Airflo Skagit Comp F.I.S.T. Shooting Head

Taking inspiration from legendary Northwest steelhead guide Brian Silvey, Airflo's Skagit F.I.S.T. (Floating + Intermediate + Sink Tip) Shooting Head Fly Line is a Skagit head with a unique construction that lets you fish deeper and slower, so you can successfully swing through those holes where other heads might fail to produce. Integrating three different densities of polyurethane into one, the Skagit F.I.S.T. Shooting Head begins with a floating section at the rear to effectively start the cast and assist in tracking your line during the swing. It then transitions into an intermediate section that breaks the surface of the water so that the sink tip can get deep throughout the whole swing. A well-considered design, the F.I.S.T. series of Skagit heads will also work with your favorite sink tip, and regardless of how you fish it, it's a head that you'll want in your wallet, whether you're swinging the two-hander on the Columbia or the Salmon River.

Features

Power Core, Flexi Loops, and Line Tag - Airflo gives their Skagit F.I.S.T. Heads a complex construction and then backs it up with an assortment of their own technologies to really set it apart from the rest. Beginning with their Power Core tech, this Skagit head has a strong composition that prevents stretch and memory, all while increasing sensitivity so that you don't miss a strike. From there, Airflo utilizes its Flexi Loop technology that uses actual fly line at the core of each welded loop--this increases strength and gives a bombproof loop. Finally, to prevent those on-the-water headaches, the F.I.S.T. heads have Airflo's Line Tag identification system so that you know exactly what head to choose when you're at the best run of the day, and even better, each density has its own color to take any guesswork out of the picture.

Uses

Large Streamers and Spey Flies - Airflo designed their F.I.S.T. collection for swinging flies deep, and while you can choose just about any streamer or Spey fly in your box, this head will handle large, heavy flies quite well. Its construction gets the head to tip down and gives excellent connectivity throughout the swing. This makes those large, flowing flies like Intruders a great choice. From traditional Spey flies to bulky streamers, you can count on the Skagit F.I.S.T. Shooting Heads to deliver and present them all with ease.

Temp

Cold/Moderate - Airflo actually rates their Skagit F.I.S.T. Heads to about 86 degrees, and while you won't be finding any steelhead or salmon in those water temperatures, it's nice to know that you won't need to worry about this Skagit head softening up. However, with a lower limit of 23 degrees, you can confidently take the F.I.S.T. heads to just about any winter steelhead destination around.

Taper/Weight

More Mass Toward the Front of the Head - Made in a collection of sizes, Airflo begins this family of lines at 450 grains and extends it all the way to 720, bumping each head weight up by 30 grains until you reach 600 grains, when the bump increases to 60 grains. Built with three separate densities and a dense front, this Skagit head seamlessly transitions from a floating rear into an intermediate middle section, and finishes off with a sink tip front. This unique design allows for easy shooting while creating a straight line from the tip of your rod all the way to your fly.

More Info

Best for: Freshwater, Trout Spey, and Steelhead

Loops: Front welded loop (leader or sink tip to fly line connection) and back welded loop (running line to shooting head connection)

Sinking/Floating: Floating/intermediate/sink tip

Other Resources

2020 Tropical Saltwater Fly Line Shootout & Buyer's Guide

Fly Line Temps: Tropical Vs. Coldwater

Freshwater Fly Line Shootout & Buyer's Guide