Fly lines

[OnTheFly]

I have been using Cortland Camo intermediate sinking line for years. It casts well and sinks evenly at a desired rate. In the past couple seasons, I've noticed that it was starting to get a little boyant and not sinking as well. This could simply be the nature of an old line that is scratched up making it float. So now I'm in the market for new line. Does anyone have any experience or opinions on other brands of line? Scientific Angler, Sage, Air Flow? So far, my research has brought me back to Cortland. What do you guys think?

 

[Markcanby]

I dont know about Sinking but I did a lot of research for my 8wf an Rio was the best under 75$

 

[OnTheFly]

Hello Mark, Don't you use intermediate in lakes?

 

[Markcanby]

I havent got into fishing lakes that much. When I do I just put on a little longer leader I find most fish in the top 10' anyway so I usually do fine with my floating.

 

[OnTheFly]

How's the Rio been working out for you?

 

[Markcanby]

I haven't got to use it much yet but I like it better then the Sci. Angler on my 5w

 

[halibuthitman]

I fish the lee wolfe in a double taper on my 6-7 and the triangle taper on my 3-4.. I use a 9-10 ft leader in lakes and most of the time shot will take it down where it needs to go, but I do carry a scientific angler sink tip for certain big river steelhead situations.

 

[OnTheFly]

I fish the lee wolfe in a double taper on my 6-7 and the triangle taper on my 3-4.. I use a 9-10 ft leader in lakes and most of the time shot will take it down where it needs to go, but I do carry a scientific angler sink tip for certain big river steelhead situations.

My Dad was introduced to flyfishing in New Zealand were he still lives today. He used a double taper line there at Lake Taupo and could really sling it out there. My needs are a little different because I spend the most time on a pontoon boat. I use a sink tip for steelhead but I'm still stuck on the Cortland thing. What do you like best about the Scientific Angler line?


P.S. is that really a squaw fish?

 

[halibuthitman]

well, by the time im putting the S.A spool on Im probably about to try and fish a log jam or get dirty with some interesting run, and the S.A is cheap by comparison to a lot of lines, and it does its job. I buy a new one the last week of march every year. I only use the wolfe line becouse Im casting a sage sfl fiberglass rod, and the wolfe just fires off it like a rocket, I can't stand shooting lines, and double taper has a lot less drag and lands smoother and quieter. I think it kinda sucks that fly shops no longer have demo lines on hand like 15 yrs ago, now they just tell ya "oh that teeny line is the sh*t and your supposed to take their word for it. every rod cast every line different, so I would buy the exact same line if its still available. The fish in the picture is a dark fall native Naha steelhead I caught in april, wild how native fish "darken" so much after 4 months in the river. I hiked 4 miles through 3 feet of corn snow, did 2 portages and dropped a whole pack of marlboros in the river to catch that fish! but it was just me and my buddie.... and 7 miles of river. Heaven

 

[OnTheFly]

Thanks Brad, I'll consider that. Guess it wouldn't hurt me to pack another spool into my back pack. The only harm in that would be that I may have to sacrafice the room in the pack by taking one less beer

Nice fish story. Regarding the 'Steelhead Thread' that's a case in point about the effort it takes to catch fish like that. If that had been a squaw fish ODFW woulda givin you big bucks for it up on the Columbia and probably make them worry about a really bad infestation.

 

[Irishrover]

For sinking line on my 7wt I use Teeny T-200. I've had it for a number of years and it still works fine. On the 5wt I use SA WF 6s uniform sink. Again this line has held up well also. When on the lakes if I want to go deep they are the lines I use and will add a weighted fly like a wooly bugger with a second fly behind like a green soft hackle. I use the SA on the 5wt the most from either the pontoon boat or the drift boat on the lakes. I'm not sold on any paticular brand but I do like the way that line heads for the bottom.

On the Spey Rod I use Airflow 540 grain Skagit shooting line and have a packet of Rio sinking tip that I switch out depending on the situation. There are lots of choice out there

 

[OnTheFly]

For sinking line on my 7wt I use Teeny T-200. I've had it for a number of years and it still works fine. On the 5wt I use SA WI 6s uniform sink. Again this line has held up well also. When on the lakes if I want to go deep they are the lines I use and will add a weighted fly like a wooly bugger with a second fly behind like a green soft hackle. I use the SA on the 5wt the most from either the pontoon boat or the drift boat on the lakes. I'm not sold on any paticular brand but I do like the way that line heads for the bottom.

On the Spey Rod I use Airflow 540 grain Skagit shooting line and have a packet of Rio sinking tip that I switch out depending on the situation. There are lots of choice out there

Thanks for the reply Irishrover. Your input is always welcome. I believe my current intermediate line sinks at a rate of about 1.5 to 2ips. How heavy is your SA 5wt?

 

[Irishrover]

They have very similar sink rates. The SA on my 5wt is 1.5-2.25 ips. When I tie flies like my wooly buggers I used a bead head and wrap the shank in lead. I believe that is what helps suck that line down. I try and look up the actual weight of the line it's been some time since i bought it but I'm sure I can find it.

 

[halibuthitman]

Thanks Brad, I'll consider that. Guess it wouldn't hurt me to pack another spool into my back pack. The only harm in that would be that I may have to sacrafice the room in the pack by taking one less beer

Nice fish story. Regarding the 'Steelhead Thread' that's a case in point about the effort it takes to catch fish like that. If that had been a squaw fish ODFW woulda givin you big bucks for it up on the Columbia and probably make them worry about a really bad infestation.

If you switch your case of beer for a bottle of fine Jamesons Irish wiskey you would find a lot more room for gear!!!!!!!! :lol::lol::lol::lol: just my 2 cents canadian worth..

 

[redhawk50]

I have always used and like SA lines. I honestly have never heard of a sinking line starting to float, floating starting to sink yes. I just bought the Rio Versi-tip line for my steelhead rod and am looking forward to using that. Seems easier and cheaper to do then switching spools. I have a clear intermediate sinking line that I often use up at Trillium to get a little deeper. It is Scientific Angler. If you go to a good fly shop they will put the line on for you and usually redo your backing nice and tight as well.

 

[halibuthitman]

I have always used and like SA lines. I honestly have never heard of a sinking line starting to float, floating starting to sink yes. I just bought the Rio Versi-tip line for my steelhead rod and am looking forward to using that. Seems easier and cheaper to do then switching spools. I have a clear intermediate sinking line that I often use up at Trillium to get a little deeper. It is Scientific Angler. If you go to a good fly shop they will put the line on for you and usually redo your backing nice and tight as well.

I was thinking since onthe fly does a lot of toon fishin, probably in lakes that he has an algae build up on the line, when the algae drys it starts to float... I would pull it off, spray it with castrol superclean and run it through the dishwasher.... It could survive as a back-up line.

 

[OnTheFly]

Did I mention my current line is probably ten years old? Yes...it's been good to me all those years! The guy that originally got me in to the intermediate lines doesn't really care for Cortland lines. He uses S.A. The Cortland Camo has been working fine for me all those years but change is good and that's were you guys come in. You all have given me great food for thought to apply to my choice. Thanks again!

Jamesons eh? I'll look into that too!

 

[OnTheFly]

After my brief showing at Fish for the Cure, my brother-in-law Brad and I headed up to Pine Hollow to sell his patio boat and, of course, fish. It was there I got my first opportunity to use the new fly line. I ended up getting the Scientific Angler Stillwater intermediate sinking line and was very impressed. New line always casts as smooth as butter but it was the uniform sink rate that I was looking for and it didn't disappoint me. I'm sure some of you fly line slingers have a favorite line that you swear to but if you ever feel you need a change, SA Stillwater is a good choice imho. (btw, all trout were caught on an olive crystal bugger.)

 

[bigsteel]

orvis makes a nice fly line for streamers,,,its called the streamer stripper it has a mini four foot sinktip and casts excellent.......