This is heating the nail on the head for me! I'm using large clouser type baits and trying to heave them in the wind. Looks like Shooting Heads is idea for the bass fishing I am doing. (Needing large flies to get out there and sink!)

Thanks for info. I got some reading to do!

I will try to put something together on shooting heads but running line are an important part of the system.
I used them for 20 years on Texoma.

Start simple as -P- says.....you can use old 5wt or smaller line that has never been cast over 30 ft - cut off and discard the belly and you have a good running line.
Put braided loops on everything as Dan mentioned. I had the advantage of personal instruction.

Use discontinued or discounted lines and use the 30 ft belly for shooting heads. A 24 to 28 ft of LC(leadcore)13 will give you a sinking head for about 6 bucks.
Tungsten sinking heads are now available but pricy.

Put heads in a wallet and change heads when desired - neat system
My best running line to this day is 100 ft of 50 #Gudebrod butt leader material with 50# gsp braid - "inch wormed inside - no stretch - no memory!

Maybe this is all the info needed to get started - the secret of casting shooting heads is don't stop on the backcast - in fact I use some what of an "oval" cast - 80 ft casts are the norm for me. Blanton uses a modified roll cast to get the head outside of tip with routene 100 ft casts - I use a sort of a"flip" cast to get the head beyond tip...
LOAD and SHOOT !

Hope this helps,
George

I make heads for my 1,2, and 3 weight rods as you can't find a sinktip line for those sizes. I make them like the teeny sink tips for catching brim, yellow bass, etc. in water more than 6- 8 foot deep-p-

I have one shooting system I put together with the help of these guys. It's a pretty useful, but does take some adjusting your cast. I have a 7wt heavy sink head so I don't use it often except when fishing on the bottom.

I did manage to come up with a 3wt sinking line at some point. Maybe Orvis? It's not spectacular, but like Pearow it was all I could find in the smaller sizes.

FYI, I always check mrfc for clearance fly lines. They always have some great deals, but usually only in heavier weights. You have to watch close for the more common sizes. They currently have some deals on shooting heads, including 7wts.

http://www.mrfc.com/MadisonRiverShopping/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=4

I think for the ease of trying this, I think I will order the Rio Outbound Short Shooting Head Line.

If this works out to my liking, I'd like to learn more about making my own....because they are pricey if you want multiple sink rates.

If you had to select one sink rate what would it be? Or would you try the floating Shooting Head?

My question:

Why most shooting heads use sinking line? not floating line?

Thanks.

Unfortunately, you'll have to answer this question yourself based on where you plan to fish the line. The primary questions will be "how deep do you want to fish" and "how fast will the water be moving"?

As a general statement, fishing deeper depths or the faster the water is moving, then the faster the sink rate you'll want for your line.

For slower moving, shallower water or if want to fish closer to the surface, a slower sink rate line might work better for you.

One other item to consider, the faster the line sinks, the more challenging it is to learn to cast. There is a lot of difference in picking the line up off the surface between an 8 in per second sinking line compared to a floating line.

Good luck!

I don't have any facts to back up this statement, but I'm not sure that more sinking heads are sold than floating. But there are multiple types of sinking heads based on their sink rates, so they take up more space in catalogs. This variety also causes more confusion among fly fishers, so there are more discussions on the internet boards about sinking lines.

its just what youre trying to accomplish/where youre trying to fish/what youre fishing for/etc. no special reason. In my situation I want a fly to get deep for brim/yellow bass/ so I can catch them on my lite fly rods; another example; youre on the bank below lake texoma dam; you want to catch the stripers in the river but you can only cast 65 feet; thyre holding about 95 feet out; so you load up your rod with a shooting head which you can now cast 105 feet or better; two handers can probably go 125 to 150 feet out; if they were hitting the top you would use a floating head; if youre throwing a clouser you would use a sinker; maybe not the best example but I'm not overly brilliant!!!!-p-

Good answers. I called Rio lines to get their opinion. I sort of felt dumb but oh well. LOL!

I know how to catch these bass on regular rods year round, but trying to achieve the same results with a fly rod is challenging. Especially after they go deep.

I think I settled on this line. http://www.rioproducts.com/fly-lines/saltwater/tropical/outbound-short/

I can use it and attach it to my standard backing. Get going and on the water.

I told the guy what I was fishing and how....he suggested the 1.5ips.

I have found in the years, if fish are hitting the top, they will crush a bait under the surface even faster. (Typical bass fishing with standard rods). I'm more about catching than seeing a topwater hit.

Now the next trick is how to avoid my wife seeing this purchase!

Thank y'all! It's very helpful, learning every day.

I learned so much the last few days (from these post). I told my wife I haven't learned so much in a short time since I was in school. It made my head hurt and made me dizzy at times trying to figure out all this terminology. LOL!

Good stuff!

I just read this article, It helps a bit. But at the end, I am confused about those #: 15gr, 17gr, 20gr. How you make shooting head this light?

http://www.guideline.no/Power+Taper+on+a+single+hand+rod.9UFRrG21.ips

Part of the confusion is that this article has listed the weight in "grams", but the more common unit of measure for a fly line is "grains".


Here's a link the standard fly line sizes, note that there are different standards for one handed and two handed lines:


http://www.affta.com/member-services/industry-standards/

Thank you so much RexW. Now I can understand what he was talking about. It makes thing much easier, and I know what I need to make my purchase.