The ECHO Skagit Compact G2 Shooting Head is a premium floating shooting head designed for Skagit casting with large flies, heavy sink tips, and bulky intruder patterns. Created by Tom Larimer and Tim Rajeff, this second-generation line delivers powerful, accurate casts with minimal effort — ideal for Atlantic salmon on Scottish and Norwegian rivers, sea trout on Scandinavian and Baltic waters, pike on northern European lakes, and steelhead. Available in four grain weights from 450 to 750 grains, manufactured by Airflo to exacting standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ECHO Skagit Compact G2 Shooting Head?
The ECHO Skagit Compact G2 is a premium floating Skagit shooting head designed for casting large flies, heavy sink tips, and bulky intruder patterns with minimal effort. Created by Tom Larimer and Tim Rajeff, this second-generation line features a shorter overall length with extended rear taper for tighter loops, a high-floating blue rear section for effortless mending, and a denser tip section that drives further with reduced hinging. Manufactured by Airflo to premium standards.
Why choose a Skagit Compact head rather than a Scandi head?
Skagit heads are designed for power — casting large flies, heavy sink tips, and bulky intruder patterns that a Scandi head cannot turn over. The compact design generates powerful casts in tight spaces, making it ideal for confined rivers, overgrown banks, and anywhere traditional Spey casting is difficult. Choose Skagit when you need to get large flies deep in heavy water; choose Scandi when finesse and delicate presentation are the priority.
What makes the G2 different from other Skagit lines?
The G2 is the second-generation refinement of the original Skagit Compact — shorter overall length with an extended rear taper for tighter loops and superior control, a high-floating blue rear section that makes mending and line management effortless, and a denser tip section that drives further with reduced hinging for powerful, accurate presentations. The result is a line that casts big rigs with less effort and more control than first-generation Skagit heads.
Which European waters and species suit the ECHO Skagit Compact G2 best?
The Skagit Compact G2 excels on Scottish and Irish spate rivers for Atlantic salmon with large tube flies and intruder patterns in high water, Norwegian and Icelandic salmon rivers in spring and autumn conditions, Scandinavian and Baltic sea trout rivers with heavy sink tips, large northern European pike lakes and rivers with bulky streamer flies, and any European water where large flies and heavy tips demand a powerful, compact Skagit setup.
What sink tips work best with the ECHO Skagit Compact G2?
The G2 is designed to turn over heavy sink tips with authority — T8 and T11 tips for deep pools and fast currents in high water, lighter T6 tips for medium-depth runs in lower water, and polyleaders for more delicate presentations when conditions allow. The compact head design handles all of these with less effort than longer Skagit heads, making it particularly effective in confined casting spaces.
Which grain weight do I need?
Match the grain weight to your rod's recommended Skagit grain window:
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450 grain (29g) — 23ft/7m — suits 7–8 weight rods
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630 grain (41g) — 25ft/7.6m — suits 8–9 weight rods
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720 grain (46g) — 26ft/7.9m — suits 9–10 weight rods
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750 grain (48g) — 26ft/7.9m — suits 10–11 weight rods
Is the ECHO Skagit Compact G2 available with worldwide shipping?
Yes — the ECHO Skagit Compact G2 Shooting Head is available from Balticflyfisher with worldwide shipping. Whether you are fishing Scottish rivers for Atlantic salmon, Norwegian fjord rivers in spring, or Scandinavian sea trout waters in autumn, Balticflyfisher delivers to your door across Europe and beyond.
