You've got the first part right: the VersiTip is an integrated line system, comprising the body and an array of different tips that are matched to the weight of the line. The standard Rio VerstiTip has 15' tips, whereas the Short VersiTip kit has 10' and is therefore suitable for short rods. You can also, and often will, attach a polyleader of whatever weight to the end of the VersiTip line before adding the final mono tippet section.

The AFS is a one piece line with a fine front taper than the Scandi VersiTip. Again, you will usually attach a polyleader to the AFS. The advantage of the AFS is that it gives a slightly more gentle presentation of the fly. The disadvantages are that you don't get the flexibility of the VersiTip system and it's less good at shifting and turning over heavier flies than the Scandi.

Many anglers fish happily with a plain line - AFS or Scandi - with polyleaders rather than going for the more expensive VersiTip option. This covers the majority of fishing scenarios. The VersiTip arrangement is useful if you need to achieve more depth and turn over heavier flies.

 

I still come across anglers trying to use their trusty AFS with fast sinking polys and heavy tubes and they're wondering why it's a b'ugger to cast. The AFS is a great head, but horses for courses. They'd be better using something like the Rage head which will happily carry that sort of set-up.

Being a tackle tart -ish. I have some of the Rio Scandi Kits too

 

thanks MCX. I hope the fish appreciate such complexity.

 

The afs had a multi-tip version called the tracker. Same line with 15ft cut of the front to allow a tip.

The new generation, the scandi (afs replacement) and the svt. ( scandi versi tip). The tracker replacement.

The svt is giving you the multiple line options, whole lot of options to be had and for me a cracking versatile line. Yes alot of money for one line, but say£150 for the svt
Equivalent 5 or 6 individual lines to match at £60a pop? £360 makes the svt a bargain.

 

Just to confuse things even further , there was also a non multi tip Tracker.

 

Yes, an orange/red coloured Afs floater.

 

Just to confuse things yet further, there was a multi-tip tracker body. I’ve got one in my box of (far too many) salmon lines.

 

Just to confuse things yet further, there was a multi-tip tracker body. I've got one in my box of (far too many) salmon lines.

Yup.
so have I ?

 

Don’t forget the multi tip Windcutter too? Think that was the progenitor of ‘em all

 

I think I will go back to a bit of bamboo and a length of string.
But seriously I'm stirring towards a Skagit for heavy tips/flies and a scandi versi tip for lighter (shallow) fishing. (13'7" rod).

 

Nice summary of Skagit line history:

https://flyfishusa.com/skagit-lines.aspx

 

Rio AFS has the best presentation out of all the Rio Scandi heads. Lovely to cast. Great for doubles in low/clear water.
Rio Scandi Versitip is great for tubes where depth is needed. Presentation is a lot better with a 5ft poly added on the end if using smaller tubes.

Plenty of options for a variety of conditions.

Cheers Diarmid.

 

Personally I prefer the scandi outbound which is fully intergrated head and running line. I have this year been trying galeforces version and I think it’s as good if not better!

 

Personally I prefer the scandi outbound which is fully intergrated head and running line. I have this year been trying galeforces version and I think it's as good if not better!

I actually have a scandi outbound in 10/11. I've not had a chance to use it much but have used it a few times. Is the consensus that it would handle very fast sinking tips? Or would I be better with a rage ?
Thank you

jamie

 

Anybody use the LTS SCSS Shooting Head Multi Tip System? I wonder who makes the LTS lines?

 

The tracker was primarily intended as an instructional aid, though no doubt it's also handy for the visually challenged.

 

That the bright orange one ? If so i got one with a reel i bought and wasnt keen a it felt heavy so gave it away.

Sent from my SM-G981B using Tapatalk

 

Didn't get on with the outbound so gave mine away this year but find the scandi versatip perfect for nearly all my needs with good distance, presentation and turnover and the ability to change for the conditions....don't like skagit lines at all really haven't found them to be any better in rough conditions than the scandi and definitely lacking in presentation and finesse .. I'd rather delicate single Spey than tear up water to punch out a splashy line.

 

don't like skagit lines at all really haven't found them to be any better in rough conditions than the scandi and definitely lacking in presentation and finesse .. I'd rather delicate single Spey than tear up water to punch out a splashy line.

Off the Rio Grande in Jan, so skagit is a must given that the wind will be ripping the water off the river. Plus most of the time we will be using T14 and heavier. I have order a Rio Scandi versitip so hopefully will get some calmer times to try it out.

 

The AFS is my goto SH and Ive tried a good few others, albeit not recent impersonators tbh.
But to get the best all round use out of an AFS, especially if you like adding tips to it, then you should trim its fine front end back to approx 1.5mm in thickness.
This might mean taking of a few feet if the front end but I got this info from Springer years ago and what a difference it made.
You then can add whatever tip you want which it will handle much better - and it does.
imho

 

The AFS is my goto SH and Ive tried a good few others, albeit not recent impersonators tbh.
But to get the best all round use out of an AFS, especially if you like adding tips to it, then you should trim its fine front end back to approx 1.5mm in thickness.
This might mean taking of a few feet if the front end but I got this info from Springer years ago and what a difference it made.
You then can add whatever tip you want which it will handle much better - and it does.
imho

Hi Kingfisher, I guess that is 1.5 metres removed. I was thinking this might be a good way forward, but always dislike cutting nice lines. I have a veritip coming so will see if this provides solution. If not its out with the scissors.

 

Do Rio make bad lines ? I’ve got a mixture of afs lines intermediate hover and floating,outbound floating and intermediate and have not long bought a 9# scandi short which I like every bit as much as the afs lines

 

Do Rio make bad lines ? I've got a mixture of afs lines intermediate hover and floating,outbound floating and intermediate and have not long bought a 9# scandi short which I like every bit as much as the afs lines

I have been trying different line, including rio, airflo, and mackenzie, and its interesting how your casting style can soon accommodate different lines. My first efforts with a Mackenzie DTX Shooting Head were horrible, but after two or three sessions it gives a very nice soft deliver. It is also clear (to a novice) that certain lines favour certain types of casts, so the scandi length lines, like the AFS favour a single spey, not a snap T, in contrast to the skagit.

 

The AFS is a presentation line, it's forte is a tapered leader and reasonable sized flee.The original model was quite bad with anything above a green poly. and a medium small ish brass tube.
Back then, the perceived wisdom was to trim the fine front taper back so the line would cope better with the full range of polys. and more in the way of brass/copper/ conehead tubes etc.
Rio then modified the line and made it better with polys. and heavier flee's and thats where it is today.
Right from the off, its a very good line, but keep it in it's range of effectiveness. Last thing I'd do is to spend Rio prices worth on a line and start cutting it. If you need a better all round floater, then buy a better suited line.
I had two of the original AFS lines, good at time they were, but they fell short as all rounders.I got shut and bought Guideline heads, not quite as delicate on presentation, but they'll turn over any poly and most flies in my box. And!, they're cheaper too!.
I also feel, some folk aren't quite sure what constitutes a "Tip" on a fly line.I expect any floater of a Salmon nature to cast and turn over poly tips and a reasonable weighted tube fly- maybe 1" copper.
That will cope with a lot of circumstances for my fishing certainly!. However I wouldn't expect most Salmon floating heads to cast and turn over 15ft multi tips when they're simply tacked on the end, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!. If you want to cast and present 15ft multi tips, then I'd expect to purchase a multi tip line for that very use!, if I wanted to cast and turn over T stuff and real heavy flies- then I'd buy a Skagit line.
One more vital thing to consider is, Rio are the master's of confusion in their products, all to simply cloud the water and sell more of their stuff.
Ask yourself this one question, who would you rather buy a "Scandi Shooting Head " from, an American firm who have differing products with confusingly similar names, charging top price purely to get you spending dollars their way on an Americanised version of a concept, or a Scandinavian firm who more or less invented and popularised the current "Scandinavian " approach ( along with other Scandi companies it has to be said ) who give you what you want right out of the box and in all honesty have forgotten more than Jim Vincent and co. will ever know about the " Scandi" concept, what it means and how to fish it!.
I'd trust Leif Stavmo at Guideline, the Loop Hierarchy or the guys at Vision every single time over Jim Vincent when it comes to knowledge of the "Scandi" way of fishing.
There , rant over, I don't dislike Rio products at all, I think choice is a wonderfull thing and at least there's products out there for all of us to fulfil our Salmon fishing needs.Yes, I do own an AFS, very much horses for course's in my view. Rio's marketing strategy?, now thats a different matter.
Pedro.

 

Thanks Pedro all very good points, but you have to admit that Rio do have the lovely Simon Gawesworth pushing their stuff nicely

 

Didn't get on with the outbound so gave mine away this year but find the scandi versatip perfect for nearly all my needs with good distance, presentation and turnover and the ability to change for the conditions....don't like skagit lines at all really haven't found them to be any better in rough conditions than the scandi and definitely lacking in presentation and finesse .. I'd rather delicate single Spey than tear up water to punch out a splashy line.

I totally agree with your comments about a Skagit, I bought one and I don't use it , as it offers me very little over the sandi outbound and which just suits me for 99% of the time! Surprised you didn't like the outbound tbh.

 

The AFS is a presentation line, it's forte is a tapered leader and reasonable sized flee.The original model was quite bad with anything above a green poly. and a medium small ish brass tube.
Back then, the perceived wisdom was to trim the fine front taper back so the line would cope better with the full range of polys. and more in the way of brass/copper/ conehead tubes etc.
Rio then modified the line and made it better with polys. and heavier flee's and thats where it is today.
Right from the off, its a very good line, but keep it in it's range of effectiveness. Last thing I'd do is to spend Rio prices worth on a line and start cutting it. If you need a better all round floater, then buy a better suited line.
I had two of the original AFS lines, good at time they were, but they fell short as all rounders.I got shut and bought Guideline heads, not quite as delicate on presentation, but they'll turn over any poly and most flies in my box. And!, they're cheaper too!.
I also feel, some folk aren't quite sure what constitutes a "Tip" on a fly line.I expect any floater of a Salmon nature to cast and turn over poly tips and a reasonable weighted tube fly- maybe 1" copper.
That will cope with a lot of circumstances for my fishing certainly!. However I wouldn't expect most Salmon floating heads to cast and turn over 15ft multi tips when they're simply tacked on the end, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!. If you want to cast and present 15ft multi tips, then I'd expect to purchase a multi tip line for that very use!, if I wanted to cast and turn over T stuff and real heavy flies- then I'd buy a Skagit line.
One more vital thing to consider is, Rio are the master's of confusion in their products, all to simply cloud the water and sell more of their stuff.
Ask yourself this one question, who would you rather buy a "Scandi Shooting Head " from, an American firm who have differing products with confusingly similar names, charging top price purely to get you spending dollars their way on an Americanised version of a concept, or a Scandinavian firm who more or less invented and popularised the current "Scandinavian " approach ( along with other Scandi companies it has to be said ) who give you what you want right out of the box and in all honesty have forgotten more than Jim Vincent and co. will ever know about the " Scandi" concept, what it means and how to fish it!.
I'd trust Leif Stavmo at Guideline, the Loop Hierarchy or the guys at Vision every single time over Jim Vincent when it comes to knowledge of the "Scandi" way of fishing.
There , rant over, I don't dislike Rio products at all, I think choice is a wonderfull thing and at least there's products out there for all of us to fulfil our Salmon fishing needs.Yes, I do own an AFS, very much horses for course's in my view. Rio's marketing strategy?, now thats a different matter.
Pedro.

Suits me ok and handles tips better for fairly long casts on the Tay/Spey etc.