thanks for the tip about saltwater lines, DickM. i suspected the flotation might be a small issue.

it's the flexibility that i wasn't sure of, so Shorthaul told me the story i thought i'd hear. i don't know if my line is a tropical line or not, but i have to suspect it is. bought it for Florida/Yucatan and so forth back when i knew a lot less than i do now. because of when and where i bought it, i may very well have been fitted out with a tropical line by a well meaning fly shop guy.

so the local Orvis shop has some Silver Label on sale--might be a good idea.

now--how do you all keep track of what line it is you have? the cat has scared away the mouse who used to do all the small writing around here, otherwise i'd mark the line itself...