shooting head lines

[geoff_fishie]

looking at getting a shooting head line for july trip to taupo. are they worth it? what flies other than heave n leaves and boobies do you fish on them? or should i just stick with the old fast sinker and streamer flies for rip fishing daytime and nighttime? any thoughts are appreciated

[geoff_fishie]

ok let me rephrase. is a full sinking line all good for fishing heave n leaves and boobies in the waitahanui rip? do you just have to wait a bit for it to sink or do you really need a shooting head?

[8THEB8]

Gidday Geoff,
I only use 'shooters' these days for fishing 'wet'. Some will call me a heretic BUT on the day, you must be adaptable. You must have the a good shooting line behind your 'head'. I still have some "amnesia" (a brand name) that works for me. My brother in law uses spiderwire, works for him.
Get several different weights (as the budget allows) and you change spools to suit the conditions.
Get it right and you lift the head with it just outside the rod tip. One false cast then double haul and let her rip. Gets me on the opposite bank of the Major Jones half way down if I'm not careful.
Lake fish drop offs and real fast water with a #13 shooter on a #9, 9'6" CD. Also use this for the Ohau chanel. Use #8 or #9 depending on the water I'm looking at. Sounds like a lot of spools to carry? If you have a rough game plan before you set out, it's not too bad.
When I am 'prospecting', I use a 9' #7 CD. Start with a floater and carry two shooters in #6 and #9.
Warning. Go too heavy and you'll get the bottom all the time.
This is what works for me. Ya have to find what works for you.

[8THEB8]

Forgot to tell ya about the morning a strolled down to the rip and couldn't be bothered joining the fence. Tied on a wooly bugger I'd tied with styrofoam eyes and fished the rip chanel behind the guys dealing to the rip. They seemed upset every time my reel screamed! Next morning they were all jostling for a place above the rip.
That's what I mean about trying different things out.

[catch N release]

I hate shooting heads, just to upset the apple cart, sorry Geoff.
I use a hand retrieve figure of eight and so don't need a stripping basket. I use a type four sinking line and this gets me down FAST wherever I fish, I catch just as many on the heave and leave in deep water off the Waitahanui than anglers with Shooting heads, and I don't have to suffer the tangles of the running line. I also believe with the figure of eight retrieve you are in permanent strong contact with the line and so hook ups are more secure. With a shooting head you have the rod and line in one hand and pull the line in with the other. When you place the line in the basket your retrieving hand then lets go and reaches up for the next bit. At this stage if you get a strike all you have secured is the line you are holding with the rod, get my drift. I am more than happy for you to take my type 4 for a fish to see how you like it, when you come up.

[8THEB8]

See what I mean about finding your own style?
I don't use a basket myself. Seem to be able to (mostly) control the line with different size loops. I can feel them in my fingers and don't have too many problems.
Learning the figure 8 or knitting retrieve is absolutely essential to expanding your fishing arsenal!
Different strokes for different folks eh?

[geoff_fishie]

hahahah catch i was only asked becuase last time i was up and all the rivers were flooded me and the one and only brett went for a fish in the rip. he had a shooting head line and i though i might have a look at it as he seems to know what hes doing (he didnt get anything so obviously i was wrong hahaha  ). You were right about "cant pull fish" although i cant say much more for my sorry arse

[geoff_fishie]

then again as you said 8thab8 every fisherman i talk to seem to swear by one thing and hate the other and it always seems to be different. although i do have a fair bit of trust in shane as his fish pulling ability seems to be ALMOST as good as my chick pulling ability (awesome).