Galloup's Streamer Express (Scientific Anglers)

[midnightangler]

I've owned a lot of different fly lines, and I've never really felt strongly about one against the other. I've never had a fly line that I really hated before. The Galloup fly line changed that.

In my last three trips, I've had two different Galloup sinking lines. The first snapped in half on the second outing. It was really strange, and obviously defective. I was in the process of casting when the front 60 ft of fly line broke free! It fired off toward the bank, and we were somehow able to recover it off the bottom of the river. Scientific Anglers replaced it, which they were great about.

Unfortunately the new line they sent me is also terrible. It seems as though the fly line they sent me is not weighted forward (?!). I end up false casting way more than I'd like to because a short line won't load the fly rod. Line speed has NEVER been a problem with any sinking line I've ever owned. Usually I can pick up the fly and shoot it right back to the bank with no false casting at all. This line also doesn't properly transfer momentum to the fly. It's impossible to throw a tight loop. You simply can't punch a big streamer under overhanging branches with this line. This is a huge problem on the rivers that I fish. At least it didn't break in half while I had a big fish on the other end. I guess that is lucky.

The odd thing is that the first line seemed to cast fine before it broke in half, while the second line is pretty much unusuable. It's supposed to be the exact same line! It's as though there is no quality control on this product.

Needless to say, I'll be picking up a uniform sinking line before my next outing. I will probably still buy Scientific Anglers line because I've liked all the others I've owned. Stay away from the Galloup Streamer express. That guy can design streamers, but that is a really terrible fly line. I've owned dozens of different fly lines in my life, and this is the only one that I would actively discourage anyone from buying. It's mystifyingly bad.

 

[krayfish]

My buddy has it too and its paired with his 'bank robber' streamer rod. I cast it and it was awful. He's not fond of it either. He called SA tech dept and asked if he could cut the head of the line. They said that 10' could be cut off the front end without hurting the performance. We'll see next time out.

 

[jdaddy]

Really hate hearing that. I have it in a 7wt however i have not fished it as I have had a different problem. I am nail knotting a section of maxima to the tip to create a connection however the nail knot keeps pulling off the line, almost like the tung impregnated coating is coming off. I am not having that problem with my 9 wt Cortland full sink, nor my 5 wt Cabelas sink tip.

Andy, wouldnt losing 10' of the sink portion kind of suck?

For whats its worth ive lawn cast the 7wt streamer express and it was pretty awesome.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

I've had a 400 grn express for two yrs and haven't had any complaints yet. I also got the 400 grn clear tip intermediate the only thing I can gripe about is it running line. Its a tangling mess about 35 ft back from the head. I've heard good and bad about them.

 

[krayfish]

Lawn casting and having that stuff in the water are 2 different things. I'm a dry fly guy so sinking line is tough for me, especially with one of those monster streamers. Since we're doing it from a boat, you don't need to shoot it 80 feet so cutting the head shouldn't hurt too bad.

 

[NickR]

Jdaddy,

I had the same problem before where the mono line connector kept ripping the coating off the fly line as I would tighten my nail knot. It was brought to my attention that I should use a heavier mono and then it shouldn't slice through the line and slip. I haven't tried it yet so I cannot confirm that it will actually work. I usually just use braided loop connectors.

MA,

By the way thanks for the heads up on this line. I was eyeing it up but went with Orvis Hydros Power Taper in 6 weight. Not the most delicate but when throwing streamers on a stiff ST. Croix I had no complaints.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

I nail knot 80 pound floro then knot sence it. So it can go up in the guides. People just have to get over the lack of delicacy of a full sink line. We're not dropping tricos, were doin work.

 

[krayfish]

If that is directed at me, I didn't mention the lack of delicacy. Simply stated that I'm not use to throwing sinking line with 7" streamers.

 

[PACOFRANSICO]

No it wasn't directed at you. It's just most guys that throw a full sink for the 1st time feel uncomfortable because it doesn't feel like a weight forward floating line. It is a totally different feel and rythm.

 

[krayfish]

It sure is. I'm good for throwing that stuff 2 times a year.

 

[RickinPa]

I was always told to use an Albright knot when using intermediate or sink lines. The nail knot only works on floating lines. This info came from three different shops. Your mileage may very. I follow this to the T.

Rick

 

[Fredrick]

Use this line

http://www.rioproducts.com/fly-lines/saltwater/sinking/striper-26ft-sink-tip/

or this one .


http://www.rioproducts.com/fly-lines/freshwater/sink-tip/streamertip/

 

[1wt]

I have had great success with Mastery Striper Sink line.

I use a "nail knot" with my 10lb flouro 3' leader ....... never a problem!

Fredrick,
That Rio line is good stuff, so I've heard. I'll have to give it a try.

 

[midnightangler]

In response to Paco, I also have a 400 grain streamer express on my 10-weight, and I have had zero problems with that line. It's great. My problem is specific to the Galloup streamer express.

That said, I'm going back to straight 300-grain sinking line for trout streamers (SA Mastery Uniform Sink). That will certainly coil on you, but I feel like they otherwise fish better.

Since we're doing it from a boat, you don't need to shoot it 80 feet so cutting the head shouldn't hurt too bad.

Honestly, the key for me is being able to shoot the line out quickly with minimal false casting. Lifting even a few feet of a sinking line out of the water will usually load the rod enough to shoot about 15' of line behind you. I need that 15' of line to load the rod enough that I can throw the streamer back to the bank without any false casts. Cutting off the front of the line would not help you there (unless it was a REALLY poorly designed line).

 

[TD55]

I have used the streamer express lines for a while and they do work good. I have never used the Galloup one but I always had problems with the lines cracking both in the sinking head and the running line. The running line is also the most coiling piece of junk I have ever used but I never found anything better untill now. The Airflow 40+ sniper is amazing. It loads rods wonderfully and does not tangle at all. You can get it in floating, intermediate, type 3, type 5, and type 7 and I think they even have a custom cut one as well.

 

[Fredrick]

If you want to do one backcast and shoot line out fast go with the Rio lines I posted .