Rio AFS lines on 12'6" rods

[craigspey]

 Not much going on here on the Salmon River so I thought I'd start this thread.

 A few years back I picked up a NOS Sage XP 6126-5 & a Rio AFS 6/7 400g. This was the recomended A line on Rio's site. Added the 10' floating VersiLeader + a 15' factory leader. Worked very will with nice tight loops. Later I cast the same line without the 60g versiLeader & liked it even more. A little light for single spey casts, so I went up to the 7/8 AFS 460g & equaled the grains of the 6/7 with the Versileader. Again I liked it very much so I found used 8126-3 lined it the same way going to the B line without the VersiLeader. It also was a fine casting rod.

 Having liked the 12'6" rods so much with AFS heads without any tips (VersiLeader) I picked up a Redington Prospector 6126-4 & Sage TCX 7126-4, the Death Star!With these two rods I'm finding the AFS lines hard to turn over without using the A lines + the VresiLeaders. By the using the B lines - (minus) the VersiLeaders hasen't giving me the good results I had with the XPs!

 My wounders are why the XPs @ 12'6" like the shorter heads yet the Redington & DeathStar seem to like the longer versions with the VersiLeaders attached! Has anyone out here run into similar situations?

[dnroch]

The slower the actions of the rods, the better the AFS line performs (or at least that is what I am seeing from my MKS, Temple Fork, Echo DEC Hogan 1). The rods that have the faster tips and more powerful mid sections are really needing to be over-lined (at least to function properly) with the AFS lines or heads. Flyfish USA is clearing out the AFS heads not for 30 bucks plus shipping. I personally have 2 rods that like that line, and I am going to grab 2.

[craigspey]

I happen to agree with you to some extent. No dought the Death Star is a quick stick in the same respect so is the TCR. Having the 8123-4 I find the A & B AFS lines work well as on the XP's. Also fast sticks. Am using them with no tips as full floating heads.
I did find if I went up one line weight the new rods cast better, a C line if you will. What has got me is the XP & TCR don't need the extra grains of the tips & cast well with A & B lines. The Prospector & Death Star wimp out & the leader falls instead of turning over. I bought both the new rods based on the fact I already had the recomended lines.
The Death Star seems to work fine with the Steelhead Scandi's in both A & B. Of course I'm using the tips for these!
The Prospector is just a weird animal, with a fast tip & heavy butt! Really has me puzzled. After using Skaget,Scandis & a WindCutter I'm still stumped as to what this rod is good at. Yet to try are the old school Skaget, UniSpey & a PowerSpey. Don't really like using Mid bellies on the little 12'6" rods though. Prospector was for me to have a rod that will be easy to start a new castor on in summer flows. Funny thing is I got a CPX switch last year for the same reason & with a Scandi Short B line it seem to cast itself. Guess I expected the Prospector would be as good.