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PNW Spey Lines - Testimonials
Greg Pearson - TH Caster, Line Designer, and Artist
I first tried the PNW Scandi Pro on a trip a couple years ago. Normally I prefer Spey lines over shooting heads, but this time I was fishing a 55’ head Spey line to wake a dry fly. The line was a bit long for the upper river so I made a quick switch to the PNW Scandi to give it a go. The super smooth turn over and loop shape was impressive even with large, brushy, waking flies. Short casts, long casts, it really did it all beautifully. For long casts you find the sweet spot to hold on to, the long rear taper, and let it go. I could cast the shooting line as far as my ability to manage allowed. The more I fished the line, the more it became my absolute favorite Scandi style line for drys and grease line.
Maybe even more impressive is how well the line works as a teaching line. My wife is a new Spey caster and doesn’t get to practice or fish much. I gave her a few tips and helped her find the sweet spot to hold the line and let her do her thing. 5 minutes later I was digging out my camera to video her casts. Easy, beautiful loops out across the run. I was both impressed with her casting and the line. Soon she was shooting 20’ of line and was rewarded with her first Atlantic Salmon (see photo).
Whether you have been a Spey junkie for 30 years or just learning, consider giving the PNW Scandi Pro line a try. I believe you will be impressed and most importantly, really enjoy the casting.
Fishing Adventures with PNW Spey Lines
Bill Higashi - Master Instructor from Japan
If I had had this line when I started Spey casting, I would be a better caster, and more quickly. In the late 1990s, I didn't know what I was doing, because the technical information and product choice was very limited. I confess that I bought and trashed more lines than I should have, hoping for the right one.
The PNW Spey line is one of the best for me now as an instructor, an angler, and a learner. This line has a lot of versatility and lets you cast in many styles, which makes it a great line for all levels of casters, including beginners. The line rolls out smoothly and communicates to you the right feel of control. If you make a mistake in the casting stroke, the loop shows it honestly --- which is indispensable for improvement! With a light poly leader tied to Dunkeld pattern, I'm going to use it next spring to swing for cherry salmon in my home country.
Thanks Rick and Todd!
Review of PNW Spey Lines
Review by Swing the Fly
See the review of PNW Spey Lines by Zack Williams, Editor, Swing the Fly Magazine and Anthology, January 29, 2024.
https://swingthefly.com/new-speyline-quick-look-pnw-scandi-pro/
PNW Spey Lines is a new boutique line maker head up by two THCI certified spey casting instructors, Todd Somsel and Rick Williams.
Their initial line offering is the PNW Scandi Pro Shooting Head, a “scandi-long” style head, which features a uniquely long rear taper which transitions into a “holding line” and then a loop connection to add your preferred running line.
The line I tested was the 7-weight version listed at 525 grains and 40 feet. Rick and Todd noted that the line is a little heavier than many scandi heads aimed at 7-weight spey rods, but that in the longer length they’d found this weight to be appropriate. After testing, I can confirm that in my opinion this was the proper weight for my test 7-weight rod (Winston B2X 13’3″ 7-wt).
The main head is a pleasing pale/mint green, while the rear taper and holding line are a black color, which makes determining a consistent hold point for casting fairly simple. I found the line to cast well with the color transition anywhere from in the guides to up to eight feet or more out of the tip — which is a reflection of a longer back taper and allows a lot of flexibility for the end user.
Listed at a 40′ head but also featuring the holding line, I measured out a few things: the length to the color change (40′), and to where the bulk of the rear taper ends, in the black holding line (approx 43′). I forgot to measure the total holding line length, but it’s long enough to have the entire head outside the guides by 5-6′ and still be holding black line — so I’d guess there’s 20′ or so of black holding line before the loop, where you add a shooting line of your choosing.
I found the most noteworthy quality of these lines to be excellent turnover — which is a quality that cannot be overvalued. The taper is refined and turns over with authority and no noticeable hinging or tendency to crumble. That’s something I am picky about and these do great. And I don’t think any caster used to a shorter scandi will find these longer ones more difficult to cast.
This is an interesting line offering — something different with the holding line, which will certainly appeal to those who have trouble gripping mono and other fine diameter running lines. The positive turnover makes it a great fishing line for both new and seasoned casters alike.
I’ve never been one to like a long back taper or a holding line, but after trying this one, I can see why some people would.
The PNW Scandi Pro is an interesting new offering, different than a lot of what was already available with the holding line, and provides easy and consistent turnover.
