How come quality fly line cost so much? I am new to all this and need to get started more reasonably. What say you folks? Thanks…
[SIZE=3]Research and Development, the old R&D is what costs a company a lot while they try to perfect any product. You can create any product you want as cheaply as you want if you only want a cheap product. However, to create a quality product, in this case fly lines, takes years of research and field testing (now that is something I would like to do) and testing in the labs to create the best material they can that will perform the way they want it to.
I prefer to buy quality lines (Rio & Airflo), however, that does not mean that everyone has to. Your decision should be based on many factors, some of which are: How much can you afford to spend; How good is your casting; How far do you have to cast; What type of fish are you going after; How much are you spending on a fishing trip (if you are going on an expensive fishing trip then you owe it to yourself to have the best line); Would a higher quality line improve your casting and many more factors.
You can always start at a medium grade level and end up using that as a secondary line once you decide if you should upgrade to a higher level.
You decide what you feel comfortable buying and go with that.
Larry —sagefisher—
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And you can get started cheaper if you want. I fully understand that due to my wages (9.50 per hour and no overtime) I use Aquanova fly lines and enjoy them. They have not let me down yet and have lasted for years. You can pick them up at http://www.dorber.com/product.html. Cost about $20.00 after shipping. That being said I also agree with a lot of what sagefisher says as well. If you are going on the trip of a lifetime take the best you have. Mine will be aquanova. Just my two cents
If you’re starting out, buy what you can afford. You definitely get what you pay for, nicer coating, no memory, higher floating, etc. But, you can catch just as many fish with a cheap line as with a expensive line. Many years ago the Ultra line was SA’s best line. So buy cheap and have fun.
I’v owned over the years,cheap line that wouldn’t make a good clothes line, and I’v payed $60.00 for line I wouldn’t give ya 2cent for. All that being said, my favorite line after all that had been said an done cost me $5.00. On clearence from wal-mart, SA line, I’m not a pro fly fisher person and haven’t fished the great waters of America and abroad, but, I’v had no problems with line, in the cold, heat, (after leaving it in my Jeep threw a couple summers, not recommended) I like it, it lays out well, no coiling, and I can on a good day, cast the whole line, I do clean it every now and then with a little Zipcast. normal retail for this line is around $20.00…
I think Cabelas makes a very good fly line for the buck.
Randy
i think that should read “i think cabelas “has” a very good fly line for the buck” since the probably dont manufacture fly line under their name.
Gary-
Fly lines range in price from $10-100 so there is a line for you at virtually any price point. If people made decisions just based on price, everyone would be driving Yugos.
For high dollar lines, there is a lot of R&D as Sagefisher said, and a huge variety of different combinations of weights, tapers (weight forward, double taper, bass bug, saltwater, bonefish, shooting heads etc etc), formulations for specific temperatures (tropical, coldwater) and densities (floating, sink tip, intermediate, full sink, fast sink, really fast sink etc.). Since there are relatively few people that fly fish (compared to other types of fishing) and fly lines usually last years, production runs of any one weight, taper, density etc are pretty limited, also would adding to the cost.
For higher priced lines, there is also a “bling” factor, as well as a psychological perception that a product that costs more $ = must be better. And, as more local fly shops close and the market turns to online and big box stores, folks have less and less of an opportunity to go out back and cast a few different lines to see what actually works best with a given rod and personal casting style. Instead price plays more and more of a role as an indication of likely performance, so there actually may be a disincentive to have lower price points on all but the “budget” lines IMHO.
To some extent it depends on your equipment, what you’re fishing for (dry flies for trout, bass bugs for bass etc) and the type of water (small streams, salt, big rivers) and casting stroke as far as the “best” line for you, but you might want to consider some moderately priced $25-30 lines like Cortland 333+, SA Species Specific, or SA Air Cel from your local fly shop (perhaps they’d let you try them out first, or throw in a little free instruction). They seem to be a good balance between price and performance for most FW FF.
For someone starting out, regardless of how expensive the gear, the best investment you can make is at least one casting lesson.
peregrines
There are only a few companies that actually make fly lines. Other companies, like Cabela’s, will buy lines from those companies and put their name on it. However, that line is usually manufactured to the specifications of the company that is buying the line. I suppose there are some companies that simply say they want a WF fly line and don’t specify anything else, but that would really be a stupid thing to do. There would be no consistency with each batch.
Sage used to have SA make their fly lines until Sage bought Rio and now Rio makes the Sage brand as well as their own brand and who know how many other brands.
Almost any fly line will let you cast out to 35 to 45 feet and that is the distance most people fish. How that line acts at the end of the day, does it sink like a rock or coil up into aggravating knots depends upon how it was made and how you cast.
Go with what you can afford. Enjoy your fishing experience and catch some fish.
Larry —sagefisher—
Yes, I stand corrected. But I still like “Cabelas” lines for the buck.
Randy
theres an article on fly lines by zach matthews in the latest issue of american angler magazine. may be a worthy purchase.