Rogue River and Southern Oregon Fly Fishing Guide: Triple Density Scandi Heads will open up your Winter Steelhead Game!

Winter Steelhead...The Ultimate Steelhead Adventure.
Get prepared, with the right gear!

Why hasn’t the multi density scandi heads caught on? There are several manufacturers that make them, but for some reason there aren't a ton of people using them.

The first advantage I see from these heads is how much control they give you. My FHI (floating, hover, intermediate) swings so straight. There are none of those surface squiggles that the surface currents put in floating lines. This means you are always in direct contact with your fly, not some eddy, or current seam that’s demanding your attention. The FHI allows me to swim the fly where I want it and “Hold” it there for a much longer time.

The second reason is stealth! If your breaking the surface at the head to running line connection, your keeping the telltale "V" of the floating line away from the fish. With a floating scandi that "v" is at the head to header connection, and in "spooky clear" water you'll put down fish. Also lines that ride just under the surface don't cast as big of a shadow as ones that ride on top.

The third and most important reason is they will keep your fly in the water longer. There are times when you don't need to cast huge flies but you need to get them down so you throw on the Skagit and tips. The Skagit is a necessary part of your winter fishing, but for those times when you’re throwing small flies it hinders your efficiency. Think about it, you’re making three times the movements for a typical Skagit style cast over a snake roll or single spey. All of those movements and setup are taking your fishing time. When your casting to a fish of 1000 cast it all counts. My S123 rids on a straight line as deep as a floating Skagit and 10' of t11, yet I am able to fish traditional steelhead sized flies much more efficiently. With my s135 I can go even deeper.

The fourth reason I love my triple density Scandis is that they swing so much slower. again if you have 30' of head under the water it creates more friction on the line hence a slower swing. In the cold temps of winter I am looking for the slowest presentation possible, as the fish react slower in cold water.

Those are the reasons I have switched my fishing over to the triple density scandis and I am really surprised they haven't caught on for the most part.

Sure they don't replace Skagit lines, but what they have added to my steelhead game has been invaluable, I'm not sure I could live without mine now.