Was checking the RIO website and studying up on this particular line. Seems that this budget line has just about the same taper as the RIO Grande. ex: WF5F line is 155gr for the 1st 30 feet of head. Thinking this would work well for a ‘light’ six weight as it is only 5 grains shy of a true six. Looks like the color of these lines went from bright yellow (if memory serves) to what they now call “lime-yellow” which is reminiscent of the venerable old Cortland 333 in color. how bad could it be…price is right! the 80’ line would also work well on lower capacity reels I’m thinking too.
Does anyone hear fish this line? Wondering how the coating is; ie. stays slick, cleans up easy, pretty durable etc.? Appreciate all inputs.
I have used some of the Mainstream lines since they were first introduced eight or so years ago and found them to be excellent performers and very durable. They do not shoot quite as well as their more expensive cousins, but then again if they did, then no one would buy the premium lines. We have sold a lot of them in the shop and I don’t recall ever hearing anyone expressing anything other than satisfaction with these lines.
I picked one up about 7-8 years ago when I was working in a fly shop, back when they were tan in color, just as a cheap extra line for a 5 wt. It did not cast well. I can’t remember now if I bought a DT or a WF, but it acted like it was way too light for the rod and didn’t shoot well at all. I used it a few times and gave up on it.
I use a 6 weight floater Mainstream as my nymphing and dry fly line. I don’t need anything that shoots the full 80’ just something that will turn over a heavy nymph rig and will lay drys out softly. The one thing I will point out though, is you have got to keep them clean and conditioned. I prefer this line over the Western drifter ($64) designed for nymphing I had before. The tip section would not float and the coating started to crack. New line from a decent shop should not do that.
Any thoughts on over lining this by a size? Maybe get a little more “shoot” that way. My wife has had this in a 5wt for several years with not problems. Maybe when the weather warms I’ll try it on the 4wt and see how it does.