444 Clear Camo Lines

[tws]

seasons greetings...

i am curious if any fly anglers have used this cortland line. I would like there opinion on this full sinking line. i recently got a new 444 clear camo line for my five weight... it is the first and only full sinking line i have. it's an intermediate line, which i reckon will sink to perhaps 2 feet...

it is reputed to be very tough stuff and doesn't even look like traditional fly line... it looks like monofilament to me. what's it made of?

i've read that this line is excellent for lakes (trout) over grass beds but wonder how it will preform in swift water for steelhead?

thanks for any information.

tws

[flybinder]

Just my own, .02 worth, tws, but personally I don't like using full sinking lines for MetalHeads. You don't say, where you're from.......(thus,what size/type rivers you Steelhead fish in),but I fish the smaller, fast moving, Oregon Coastal streams for Steelhead and a full sinker gets down TOO deep, and would take my line down into the rocks and debris of the stream bottoms. That and I have no "feel" with a full sinking line, when I need/want it.
Full sinkers are also, nearly impossible to do any "mending" with, naturally, because all of your line is underwater, at any given time.

Instead, I'll use a sink TIP line, of varying depths, (i.e.AirFlo's Multi-Tip fly line), and then adjust accordingly to the water levels and whatever reading the water tells me. I can, also, switch from sinking, to floating, in about 60 seconds if conditions warrant the change.

I think your new line is great, for lakes and such as you pointed out. But it will depend on where YOUR fishing for Steelies, as to whether or not it will work well, I suppose!?!

As to its construction.... I believe, (but someone that owns one, will hopefully correct me), it's simply a clear, polymer line, with micro lead or tungsten dust embedded in it's core

[tws]

Thanks Flybinder...

i fish the rogue mostly.

btw, i grew up in waldport so know and have caught many coastal steelhead, tenmile crk, big crk, cummings crk etc... even the diminutive bob crk.

i just use a single handed rod and the only weighted line i've ever used so far has been the tapered sinking tips you can buy at fly tackle shops... they are usually 7 or 12' and i've taken a few steelies with them. i put them on my weight forward floating lines.

anyway this new line is intriguing... i guess i'll find out how it does this spring on some local lakes and maybe even venture over the mountains to agency and give it a try.

thanks again.

tws

[ducksterman]

I think it's safe to say that most stillwater fishermen if limited to one line it would be an intermediate line....and the Cortland clear camo is a favorite of many.

Keep in mind an intermediate line will sink as far as you want it to...it is just slower.....the advantage is you can keep it in the upper columns of water if you want to.

I believe flybinder's observations re: steelies are well taken.
[I doubt though the clear camo has any metal in it]

[J Castwell]

Great lines, cast really nice, only type of line that will 'present' your fly with a natural swimming motion coming straight back to you in a lake. Sinking tips make your fly go up and down.
They are all a SOB to pick up,,, as they sink. If your retrieve is in coils dropped at your feet in moving water? have a ball!

[tws]

thanks all for the excellent information

tws

[Troutbum 1975]

I've been using this line for about 5 Yrs i like it alot.I use it in water depth's up to 5ft to throw bunny leeches and big Wooly Buggers at night for spawning brown trout good for other species also.I give it 2 thumbs up.Oh yeah as far as castability i use on 9'6" 8wt StCroix Legend ultra cast full line into backing with ease.