strong winds and will handle the heaviest PolyLeaders/Versileaders a bit easier than the 420. I recently acquired an Airflo Switch Streamer line that is similar to the Rio Chucker. I got the 360 gr. line for this rod, but I added 15' tapered 105 gr. sinktips to it for a total weight of 465 and cast it Scandi style. It went like a rocket. So if you already have 15' tips, getting a lighter Chucker and putting those tips on it, would be another way to go.
No, but I have used Airflo Scout heads. These lines are typically a couple of feet longer than the OPST. I'm not a big fan of very short heads on rods over 11' as it produces a small, inefficient D-Loop and leads to a lot of blown anchors, unless they're used with long sinktips. My favourite short head for the 71111 rod is the Skagit Switch 510 that is 20' long. These lines have been replaced by the Scout series and they're almost as long.
@@hooked4lifeca Yes I've been using the Sage TCX 11'9" baby spey rods on Alaska silvers and appreciate their leverage. What color are the reel seats on the IMX Pro ShortSpey? And how many ounce empty reel would you suggest for the model 41111?
Yes and they work fine, but that came after this video. Since most anglers in North America don't use them, Scandi heads weren't the focus of the video. A 420-450 Scandi head would be a perfect fit.
Circling back to say thanks for this review. Been fishing my 7 wt Shorty for the past year...after a little modification to my casting stroke...this thing is a real rocket launcher. 15-20 FULL strips of running line is easy money with a 480 Scout and 12 foot sink tip.
Fished the 6wt Pro Short Spey with a 420 Skagit Scout (Recommended by T. Larimer) on an Erie trib for steel. Handled great!!!
No issues. Had to adjust sink tips as location and water changed but it handled them well. Thanks for a great video showing the flexibility!!!
Great! As another line choice, look at the 420 Airflo Switch Streamer line for shorter ranged fishing as since it is a full line, there's no joint rattling through the guides at shorter ranges. It's basically an Airflo Skagit Switch line with an attached running line (20' head). The thick running line on this line makes for good cold weather handling. The Super Dri technology makes for a very good floater, making it easier to pick up and easier to see.
I've had a chance to take my 360 version out with 15' factory tapered tips (Airflo 9/10 multi-tips) giving a total weight of 465, and fished it as a multi-tip Scandi line. It went great and this combo will get a lot of use in the future.
I've got this rod on order for chasing steel here in the PNW. CANT FREAKIN WAIT
I took the 7 wt. rod out a few days ago for more line testing, and cast the 360 Airflo Compact Scandi, the 480 Skagit Switch and the Delta II 8/9 wt. All worked fine with the 360 being a surprise as to how well it went. the 480 Skagit Switch felt perfect which aligns with the 480 Scout recommendation. The 8/9 Delta II was also a surprise with how well it went. It only becoming difficult when I was butt or waist deep in water. Then the short length of the rod turned the 56' head into work, but when wading knee deep or less, the Delta II 8/9 went surprisingly well. I wouldn't fish the 8/9 Delta II as my regular line though as the wading limitation would be a problem.
If I had to pick my go-to Airflo lines for this rod, it would be the 480 or the 510 Skagit Switch and Rage or Scandi in the 390 - 450 range.
The latest line has only been tried in the yard, but I just took delivery of a 360 gr. Airflo Switch Streamer, which is a full line, but built like a tapered Skagit head. I put a 15' 105 gr. Airflo 9/10 sinktip on it, bringing it's total weight to 465 over a combined length of 35'. It went extremely well. This could well be my primary line for this rod as I like full lines and 15' tapered tips. We'll see if the early indications hold once I get to fish it.
I’m new to fly fishing and looking for recommendations for a reel for this rod. I’m looking at getting a 4 weight for trout and a 7 weight for steelhead. Originally I was hoping to get one all around rod for both but after doing some research it sounds like I will be better off with two setups. Do you have any recommendations for reels for these 2 weights? I’m in NW Washington state.
@@jpryor6551 It depends on your budget of course, but the Echo Ion reels are a good choice for a reasonable cost in the 4/5 and 8/10. For the 7 wt., you could step up to the Echo Bravo 7/9 as the drag on that one is sealed. It has tons of capacity as well.
2 questions Peter: How does Delta 2 compare with original Delta? What wireless set up do you use for your audio? sounds good!
I have three setups: an Audio Technica wireless PRO 88W, a Zoom H1 recorder + lav that I sync in post to the video, and a Rode shotgun mic. I also have a small analogue mixer that attaches to the camera hotshot that lets me mix the shotgun mic with the wireless in situations where I want to capture ambient sound and voice.
In this video, the full shots of me was done with the Audio Technica wireless recorded in camera. The on-the-water stuff was done with the Zoom H1 and a lav, then synced in post with the camera's audio track, which is not used beyond the syncing stage, as it is garbage.
The Delta II lines took a different approach with 5' length differences between the line weights. 7/8 and
8/9 lines were nice, 9/10 OK and the 10/11, well let's say don't bother. The green Deltas were all close in length and performed well from 6/7 to 11/12 (I had them all).
@@hooked4lifeca Thanks Peter. Very professional audio and video quality, I appreciate the tips. Good to hear your thoughts on the Delta 2. I have heard the same thing about 9/10 and 11/12 in so many words, glad the lighter line weights are still nice!
Just ordered this rod for my upcoming AK trip.
Great! Let us know how the trip goes.
@@hooked4lifeca I practice cast this rod today with the Airflo Skagit Switch 480 gr., a 5'/5' T-11 MOW tip and a pretty heavy conehead fly. No problem. Had a little more trouble with the 510 gr. Skagit Switch but I'm working on it.
@@mikecoughlin5419 The 510 will probably end as your go-to line as the rod works extremely well with it.
@@hooked4lifeca Thanks. I'll keep practicing.
Tried a 400gr. OPST Commando head this morning on the rod and liked it. Will probably acquire a 480gr. Skagit Scout to round out the collection of heads.
I see these rods on sale at a number of retailers; any word on if are they discontinuing these for a V2 version?
There are new trout sized Spey rods coming out, bt I haven't heard anything about the ShortSpeys yet.
@@hooked4lifeca I’m between the 6 and the 7 for year round steelheading on the Deschutes. Based on your input that several line sizes are viable, do you think that would be the smart choice over the 7?
I usually lean heavier as high line wt. rods are more tolerant of weather conditions. It's actually about the lines they can cast. Light lines don't do as well as the same style of lines in a heavier weight, when the wind starts to blow. Heavier rods also deliver more distance when we need it, all other things being equal. I usually fish 8 wts.
Can you comment on the 6 or 7 weight's overhead casting abilities? Looking for something fast enough for surf fishing in New England for stripers.
They overhead cast quite well. The 71111 works best with a short head, overhead line in the 375 grain range. If you don't mind stepping up to an NRX+, the 11' 8 wr. is an awesome overhead rod that I plan on using at the cape as soon as the border opens up (assuming this fall).
Hi Peter, would a Rage 360 be to light for the 71111? Or is the 390 better for light touch and go casting.
390 would be as light as I would go. At 360 we would have to start muscling it.
Tom Larimer and I Recommend a 480 Airflo Scout or Switch if you like longer heads. When you try the 3-6 let me know as the SA Scandi lites are amazing on them.
Hi Jacob, talk about long heads, I'm about to sortie with a 56' Delta II 8/9 on the 71111 as soon as the river drops. Yard casting was impressive, but only moving water tells the final tale.
An underhand stroke with the 390 Rage makes this little stick quite the rocket launcher. It handles an amazing array of lines.
One of my clients recently got to fish the 71111 for a day and his reaction was, 'Holy Spectacular Spey Stick, Batman!'
i mostly indictor fish a switch rod, would this work ok for that given the taper?
Yes, no problem.
Will the shorter 11'11 rod length work for PNW rivers, specifically Olympic Peninsula rivers?
I have not fished those rivers, but I do know people who do fish them with relatively short rods. Some people fish these rivers with switch rods.The phrase I've heard over and over again about fishing out west is that one does not have to cast far to catch fish. I have fished Vancouver Island and there's no doubt that a rod of this length would work just fine.
Thanks for the reply! I am about to pull the trigger on the IMX. Is their a reel weight that you recommend to balance the rod?
I've been using a reel that empty is 8 oz and 10 oz. loaded. That reel balances the rod 3" into the cork, measured from the top of the handle. A reel that is 6.75 oz. empty, 8.3 oz. loaded balances it 2" into the cork. Anything in that ballpark is going to work. It's a light rod so it doesn't' need a brick to balance it.
Please let me know when you buy it. :)
Just letting you know I ended up buying the IMX. Thanks again for your help.
You're welcome :)
So for a novice that only needs to throw 10’ poly leaders in all the sink rates, what line would you recommend?
On this rod? The Rage 450 will do the job with all sink rates. However, that results in a rig that is 40' long. Not everyone would be happy with that. Using a 450 G2 Skagit head as if it was a Rage head produces a rig that is around 33' long when used with a 10' PolyLeader. We're used to thinking of Skagit heads for Skagit use only, but the reality is, we can use them as regular heads if we go light. The shorter head would also make the tossing of the fastest sinkers much easier.
Just remember to cast it conventionally rather than using Sustained Anchor technique.
Why not go heavy with the Skagit head and use PolyLeaders? Or use a Skagit Switch? We're likely to blow our anchor when we go heavy and/or short when using PolyLeaders as they don't have the line stick of regular sinktips.
The solution is to go light with our Skagit head, just like a Scandi head. Or just use a Rage.
hooked4lifeca yes I did pick up this exact rod. I’m looking for the easiest way to get out there with the least gear needed. I like the touch and go, and like to cast Scandi style more than skagit. I get a deal on rio products so I was thinking based on your last grain wt recommendation, to get a switch chucker. The head is a less aggressive skagit style head but only around 22-25 feet. 450 grains and comes with a decent integrated running line. Using the Scandi style of casting and 4-6ips poly leaders, do you think I’ll be in the ball park here?
Thanks so much for all your videos and the help you provide.
You're gonna love that rod. :)
Your idea for using this line will work fine. The Switch Chucker comes in a 420 or a 465 and either one will work on this rod. I've cast Rage heads and PolyLeaders from 390 to 480 and they all worked. So the basic decision for you is do you prefer a heavier or lighter load on the rod? From a performance angle, the only difference will be that the 465 will be a little bit better in strong winds and will handle the heaviest PolyLeaders/Versileaders a bit easier than the 420.
I recently acquired an Airflo Switch Streamer line that is similar to the Rio Chucker. I got the 360 gr. line for this rod, but I added 15' tapered 105 gr. sinktips to it for a total weight of 465 and cast it Scandi style. It went like a rocket. So if you already have 15' tips, getting a lighter Chucker and putting those tips on it, would be another way to go.
Have you tried any OPST Commando heads on the ShortSpey rods?
No, but I have used Airflo Scout heads. These lines are typically a couple of feet longer than the OPST. I'm not a big fan of very short heads on rods over 11' as it produces a small, inefficient D-Loop and leads to a lot of blown anchors, unless they're used with long sinktips. My favourite short head for the 71111 rod is the Skagit Switch 510 that is 20' long. These lines have been replaced by the Scout series and they're almost as long.
@@hooked4lifeca Yes I've always liked the Airflo Skagit Switch heads. I also agree with your assessment of very short heads.
One more question: Is the 71111 ShortSpey rod adequate for Alaska silver salmon up to 15 lbs or so?
@@mikecoughlin5419 No problem. Rods in this class are used in Europe to haul in big Atlantics. Shorter rod = more leverage over the fish.
@@hooked4lifeca Yes I've been using the Sage TCX 11'9" baby spey rods on Alaska silvers and appreciate their leverage. What color are the reel seats on the IMX Pro ShortSpey? And how many ounce empty reel would you suggest for the model 41111?
have you tried any scandi lines?
Yes and they work fine, but that came after this video. Since most anglers in North America don't use them, Scandi heads weren't the focus of the video. A 420-450 Scandi head would be a perfect fit.