Alvey 425B reel.

[uncle_barry]

Good evening Luke.
You wrote:- 'So does this mean that you do like the Alveys..'
On rods shorter than 10feet, no, because of the weight/balance/damping of the rod's harmonics.

On rods longer than 10, in the Double Handed class, yes, there could be a great untapped market, internationally for these reels, because the added weight now works in reverse, the weight is a advantage to balance.

My reel, it contains, leader and tippet of 15 feet plus, the head, 44.5 feet, running/hauling line and 325 mts of 16kg braid, so a very large fly reel is required. Around 5inch diameter and W/A type

'could you tell us more about the SSH lines'
Yes.I would love to as they are capable of reaching amazing distances with almost no effort, on the correct rod.
There is or will 5 line sizes, 7/8w, 8/9w, 9/10,10/11 and 11/12, the weights are, at the full uncut length of 44.5feet, from the smallest upwards, 500g, 580g, 660g,730g, 845g.
Rio are also supplying a table showing the loads if the line is cut back to 38 and 31 feet.
There is also a table available to show suggested lengths/loads for a number of D/H rods

The heads are classed as floating with the tips, floating, intermediate, sinking and I think there is another one, you can also buy the line with a kit that contains all the tips, the tips are changed via a loop to loop method.

If you were to buy a SSH intermediate, this would be, floating head section with the 15 foot tip clear intermediate section all molded togeter as one line.
This is the line I am testing/useing.
They also are packed with loop connectors, that you have to attach yourself.

And because Double Hander type rods are all different, and the caster requiring a different load, therefore the casting load will be different, Rio designed the lines to be trimmed to match the load.

These lines, the SSH type can also be used for Spey casting, however their prime application is Overhead Casting and Overhead Casting type rods.

Overhead Casting has been used in Scandinavia for something like 100years plus, in the United States for many years with a growing following.

They, D/H, Spey or O/H Casting was designed for fish in the 25/35 pound range, in very fast flowing river systems, The American are now useing this combination of rod and line set-up for saltwater including the surf.

And to the existing fly caster out there, please don't think you can just pick up a D/H and cast 120feet, its like starting all over again.

'Are they the only ones you are testing or are there others you could share info with us about?'
Rio SSH's are the only ones.

I was also the tester for our range of fly lines, including the clear intermediates and shooting heads.
I also matched our Advanced Running line, floating with the SSH, the result being 120feet plus down the waterway .

Kind regards.
Uncle Barry.

[Luke]

Thanks Uncle Barry. Being I am poor on fly!! Are there any other lines you would reccomend. Could you give me info on cheaper alternatives please? I'm not really overly fussed on the SSH because of price I can't afford it.

[uncle_barry]

Good evening Luke.
Your asked,
"Are there any other lines you would reccomend"
Now that question is like, how long is a piece of string.
The answer depends on what rod and line class you have or are thinking of buying. Also the type of fishing you hope to use the D/H'er for, overhead or spry, floating , intermediate, sinking or with a floating line and changable tips.

What rod do you have, and the line class?

"Could you give me info on cheaper alternatives", the same answer to the above.

"I'm not really overly fussed on the SSH because of price I can't afford it".
If I may, what price have you been told, here in Australia ?. Because I feel sure you and others will be surprised with the price. Or you could make a suitable head from a D/T line, this all depends on the factors above.

Kind regards.
Uncle Barry.

[Maxg]

Well there are Loop lines, and particularly the Adaptive heads, which are about 70$ Aus, around 400 swedish K.
Look at www.looptackle.com. I have a Loop 15metre, 45 gram 10/11/12 Intermediate head, which I'm playing with. I have a 15'Talon, same as Barry, and the 12'4" Loop Blackline.
At present I use Old Florida reels, and a Steelfin XFR 4.6" La type. The OF reels are 4.5 inches. I think a 5" OF might arrive in December some time.
There is a lot more to these DH rods than meets the eye, and they are very easy to cast, if you talk about effort. Casting distance is pretty long, and if you are fishing estuaries roll casting a long head, or a Spey line,, like 50 feet is a piece of cake.
Very interesting things Max