Fly Line selection?

NorthBranch

NorthBranch

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
Messages
117
Hey Guys,

Again, sorry for all the questions, but I've been out of the fly fishing "loop" for a while, and some of this stuff is overwhelming.

Anyhow, getting my gear cleaned up and looking it over, I noticed that the old 4wt Cortland 444 DT on my little rod is in need of replacement... BADLY. Plus, the 5wt Wulff TT WF for my bigger rod is probably getting close to the end of it's life. I will probably get another season out of it.

With that said, I started looking around at fly lines. Holy Cow! There are "3D" and "Power Taper" lines from Orvis, Gold and Grand lines from RIO, Sharkskin lines from SA, and this, that, and every thing else under the sun from others.

Now I know everybody has their own preferences, but do you guys find that one brand or type of line sticks out from the others. I can see where one of the power tapers or over power lines might be a good choice form my fast action Imperial, but essentially, I want a line that is smooth casting, very slick for distance, with a high floating tip line, and is durable.

I read a couple of reviews on the RIO lines, but who knows? Hopefully you guys can clear up some of this marketing hype and BS.

Thanks in advance for all the help.
 
NB, I use Rio Clouser for my fast action 5 & 6wt rods. It is a WFF overweight but it smooths out these actions for my taste & applications. I tend to get in as close as possible and don't often need to throw more than 30 ft of line.
When I go to smaller rods, 3 & 4wts, I use Orvis lines and they have been very serviceable.
Good luck on your search, there are many good lines to choose from.
 
Thanks troutpoop,

It seems that the RIO lines generally get good reviews. Looking around some more, I see that the Wulff TT line is still well liked. So, by sticking with a Wulff TT or going to a RIO will probably be fine for the 5wt. I'll look at the Orvis DT lines for the little guy.

As you say, there are probably a lot of good lines, and I don't mind spending the money for a good one... just don't want to spend the money on "hype".

Amazing what's out there. Looks a guy can buy a line for cloudy days, sunny days, and for Friday's only. LOL I can remember my first fly line it was a DT "HDH"... and you had to dress it to get it to float. :-D
 
I've had good success with Cortland lines for decades. Tried others, but still go back to them. 444, and 444SL. They cast and float well after years of use. I do take care of them.

The only Cortland line I didn't like was the Clear Creek that I bought about a year ago. So I called Cortland and they told me to send it back, and asked me which line I would like in its place. Great customer service.
 
Scientific Angler GPX Mastery is my line of choice. Everybody has their preferred line.
 
If you liked your Cortland 444, then you might want to take a look at the lines from Hook and Hackle. They are reportedly made by Cortland for H&H and are just a 444 in an olive color. Best of all they only run $33.00 each and can frequently be found on sale for $25.00.

I've been using them in 4 and 5 DT for a couple seasons and I'm very happy with them.
 
I think it important to decide if we are fishing or casting. If the former, virtually any fly line (so long as it is not level and is matched to the rod) is adequate for garden variety PA trout stream fishing, so long as you're willing to maintain it a bit more on the stream. This POV does a lot to restrain costs.

If our primary purpose is to cast, then you start getting into all these specialized tapers and lines and all the other marketing-based boo-rah and the costs go way up.

I mostly fish, so I don't pay much for fly lines...
 
I look for clearance sales this time of year. I recently picked up a couple Sci Anglers Mastery Trout lines for $20 each because they were a discontinued color. Several years ago I got some Sci Anglers Mastery XPS lines for $11, at LLBean of all places. The MSRP of lines anymore is ridiculous.
 
Ill second the scientific anglers mastery series. i have the gpx and nymph versions and like the performance i get. they are on the pricer side but are good lines thus far.
 
Excellent info guys. As I suspected, there probably isn't a lot of difference in most of the lines, and they are all good, and the good old standbys like Cortland 444 and SA are still viable options.

Sound like it will be hard to make a bad choice. I'll look around and see if I can find something on sale for the little rod. It doesn't get used near as much as the big rod will. The line will probably be good for many years on small rod.
 
I tried to post earlier but it failed from my phone.

NB,

I was a Cortland 444sl guy for 20 years. During a fishing trip, a large section of cover peeled off of the fly line so I was forced to replace it. The local shops didn't carry 444sl and I was nervous about spending $65-70 on a line I knew nothing about. I ended up with a Rio Gold and have never looked back. I've replaced all of the lines w/ it. I gave Rio Grand a try and didn't like it at all. It felt VERY "head" heavy and I gave it away. If you are considering Scientific Anglers stuff, I have also done a little experimenting w/ Sharkskin. The line has no memory (opposite of most Cortland lines) and floats like a cork. Easy to mend, durable and chews up your fingers by the end of the day. It's also a good line but is on the expensive side.

If you are looking for all around / long casting line - Rio Gold or Sharkskin

If you are looking for a softer presentation but still casts plenty far - Rio Trout LT

 
pass on the sharkskin and go with the textured line from SA
Orivs is also making a textured line

the rio slective trout LT is a killer line for light rods
 
Thanks guys. I have my eye on a what looks to be pretty decent line on sale for the little rod. For the big rod, I think I'm going to go with the RIO Gold. So far, it's been hard to find anybody say anything bad about the RIO Gold line. I don't need the line for the big rod right away, so I'll keep my eye on for a deal on that line too.
 
if you find a deal on rio gold let us know... i'd order a couple for the shelf! It's a good line, does everything I need.
 
I don't think you'll ever find it 'on sale'. You may find some leftovers on ebay once in a while
 
Yea guys. I don't need the RIO line for the big rod this year. Actually, I probably won't need it for a couple years. The Wulff TT is still in good shape. So, I can wait until I come across some sort of sale.

If I remember correctly, around the holidays, LL Bean had a 10 or 15 % off everything deal, plus free shipping. Not a great deal, but certainly better than paying full retail.
 
Well, I wanted to thank everybody again for their input on this. I was looking for a decent 4wt DT line in a bright color (these eyes are getting old).

Anyhow, Orvis has a Presidents Day sale on their Gen 3 Wonderline. I picked one up (in bright yellow) for $30 with shipping and tax. The only thing bad I read about the line was the loop. I can take care of that with a pair of scissors and a nail knot.
 
Couple points of interests... (in case anybody cares LOL)

Got the Orvis Wonderline yesterday, so I put it on the reel, got it rigged up on the little rod and took it to a local pond close to my house.

Anyhow the Wonderline turned out to be very nice. It is indeed very slick, easy to shoot at shorter ranges, and casted and mended very well. The line does have a little memory, but that will probably go away with some use. The one thing I didn't like so much was the loop... actually not the loop itself, but the size and stiffness of the joint where it is welded. Probably won't be to much of an issue with furled or braided leaders, but with standard leaders it might have a negative affect. I had a braided leader, so it was OK, but I'll probably cut off the loop above the joint and go a different route.

All in all, a nice line, and if Orvis has improved some things with their new Hydros lines, they should be top notch lines.

Also had a very interesting learning experience. Along with the little rod, I brought my new Imperial 9' 5wt to try out with my Wulff TT line. I was a bit surprised that it didn't seem to cast the same as it did when I tried it where I bought it. Didn't load quite as well, and didn't shoot quite as well. It was still very good, but not "excellent" like it was at the shop, or at least "different". When I got home, I called the guy and asked if he knew what line was on the rod when I tried it. Sure enough... RIO Gold. He said it's his line of choice on faster action rods, as it is slightly overweight, and the taper works nice on fast action rods... he was sure correct in this case.

So, it looks like I will be getting the RIO Gold line for sure, and maybe sooner than I thought. :-D
 
that wonderline will make for a really nice sink tip
 
I got a cortland trout boss for my 5wt. But i have yet to spool it on a reel yet.
 
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