First time fly line buyer needing some help

Gear & Reviews
1

Well, I’ve now got to buy fly line for the first time. In one of my other posts, scientific anglers line was recommended. I found some for $57 at bass pro. This was about $20 more then I figured I would be spending. I had no idea fly lines cost so much. So, the question I have for you guys is;

I need a 5wt line for my 4 wt TFO TiCr X. What is the most bang for the buck in fly lines?

and, if I should go with the $57 line, what makes it worth it?

Thanks for the help!

2

Give Ron a call at Hook and Hackle (a sponsor here) and he will help you find a good line at a good price. You can check his lines out here. I have heard good things about his Hi-Floaters although I haven’t tried one…yet. Good luck on your search and let us know how you fare.
mcsteff

3

H&H Hi floater…best bang for the buck…Have 2…very pleased with them…Rob

4

Whatever brand you get (I like Cortland Classics), get a double taper if you are watching your spending. Unlike with a weight forward, when the line gets beat up and stops floating well you can just turn it around on your reel and fish the other end of the line.

5

I like the H&H lines as well as Cortland 444 and SYLK lines. As far as WF vs, DT lines, your rod will tell you what it likes.

6

You cannot beat them for the price, especially if you are counting pennies!!! (And even if you aren’t!!!)

7

Silk lines & bamboo rods… YEA !!!

8

I purchased the Hook and Hackle WF 4wt this spring and have been pleased with its performance.

          Bill
9

I think I might be tempted to try the House of Hardy 4wt line on sale at Sierra Trading post. It’s on sale from $60 down to $28. It’s at least worth a look.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/search/SearchResults.aspx?allwords=fly%20line&searchdescriptions=True

Jim Smith

10

I haven’t tried the H&H lines, so I can’t help you there, but I’ve had great luck with SA lines. Fly lines seem expensive til you take into account the fact that if you care for them well, they last a much longer time (many seasons) than the line you would put on spinning gear. The cost evens out over time. It’s a little expensive, but Scientific Angler’s GPX loads the TiCr X rod real well.

11

I am not to sure I would over line the rod. I think you should stick to the rod maker’s weight designation.

I like Cortland and Rio lines.

12

I was thinking the same thing. Why do you want a 5wt line for a 4 wt rod?

13

Fly lines wts are a very foggy business. Some lines like the cortland 444 and H&H lines fall within AFFTA line wt standards, others exceed the AFFTA line standard by a half or more. Furthermore if a caster carries a lot of line in the air when casting the grain wt of the total head length might be 1-3 line wts higher than what the line is rated by the manufacturer. A 5wt line might actually be a 7wt line when 45 ft of line is beyond the rod tip. This is especially true with double taper lines because the have no running line.

If you really want to get geeky about the line wt stuff Umpqua sells a line wt scale for around $20. It can be a real eye opener when comparing line wts. from different manufacturers.

So if you like a 4wt rod with a 5wt line then by all means use the 5wt line. Line wt designations vary so wildly from manufacturer to manufacturer that there really is no industry standard anymore.

14

Another vote for the H&H high floater. Great line!!!

15

I don’t have any idea what the many lines I have are. I know a couple are Cortland 444s but beyond that, its anybody’s guess. All I know for sure is their weights according to the manufacturers. Not being acute about lines has never seemed to hinder me except for the raillery from my companions about a couple of bottom end Cabela’s lines that are an obnoxious orangy red and an ancient old Orvis line that is pink. (Those lines work just fine.)

In short, don’t get torqued over lines. Other than weight and configuration its mostly hype.

As to overlining, if I need to fish close in, I find using aan 8 wt on a 3 wt rod keeps the casts short.

16

I really like the Aqua Nova 99 lines from globel dorbeR (also an FAOL sponsor). I have a WF5F from them and a WF5F from Cortland and have used both for about a year now. The only difference I notice is that the globel dorbeR line is $14.80 and the Cortland is $52.