It’s been awhile since I bought an intermediate full sink line.
Is there anything out there that is better than a Cortland Intermediate camo???
From what I can tell from watching videos, sounds like your fellow Oregonion - Denny Rickards - thinks the Cortland Camo is the best.
Thanks,
He said that years ago and is probably why I have what I have but I’m wondering if if the market has changed???
What is it about the Cortland Intermediate camo that makes it the best intermediate line?
Doesn’t seem to be a lot of new stuff in full-sink lines. Lots of cool new lines with integrated sinking heads and floating running lines, but for full sink, the Cortland Camo is still as good as any.
It completely disappears! I does not have as much memory as other clear intermediate lines, even other Cortland clear intermediate lines. I feel that it sinks a little bit more uniformly and sinks slower allowing the fly to stay in the strike zone longer. Yes, I have watched Denny’s videos too.
Oddly enough, nearly every stillwater fly fisher I know uses the Cortland Camo intermediate line. I have a hard time thinking of any single line that is as universally agreed upon by so many as the best line (for that particular style of presentation). The only alternative I’ve ever heard of folks using is I know of one guy that prefers a Type II line (which is pretty close to the same thing) but that’s the lone exception, and I know quite a few stillwater types. YMMV.
ducksterman,
For years, I’ve used the Orvis Intermediate line (sort of Texas Orange color).
It sinks very slowly. I have caught a lot of trout, both river and the lake, using this line.
I know Denny Rickards recommends the Cortland Intermediate camo, but as he said in his videos, he used opaque colored Intermediate lines for years. The camo makes a difference when in the air, but does not affect the fish once the line is in the water.
I don’t think you will go wrong with either one.
Vinny
Anyone have a comparison with the Rio Intermediate Lake line?
I have many Cortland lines but I have been slowly changing over to Rio lines.
My biggest complaint about intermediate lines has been casting with them, they really are not that good and heaven help you if you can’t keep the fish on the reel. If you have to strip in a lot of line and you are sitting in your pontoon boat out in the middle of the lake, you end up with a massive birds nest. After suffering through this a few times I had to make sure I always had my fish on the reel, even if I had to kick my pontoon boat away from the fish to get more line out.
So, I started using Rio products.
I do not know what type of fishing you are going to do so you may want to check out all the types of Rio lines to see which one best fits your fishing style.
I did include a link to their AquaLux Intermediate line ad, check it out at:
http://www.rioproducts.com/product.php?fmCategory=9
Rio’s Ad:
AquaLux Intermediate
A must-have line for the serious lake angler. Castability has always been a problem with clear intermediate sinking lines because there are no lubricants in the coating and the lines drag through the guides. RIO has solved the problem by incorporating proprietary lubricants into the running line coating that make the line slick. The running line is translucent green while the head is completely clear. With an intermediate sinking rate of 1.5 ? 2.0 inches per second (3.7 cm/s), the line is perfect for fishing subsurface and shallow shore lines. Ideal when stealth is required for wary, selective fish. Made on a low memory supple monofilament core with a coldwater coating and welded loop on the front end.
Larry 
—sagefisher—
I’m an utter cheapskate who just bought some SA concept sinking line when I realized it sinks at 1.5" to 2" per second…only 57ft though. with my casting that won’t be a problem.
Everytime I go out fishing, I have to pull a good portion of the camo out and stretch it. This eliminates most of the coiling, but not all of it. When it is cold though, it is almost a losing battle.
I believe the Cortland clear intermediate line was known for it’s coiling. I am fishing this spring with an intermediate camo that I have had for several years. After being stored on the reel from Nov. to May I am experiencing no coiling problem…something I try to pay attention too is to store the line on the reel under practically no tension.
I wonder if the Rio line has coiling problems ? I see the last part of it is clear.
Denny gave a talk to our club last night and of course got into the fly line thing…I believe I have it straight now.
Cortland has a patent on the Camo Intermediate [i]…therefore no other companies have exactly the same thing.
Clear Intermediates are really type II …and made of mono…he said.
Camo sinks 1.25 - 1.75 ips
Clear sinks …slightly faster…[didn’t write it down but if you care it’s on the web]
He has always liked slower…
Given the above I think I’ll stick with the Cortland Camo.
I see Cortland has a Precision series[ more $] and also their 444 series[less $].