Thinking about a new fly line

[waskeyc]

I know, it's futile. Instead of buying a new fly line, I should just give in and buy a whole new outfit. Actually, I should buy an outfit for every line weight from 0 to 12, and multiple outfits for the weights I use the most to cover the different lengths, rod actions, and rod materials that I may need. Then when I get to the river, I can pick from dozens of rods in addition to the choice of hundreds of flies.

But I'm still naive enough to think I can get by with just two rods (actually 3, but the other one was my 'training rod', department store type, and I just keep it as a backup). I have a 4-weight 8-foot rod that I really like for small stream fishing, especially dry flies. It does well in close areas for shorter casts. It does not do so well with larger and weighted flies. That's why I have a 6-weight 9-foot rod.

My 6-weight has had Bass Pro Shops Vanguard line on it for the last year or so, which I've really liked, but is getting worn out from all my grass trout fishing (casting practice). And it still doesn't have as much oomph for casting things like poppers and clousers as I would like. I really enjoy roll casting, and have been learning some single-handed spey techniques, and want to get a line that will help me pull Clousers and poppers out of the water on a roll cast, without being limited to two rod lengths for distance. One option would be to get an 8-weight setup, but I've been thinking about just upgrading to a bass taper or clouser taper line.

Ideally, I would like to keep using my 4-weight for my lighter, close-in stuff, such as streams for panfish and trout. I would like my 6-weight to be setup for my heavier and bushier flies, on rivers, ponds, and lakes for bass and larger fish. I've been looking at Scientific Anglers' Mastery Bass Bug fly line and RIO's Coldwater Clouser fly line. I am leaning toward the RIO, mostly because not all of my heavy fly fishing is in warm (70-plus) water.

What do you think?

[Mike Thomas]

You cant go wrong with Rio! If you want to do a bit of single hand spey maybe a shooting head would be good? The rio AFS lines are great, not the most delicate presentation but they shoot a mile and roll cast very well.
All the best.
Mike

[tailingloop]

You will need more mass in your fly line to move heavier weighted or bulky flies. A 6wt bass bug taper will help a little turning over a cast due the the shorter front taper compared to a standard WF 6 line but the mass will be about the same so may not provide the benefit you seek.

There are a couple of other different ways you can go with fly lines for your 6wt.

I often fish an 8wt floating line on my 6 wt rods when fishing bass bugs or Clouser minnows and keeping the casts within 50-55 feet or so. I haven't met very many graphite 6 wt rods made in the last 20 years than wont handle the 8 wt line fine. I have several 8 wt rods but still often prefer to fish the lighter 6 wt lid with the heavier line.

The other option is to get a Rio Outbound Short or Scientific Anglers Titan Taper line. These are really like an integrated shooting head line with a 30ft head and a thin shooting line behind it. The heads on these lines a 2 to 2.5 weights heavy (i.e. the 30 foot head of a 6wt Outbound Short line actually weighs about the same as an 8.5 wt line). These lines excel at casting big or heavy bugs at short and long distances. Due to the shooting head like taper you do have to shoot line on all casts longer than the head plus leader and you always need to retrieve until the back end of the head is at the rod tip to cast.

The Rio Clouser taper fly lines have been discontinued and replaced by the new Power Fly lines. These lines have a more traditional WF taper compared to the Outbound Short, but like those lines also have a head that is a couple of weights heavier than the standard.

[jszymczyk]

Overline it with a 7 wt bass bug taper line. Any line from a recognized company will do just fine. Save yourself 30 or 40 dollars and get a Cabela's Prestige Plus which is the quality of a 75-80 dollar line. Done.

[hap]

I have to disagree on the quality of the Cabela's lines. They will cast reasonably well, but they are not nearly as tough as higher quality lines. Cabelas does not make their own lines and they do not get more for their money than the name brands.

[hap]

You will need more mass in your fly line to move heavier weighted or bulky flies. A 6wt bass bug taper will help a little turning over a cast due the the shorter front taper compared to a standard WF 6 line but the mass will be about the same so may not provide the benefit you seek.

There are a couple of other different ways you can go with fly lines for your 6wt.

I often fish an 8wt floating line on my 6 wt rods when fishing bass bugs or Clouser minnows and keeping the casts within 50-55 feet or so. I haven't met very many graphite 6 wt rods made in the last 20 years than wont handle the 8 wt line fine. I have several 8 wt rods but still often prefer to fish the lighter 6 wt lid with the heavier line.

The other option is to get a Rio Outbound Short or Scientific Anglers Titan Taper line. These are really like an integrated shooting head line with a 30ft head and a thin shooting line behind it. The heads on these lines a 2 to 2.5 weights heavy (i.e. the 30 foot head of a 6wt Outbound Short line actually weighs about the same as an 8.5 wt line). These lines excel at casting big or heavy bugs at short and long distances. Due to the shooting head like taper you do have to shoot line on all casts longer than the head plus leader and you always need to retrieve until the back end of the head is at the rod tip to cast.

The Rio Clouser taper fly lines have been discontinued and replaced by the new Power Fly lines. These lines have a more traditional WF taper compared to the Outbound Short, but like those lines also have a head that is a couple of weights heavier than the standard.

I agree with most of this but would add the AirFlo Forty Plus is an outstanding choice for all the same reasons. Some ultra high-end AK lodges have all of their loaner rods lined with them and they are an amazing line!

Pick it up (after retrieveing to the shooting marker on the line) and haul once for amazing distances. It has the stuff to turn over those big flies.

AirFlo lines last extremely well in my experience with heavy use on big fish and brutal conditions. IMO the SA lines last nearly as well and Rio has not shown me anything special for durability.

[waskeyc]

I ...snip... would add the AirFlo Forty Plus is an outstanding choice for all the same reasons. ...snip

Interesting that you would mention something by Tim Rajeff, as my 6-wt rod is an Echo Carbon, and I have enjoyed casting it.

[waskeyc]

Thanks for the replies.

Does anyone want to weigh in on the difference between lines marketed for cold water Vs. warm water? What's the difference, and what are the draw backs of using one in the wrong temperature water?

[hap]

Casting a tropical line here in winter will be a bit limiting... you can feel how much stiffer the line is... and it will lead to the early death of the line through cracking and shedding chunks. I have a pale blue tropical line I just love for photography, but it handles poorly even in the summer.

[bgreer]

Generally, a saltwater line (made for warm weather) has a mono core inside the line.
A cold water line (for streams, etc) will have a braided core.

The braided core is more limp as the mono core is stiffer.....and especially more so in cold water/cold weather.