Shooting head
Also called head system, shooting head system
A shooting head is a short, heavy front section of fly line that’s cast with a thin running line behind it, usually connected with loops.
- Group
- Fly lines
- Category
- Gear & tackle
- Level
- Advanced
- Water
- Fresh & salt
Last updated
What Shooting head means
Separate the fly line into two parts: the head and the running line. The head is the thick, weighted section that carries the rod load and turns over the leader. The running line is thin and slick so it shoots through the guides with less friction.
Shooting heads are common in two-handed and single-hand systems for sink tips, fast-sinking heads, and big flies. You cast the head, then let the running line slip to gain distance. Heads are often swapped to change sink rate or grain weight without changing the whole line.
Connections are usually loop-to-loop, so the head can be changed quickly. Some anglers build custom heads by cutting and looping line, others buy heads that match a specific rod and application.
Why it matters on the water
A head system lets you tune depth and turnover without re-spooling a new full line. That is useful when one day calls for a floating head and the next calls for a sink tip, or when wind and fly size push you toward a heavier head.
It also changes how line management feels. Thin running line tangles more easily and can be harder to control around rocks, brush, or a crowded boat, but it carries distance with less effort once the cast is set up.
Read next
- Fly lineThe fly line is the thick, weighted line that loads the fly rod and carries the cast. It connects the reel and backing to the leader.
- Loop-to-loop connectionA loop-to-loop connection joins two lines by passing each loop through the other, then pulling tight. It is commonly used to attach a leader to a looped fly line or a sink tip to a running line.
- Running lineThe running line is the thin, level section behind a fly line’s head. It carries little weight, and its job is to shoot through the guides for distance.
- Sink tipA sink tip is a fly line with a floating rear section and a sinking front section. It helps get flies down while keeping the cast and line control of a floating line.