I know this will be fraught with opinion, that’s what I am looking for.
Under 50.00, you ask? Yes, that is the budget…hopefully under 40.00…and why, you ask?
I treat my gear pretty rough, especially line…gear stays in car, line on the rod, stepped on, dragged through mud…you get it, I use my stuff and use it a LOT many weeks the line simply stays damp.
Thinking on Cortland 333 or 444…saw some sales on those, Orvis Silver and a couple of Sci. AM. lines look OK.
I like a fairly slick line and very limp…hate a stiff line.
My current favorite is a Cortland Wind Taper…actually got 2.5 seasons out of it…but it is time.
Yes, I do get cheepie seconds but for my 6 wt. I want a better line.
Not sure…maybe I am describing this wrong. I fish from early spring through late fall in Ohio and find that some lines have a stiffness that sets in below about 60 degress or so.
The last Orvis Green Mountains I bought were an example…too much memory and stiff at about 60 degreess or so.
Again, Opinions are sought and I understand that my thinking may be totally wrong so just asking for the thoughts of others…the line described by me would be “ideal” though I know that probably doesn’t exist.
True, a stiff line can have a lot of memory, but can slide out the rod tip with ease. A limp line tends not to go through the guides well but usually is not ‘kinky’. For me, a stiff line is less effort to cast because it shoots well. Being lazy, I opt for the line that is the easiest to cast.
JC, … I’m lazy too, but it only takes me a few seconds in the morning to give the line a slight “pre-stretch” to pull the memory out of it.
(so I like the “stiff” lines).
Under $40 MSRP : Rio Mainstream (my current favorite). Others used and happy with Scientific Anglers Air Cell Supreme 2, Cortland 333, Cabela’s Prestige Plus, S.A. AirCel
Under $50 : Orvis Silver Label
I have always really liked the S.A. Mastery GPX and got several for $25 on closeout recently.
My favorite and the only one I buy anymore is aquanova for 14.49. I have used the factory seconds on this line as well for at least two seasons and more. works great for me.
have ya thought about a silk line ? i tries several plastic lines & dont like them especialy during cold weather… i have never had a problem with silk being too limp or too stiff… no memory either… if ya look on ebay ya can get one at a reasonable price (most of the time under 30$)… dont type silk fly line in the search cause it only shows the high dollar lines… instead, type fly line in the search box & look through that list carefully… i got a silk DT5 and DT6 for 6$ each, still new on the spool in the box…
Perhaps my thinking on a stiffer line was way wrong, wouldn’t kill me to stretch it a bit.
What has been said makes sense, that “seems” to be what makes a Sharkskin fly, along with the little ridges, it sure seemed pretty stiff when I handled a sample.
“Take better care of your gear”…hope that day will come and that’ll be the day that I buy a nicer (more expensive) line and try to get more than 2 seasons out of it.
