The Monteith Speycaster Multi-System 10/11 is a multi-tip/multi-head Speyline which offers the angler several tactical permutations in one package. The line is the brainchild of Tay gillie, Jock Monteith, and has a growing fan base since its release in September 2006.

Recently, I was contemplating the purchase of at least two new lines, a new reel and spools, which for most us in January is a daunting financial prospect. I had heard glowing reports of the Monteith’s prowess and was fortunate enough to have one to try for a week in the early spring. I liked it and bought one, confident that it would cover most situations well (and save me money). I am even more convinced it was money well spent.

For me, two things make the Monteith stand out from the crowd: it is a lovely line to cast with and it is highly versatile. In addition to the range of densities one would expect with a multi-tip system, the Monteith also assists the angler navigate the treacherous world of selecting the correct head length. The machismo of head-length all too often trumps the practical needs and casting ability of the angler, which can be an expensive lesson to learn. The Monteith’s variable head lengths enables the angler to select a head most appropriate to his needs. Circumstance and ability can be married at last.

The Monteith costs £125, and for that you get a blue speyline, looped at both ends with a black head marker to the rear of the 53’ head. This is the keystone for the rest of the set up which comes in a wallet containing eight braided core tips, these come with ready made neat loops at each end: four are 10’ with a light blue collar and four are 15’ long with a dark blue collar. It may seem obvious, but it is worth noting that the line requires at least one tip to be added to function properly. The tips can be used to create head lengths of 63’ (10’ tip), 68’(15’ tip) and 78’ (15’ floater plus an additional 10’ tip).

Tips range from floater (blue, zero-sink rate), intermediate (green, 1.5” per second), fast sink (dark brown, 3” per second) and extra-fast sink (dark grey, 7” second sec). Interestingly, the box cites twelve applications, but I make it 16. While it was not designed with this in mind, I have used the 78’ head by combining the 15’ fast with 10’ very fast sink tip thus creating a 25’ density compensated sinker that I can still mend and which casts with remarkable ease. Other variations such as the 15’ intermediate and 10’ fast sink tip also cast and swim well.

Fishing deep while maintaining control over the swim of the fly is a real boon. The 15’ fast sink tip plus 10’ extra-fast sink set up produced a 21lb Dee Springer for Park gillie, Kenny Reid. Fishing the Castelton Pool in March, with 3’ on the gauge, Kenny rigged up the Monteith to cover a particular lie. He cast at a black and yellow tube at a shallow angle and made several mends, which he would have been unable to perform with a full sinking line or shooting head, thus giving him greater control over his fly.

Downsides, there are a few, but there again too few to mention ... but in the interests of balance there are a couple of issues to contemplate.

The Monteith is best suited to rods with a through action. Shorter, heavier lines and shooting heads may serve faster actioned rods better and many anglers prefer the beefier Rio lines for casting heavy flies in to the teeth of a February gale. But I am content with the Monteith’s ability to turn over a large/heavy fly in a gale as my first impressions of the line were based on early spring fishing. Any criticisms I have heard relate to the mismatch of rod and line, so as in all purchases it pays to consider the overall balance of the tackle to be used.

I’m not getting rid of my other lines quite yet as there times and places where I will not be able to wade and where a shooting head or short belly line will be required. That said, for the greater part of my fishing the Monteith is the only line in my bag these days.

In summary, I am a fan of the Monteith and would recommend it to anglers of all abilities. Holiday anglers will have a line that liberates them from the tyranny of expensive decisions and tactical booby traps and the tackle bums will find it a most useful addition to their arsenal.