Spey-Jedi, Ed Ward was one of the
first of a Light group of hardcore anglers that began utilizing
such tips in the late 1990s/ early 2000 period. Mike McCune and
Scott ODonnell had been using custom-made Cheaters as length
compensators for short T-14 tips on both the Oregon Coast as
well as their Grande Ronde fall guide season. Over the course of
the last 10 years, other folks have gotten onto this concept via
the 3 Amigos allowing the Secret Society to build their own
chop-shop product. This concept was needed to overcome the
boomerang effect of fishing 2.5 to 7.5 sinktips that were
attached directly to a Skagit or even a Windcutter type head.
The integrated floating portion provides a buffer of smoothness
making casting such short tips feasible, smooth and effective.
Usage. To quote Mike McCune: "One of
the primary reasons for our adherence to Skagit principles is
its unmatched versatility under a broad range of fishing
applications. Not all good steelhead water is of a classic
format. Indeed, some of my best water is anything but classic.
Basalt ledges punctuated by large boulders defines many of my
go-to spots. This is where the short tip excels. Having the
capability to swing the fly through the zone with proper speed
is very difficult if not impossible when using standard length
sinking tips. Often, I can consider that I am steering the fly
through this type of water as much as swimming it. One of the
most difficult aspects confronting the sunken fly angler is
developing the ability to see the imaginable third dimension
that exists below the water surface. I think that these tips
help greatly in regard to learning this. Other examples of the
use of short tips would be clear water extreme angle
presentations, shallow tail-outs and enhanced depth penetration
under summer/fall conditions."
Other uses for the M.O.W. system would be Light-stream pocket
water, along with boulder patches (Oregon Coast/Olympic
Peninsula/SE Alaska), deep frog-water steelhead runs that have
always proved problematic to the standard sink-tip approach,
Alaskan slough-edge king and silver water along with general
high-water soft edges. M.O.W. tips in all sizes are now
standard for fishing in cold water.
M.O.W. System Kits and Individual Pieces. Available now the M.O.W. Kits
and individual tips as follows
Kits All T-8, T-11, T-14 & T-17 Kits, $149.95/kit retail complete with
wallet consisting of:
2.5 x 7.5 M.O.W.
5 x 5 M.O.W.
7.5 x 2.5 M.O.W.
Both 10 & 12 Double-Looped Sinking tips
10 Floating Tip
In addition to the full-on kits, any of the individual M.O.W.,
10 or 12 sinktips and specialized floating tips, can be
purchased individually. Prices ranges from $19.95 (10 floating,
10 sinking, 12 sinking) to $24.95 (M.O.W. tip).
Mike McCune
Mike goes on to say, "First of all my involvement fishing short
tips is somewhat recent, the last seven, eight years or so. I
don't know for certain how long Ed has been using them, but I'm
reasonably confident in saying that he evolved into the short
tip game way before that. Up to that time we (Scott and I)
had been using custom made cheaters as length compensators for
our short T-14 tips, and while these worked very well the
integrated version looked very clean and cool (can't overlook
the cool factor), so I started building them for myself and my
clients. Loved 'em. Fast forward to the Grande Rhonde, morning
"guide shack b.s. session" where Scott, Ed, and Mike are
discussing potential new and unrealized products. What about
integrated sink-tips? And why not a shorter floating tip. And
you listened. The criteria that I use to decide on what density
of T-material to use is very simple - size and weight of the
fly. Large, heavy, and air-resistant flies require T-14 or even
T-17. Moderately
sized, light to zero weight flies, I use T-11. Light, diminutive
cute ones, T-8. I could, of course use T-14 for all of them but
why would I? Rods that cast a belly weight of 275-425 grains are
much more fun with the lighter T-tips. The differential in sink
rate isn't all that important to me. Why put water in your tires
at the drag race?" Scott ODonnell
Scott O'Donnell says, "I like what Mike has written. I would
just add that as far as what grain weight heads to use for which
tips (or vice versa) there's going to be a large overlap. For
example, I put the 5 and 5 T-11 tip on a 750 and it performed
adequately enough. If I had to put together a guide together for
this right now (which apparently I do) it would look like this:
T-8 tips: 475 grain heads and under
T-11 tips: 425 to 625 grain heads.
T-14 tips: 475 grain heads and on up. T-17 tips: 550 grain
heads and on up.
That being said, I agree with Mike that the most important
factor is the fly being used. Also, I've been guiding quite a
bit and using these tips on my dudes rods, and I've used caster
skill level to determine which tip to use. In other words, if a
guy isn't a very good caster and he's using a 550 grain head
I'll go with the T-11 tip over the T-14. Ed Ward
Ed Ward says, "My recommendations on the tips are in-line with
everyone else's. It's a combination of fly size and rod
designation. As per fly size - T-8 for Light, low resistance
flies, generally under size 4. T-11 for medium sized, medium
resistance flies, generally size 4 to 1/0. T-14 for large, high
resistance flies, 1/0 and larger. T-17 for bulky & heavy flies. This in conjunction with rod ratings - T-8 for rods
rated 4, 5, and 6. T-11 for rods rated 6, 7, and 8. T-14 for
rods rated 7, 8, 9 and higher. T-17 for 8-weight and larger
rods.
That's the "simple" version. Of course it can be overlapped
by quite a bit according to the design of the line and ability
of the caster. For instance, certain lengths of T-14 CAN be cast
on a 4 weight Spey/Switch if the belly being used is of a short
enough configuration to create enough "concentration of
mass/weight" on a per foot basis to match or exceed that of the
T-14."
MOW
Tip, T-14,
2.5 Sinking x 7.5 Floating M.O.W.
Heavy
T-14
$24.95
21873
MOW Tip, T-14,
5 Sinking x 5 Floating M.O.W.
Heavy
T-14
$24.95
21874
MOW Tip, T-14, 7.5 Sinking x 2.5 Floating M.O.W. Tip
Heavy
T-14
$24.95
21875
MOW Tip, T-14, 10 Double-Looped Sinking Tip
Heavy
T-14
$19.95
21876
MOW Tip, T-14, 12.5 Double-Looped Sinking Tip
Heavy
T-14
$19.95
21870
Complete MOW Kit
Heavy
T-14
$149.95
M.O.W. Tips Size Extra Heavy, for
Skagit Heads 575-grains and larger.
Loop Color and Floating Line Color: Light Blue, Sinking Portions
= T-14, Sink Rate = 9 ips.
The Fly Fishing Shop, Welches, OR