Fly lines

[ian_brown]

I'm considering buying a new fly line and need recommendations. I looking for a 5wt line with a welded loop tip for all round fishing. I believe Rio and Orvis lines fit the bill. Which of these two would you use? Is there another line I should consider?

 

[CaptMatt]

I would steer clear of Orvis. RIO is great! Selective Trout

 

[JackM]

I have been coveting the Rio Selective Trout line for years now ever since I saw ligonier1 with it on a sub-freezing January day and it still was as supple as an overcooked noodle.

 

[jaybo41]

I've got the Rio Grand 5wt and absolutely love it!

 

[Bamboozle]

ian:

What may be the most important thing is telling us what rod you plan to use the line on. With all of the different tapers out there; some just work better than others on certain rods.

With that in mind I can tell you a few things based on my experience with the two brands I fish; Rio & Sci Anglers:

* If your rod is very fast; you MAY want to consider the Rio Grand or Sci Anglers GPX since both are heavier than the stated line weight. So a 5wt is more like a 5.5 wt which helps load fast action rods better.

* If you want a welded loop, SOME Rio lines have them: the Rio Grand and the Selective Trout; the Classic doesn't. Also the Sci Anglers Mastery GPX, and Trout also have welded loops although unlike the Rio lines; there ISN'T a welded loop on both ends of a double taper.

* If you want a really limp fly line which is a big help in cold weather or water; the Sci Anglers XPS and Rio Selective Trout are the limpest I've ever fished.

* If you want a great floating line; I personally feel Rio is FAR superior to Sci Anglers.

* If you want a delicate front taper for delicate presentations; the Rio Selective Trout or Sci Anglers XPS are great.

* If you want a line that will load your rod better for short casts; but perform normally on longer casts; consider the Sci Anglers XPS or Trout double taper versions. These lines have a shorter front taper on the DT versions than they do on the WF. The short front taper gets the belly out of the tip top quicker and will help load your rod faster on short casts. I use the Trout DT on my small stream rods for this very reason. The Sci Anglers Trout has a shorter front taper than the XPS and both Sci Anglers lines have a shorter front taper than the Rio Classic. I can also tell you that on some slightly faster rods I have tried it on; the Rio Selective Trout was HORRIBLE for really short casts because of the longer front taper so it does factor into the equation.

* If you want a general purpose taper that will work in most situations consider the Rio Classic or the Sci Anglers Trout.

There are a lot of choices out there so choose wisely. The right line won’t do much to help you catch fish; but it will help your rod to perform the way you want it to.

 

[ian_brown]

Thanks for the advice; I bought the Selective Trout line yesterday. I chose it because I plan to fish in the winter, use a midflex rod, and enjoy fishing dries.

I'll let you know how I like it after I get it wet.

 

[Maurice]

I picked up a SA cheapo line today at Wally World. ($10.00) 5 wt DT. I'm done with the $50 lines. The last mastery I replaced was cracked in a year. This new line is just fine. The fish didn't mind tonight. It is soft and managable.

Maurice

 

[pap-paw]

I agree with you Maurice I am also done with the $50 lines. The less expensive ones I have been using last just as long. You can also replace then more often and still not spend as much money.

 

[tomgamber]

$8.50 Fly lines

I bought my last two here. Like them both. $50 will get you 6 of them. I rolled the dice the first time I bought one...but I liked it so I bought another...I mean, c'mon...8 bucks and free shipping?

 

[CaptMatt]

tomgamber wrote:
$8.50 Fly lines

I bought my last two here. Like them both. $50 will get you 6 of them. I rolled the dice the first time I bought one...but I liked it so I bought another...I mean, c'mon...8 bucks and free shipping?

So you've never had a problem with them there lines? Im skeptical about this. :-D

 

[JackM]

CaptMatt, your skepticism may be well-founded, to a certain extent. I have purchased lines from them on three occasions. All but once I was completely satisfied. One of the lines I received seems very heavy at the end, like the taper wasn't sufficient. It handles nymphing OK, but for a delicate presentation, frankly, it sucks. It was supposed to be a 5 weight, but feels more like a 6-7 weight. Luckily, My rods are fast or medium-fast action.

For me, the bottom line is, they cost $8.50 delivered. If you are short on cash or just (or also) a cheapskate, it is worth the risk.

If you spend $60 on a top of the line fly line and it seems off balance or slightly irregular, you have a right to send it back and should expect to get it replaced. If you chance it with one of these, you either put up with the deficiencies or you just wasted $8.50, about the cost of a movie.

 

[CaptMatt]

Hey, if it works and its cheap, why not? This game isnt about how much money you spend, although it seems to have gone in that direction, its about what works for you.

 

[tomgamber]

I've only ever bought double taper lines from them. I turn them around when they get worn and I haven't noticed a difference. I did think their 5wt line seemed light, ironically. I replaced it with a 6wt that works perfect. But like you said, its only 8.50 and I had an empty spool so I put the seemingly light 5wt on that. I think the the manufacturer labels their lines as Aquanova but I think they make lines for other name brands as well.

 

[CAMBYSES]

I just bought 2 Spools of Aquanova from ebay. 2 spools for 21.00 shipped. I got the WF 4wt and the WF 8wt. I havent used the 4wt yet but I really like the 8wt. It cast nice and smooth and I havent noticed anything different between that and my similar Orvis line.