DEPARTMENT

Running & Shooting Lines

Pair your shooting head with a running line that suits how you cast and fish. Whether you’re swinging for steelhead, fishing Trout Spey, or building a single-hand Skagit setup, your running line affects line handling and how easily line shoots through the guides.

➤ Choosing a Running or Shooting Line

A separate running line connects your backing to your shooting head. With loop-to-loop connections, you can change heads while keeping the same running line on your reel—useful for Skagit, Scandi, and other shooting-head systems.

  • Mono shooting lines: Thin and slick for low-friction shooting. Grip, stiffness, and line memory vary by model and diameter.
  • Coated running lines: Offer a familiar fly-line feel. Their larger diameter can make them easier to grip than thin mono, particularly in wet or cold conditions.

Consider diameter, breaking strength, and how comfortably you can grip and manage the line. If you fish an integrated line, its running line is already attached—you won’t need a separate one.

Need help choosing? Call Gorge Fly Shop at 541-386-6977. We’ll help match a running line to your head, rod, and fishing style.

RIO Elite Metered Shooting Line with alternating color sections and welded loops