Why should I give it to you, for free? Because you will answer ‘on here’ just why YOU would be the best person to do a FIELD TEST REPORT for FAOL.
I want a ‘product Review’ of this line. Your job, if you should decide you would be willing to do one, is to reply on here and CONVINCE ME. I will pick one of you and send you the line. I’ve got it right here now, it will go out to you fast. I will expect you to fish the line (for steelhead), take a couple of usable pictures for the ‘Product Review,’ write it up and email it to us. Whoever does the best job of convincing me gets the line. It is, of course, new and in the box. You might like to check our ‘Product Review’ section.
Too bad that it’s not the saltwater flyline, as it could be evaluated by the CHFF at the all-day mid-January fly casting clinic, fly casting games & club picnic. Great offer for the steelheaders !
If you are interested in opening up the requirments to fish other than steelhead I would be willing to do a review of the line for new england saltwater. I fish the salt by fly all winter long with traditional salmon and steelhead methods for striped bass. Modern cast and strip saltwater methods are a bore. I play with fly lines of all types to get a feel for how they fish rather than how they just cast.
I have heard all the reviews of how well the line casts. I would be willing to give a review of how well it swings, mends, drifts, floats, and drags in relation to winter fishing conditions.
I have yet to cast or use a sharkskin so I have no idea how well this line will work for my applications.
I think it is quite simple really. That line really seems over priced. I fish the SA Mastery series, notablly the GPS, because it is the best I have used. As a university student (studying philosophy) and avid fly angler I have been wary of this line. Although the line looks promising is it difficult not to give into the idea; “its a gimmick”.
I live in Newfoundland Canada. Eventhough there is plenty of fishing, steelhead is not an abundant fishery. There are small pockets of rainbows and migratory rainbows on the Avalon. Sea trout, brown trout, brook trout and Atlantic Salmon are some of the species right around the corner from me.
I would be happy to feild test this line. Cheifly to see why there ought to be a new class of fly lines in the $100 range.
I used a 10 wt sharkskin in North Carolina saltwater and after using it for a day, I am satisfied in saying that its no gimmick. Long casts behaved well in 40 degree air and the line picked off the water easily for another cast.The line didnt tangle on the floor of the boat even though i never stretched it as I normally do with a line to help remove the memory. It made noise in the guides but I’m hard of hearing so that didnt bother me either. I liked it a lot.
I have never been steelhead fishing yet, but it is at the top of my Fly Fishing “to do” list. The presence of this fly line and the need to test it would get me further motivated and almost assuredly help me convince my wife to let me make a trip to Erie to hit the steelies.
I am a mediocre caster so if there is any improvement/decrease in my casting ability i will be able to easily attribute it to the line and not any other factor.
Additionally i have a waterproof camera so there are no problems with taking on (or under) stream photos.
I have had a chance to cast these lines from 5wt to 8wt. I have a tendency to want to make a long cast in one back cast, via shooting a lot of line. In my experience with these lines, I have found that they are very easy to shoot and turn over very nicely, even at the end of a 90 foot cast, with a bit of extra ‘kick’ in reserve that will surely help in turning over a 7-9 foot leader with a big fly. I do not own any Sharkskin lines, but have been inclined to buy one to take down into OK to fish for stripers. Mr. Castwell, I am the candidate for the job at hand. I am a picture fanatic who loves to cast big flies on big rods, and if I become your selection for this give away, I will be more than happy to post a report on Long rodding for land locked Linesides with SA’s Sharkskin. I will even take with me a concave piece of steel to lay over a stripers face to convert it to a Steelhead.
It may not be the real thing, but it was worth a shot.
Will be fishing Erie tribs week of March 23 with a group of serious fishermen. Can set line up on a decent reel and switch it to different rods to see results. Sometimes different set-ups make a difference. We fish most streams from Elk and Walnut down to Raccoon. Would offer plenty of different conditions to see if line can shine. If line performs well comments will be in depth. If less than stellar results comments will reflect that perhaps for others equipment might be more suitable. I always keep in mind that the nut fastened to end of rod is a large factor in results obtained. Some of my friends mention that the nut is not fully tight in my case. If I get opportunity to test line it will then be used as a prize at the Pa. Fish In Pine Creek Valley. Lots of steelhead talk there while we are chasing trout. Thanks for considering my offer.
I own the Sharkskin line in 5wt, and would believe this to be a “big water” line, and not something to be used on small streams. I took the 5wt to Michigan and the Au Sable (Mio and above) was the wrong water for this line, IMO. Product testing of this line should be done on water that would maximize its potential for shooting line long distances with little effort. Not a small water line.
But hey, what do I know. I spend more time baking bread than fishing anyway. Forget I even mentioned it.
I have the Sharkskin steelhead taper in an 8wt that I just got a great deal on EBAY for. I got it for $63 with the shipping!
I have been using it for a few weeks now and really am impressed with it to say the least. It turns over extremely easy and floats high in the water. One drawback to it is the water retention which in New York this time of year translates to ICE. I had it out in 20 degree temps and it tends to ice up the guides and reel. To minimize this I just don’t reel up between casts as much and it works fine. I’m casting it with a two piece 11’ 7/8wt Wildwater river run rod. This rod was also an EBAY find and is fun to cast. The Wildwater rods are sold here in Rochester and are fairly new to the market. I think they will take off and become a very popular brand based on the two I have now.( The second is a 5’6" 3wt that is a blast to fish with)
Getting back on track here, the other little nuance is the noise it makes going through the guides. It’s not as loud as a freight train but you know when it’s singing.
I’m more than willing to try out the SA Sharkskin WF9F on our local steelhead population. Despite the snow (and ice building up on the guides) I plan getting out for several more fishing trips to several Great Lakes tribs ( even one that is open year round for resident rainbows). I would be very pleased to write a review on this line – I’ve actually been considering purchasing the line any way. So if the offer is still open, please put my name into the hat. I can promise I’ll put the line through its paces and definitely try to determine whether this product is up to the advertised “inspired by nature, perfected by science” “ultimate casting performance” status given by SA or if it just lacks “bite”. I’m willing to report on whether the line has the long distance line control (especially if it allows mending and roll casting at long distances); if it is the ideal floating line design for big water and steelhead flies; if the welded streamlined loop (described as slick and strong)really does make for easy connections and seamless fishing (front); and truly see if it stays supple in cold water. In short I’ll report on what this line does in the best (or worst) of steelhead fishing in the Great White North – and if it lives up to its claim of exceptional performance. Whether this line sounds as loud as a freight train going through the guides or not, I want to see if its performance is like a racing locomotive or a train wreck about to happen.
I’d love to throw my hat in the ring if I’m not too late. In 2007 I crafted a
9’10", 8wt DanCraft, Sig V rod for a trip to Kodiak, Alaska targeting silver salmon. The rod turned out to be a cannon and I had a blast using it! While in Alaska I found I needed at least one weight higher in order to load the rod properly, so this 9wt line would be perfect for this rod.
I would love to try out this new line in the coming year as I’m anticipating returning to Kodiak in September. I also have the opportunity to fish for steelies on the Clearwater, especially the S. Fork of the Clearwater. Several years ago, on my very first trip for steelhead I had the opportunity to hook 21 fish in two days of fishing - not bad for a rookie, and without a guide to boot! The Salmon River is only 2 hours away and I hope to get there in October when the season is optimum for steelhead.
I would love to be able to prove to myself that this new line, which appears way overpriced, lives up to the manufacturer’s claims. I work hard for my income and I try to research carefully those items that add to my fly fishing recreation. I would love to try something that is cutting edge, yet, at the price it’s offered for, I can’t justify spending my hard-earned $$ and then find out it’s a bust.
I will definitely put this line through it’s paces, especially this Spring on Henry’s Lake, ID when the season opens in May. The big Cutts and Cutt-bows are stacked up along the shoreline and a floating line is perfect for those conditions.
If it works as claimed I will be first in line with a testimonial for all FAOL members and visitors - sure to be a boon to SA (ha, ha).
I fish between 50 and 85 days a year while still working full time, raising a family and taking care of a way-too-big-why-did-I-ever-plant-so-much-grass yard, as well as making sure I do what it takes to bless my wife’s life (but it’s really her that blesses mine). Fly fishing is my opportunity to focus on one thing - cracking the code for that day, and this new line would help me add one more tool in making that happen.
Sounds like a match made in heaven. I fish almost exclusively for steelhead and salmon. In my state they are available every month of the year so the article will be quickly available. It is time for a new line and except for a $5 line from the local super market, I have been using the same old SA lines since the 60’s and early 70’s.
I promise to use it in the same place I got the 40 incher earlier this Summer. With the Winter run in, they might be bigger now. It will be bigger water this time of year so the line will earn its keep. I’ll use it on the No Santiam, the same river I wrote about last time but the time then was Summer and the water shallow and clear. Things change. Probably same fly: Pete’s R&B unless I go for something brighter like Pete’s Santiam Sunrise. I’ll use the Gatti rod and the Martin 72 3:1 multiplier.
I want to thank each of you personally for your offer to report on the fly line. I may be able to offer something like this in the future, who knows. I have selected one victim (uh, … person) to do the ‘Product Review’ (report). He is a well known steel header from the Pacific NW, and yes, I actually know him and have fished with him. I think he fishes nearly every day and timing here is important.
Thanks again for offering to help bail me out.