It is currently 23 Apr 2024, 14:24


New Topic Add Reply
Author Message
Post 24 May 2020, 11:53 • #1 
New Member
Joined: 05/09/20
Posts: 15
I’m sure this has been a topic many times but I am curious to hear people’s thoughts. If there is a list of recommendations on the forum I couldn’t find it by searching.

I have a couple of Rio DT lines I use and they work fine. I found an old Wulff Triangle Taper the other day and really like the way it casts on a couple of my glass rods. Any other long belly or spey type lines people have had success with? I’m trying to find something that would work on glass and bamboo.

-Andrew


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 11:59 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
Jeez... this is a question with many variables involved, including your budget and personal preferences.

Here's a topic I once started that might give you a starter:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=46413


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 12:30 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/11/06
Posts: 2520
Location: Nature Coast Florida
Until recent years I always thought the Cortland Peach 444 lines were greatest thing ever invented.

Then a couple years ago I bought a reel that had a 4wt Wulff Bamboo Special on it and have really enjoyed casting with this line. I believe this is the same line as the Wulff Longbelly Series, but has a silk line color on part of it.

Also, I was having trouble getting some of my longer parabolic bamboo rods to perform and was fortunate to find that the Wulff Triangle tapers would bring these rods to life.

These lines aren't cheap, so I've only tried them when I've bought reels that already had these lines on them. I think members here can offer alternatives that work well and are much more attractive price wise.

Barry


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 12:50 • #4 
New Member
Joined: 05/09/20
Posts: 15
Great info. That’s what I was looking for. I’ve gone through the painstaking process of lining all of my favorite rods and it’s worth the effort. Ironically, some of my newer $100 lines may never see the water again...


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 13:00 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2512
Location: South of Joplin
I like both Cortland and SA level lines for nearly all fishing.


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 13:33 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
SA DT "Trout" lines for me.


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 15:12 • #7 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/03/06
Posts: 688
Location: US-VA
Yep, ditto...


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 16:52 • #8 
Guide
Joined: 05/02/12
Posts: 100
Location: US-CT
I've become very fond of the 406 lines for glass & cane rods.
tt


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 17:19 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8933
Location: US-ME
The 406 lines were thought out with fiberglass rods in mind. viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46792&hilit=Glass+specific


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 19:46 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 08/14/06
Posts: 1229
Location: Panther City, Texas
I use Wulff TT floating lines based on a long ago recommendation from McFarland and they are excellent lines. Most of my fishing these days involves sink tip WF lines. Soft hackles a Teeney mini tip, streamers Rio, SA, and Wulff TT 25 ft tips. I only have one one full sink line, an SA. All do the job within my capabilities.


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 20:21 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2099
Location: US-PA
Sci Anglers Mastery DT on all of my plastic trout rods. I like everything about them but the color.

Terenzio real silk DT's and Cadno DT silk lines on all of my bamboo.

Bottom line, all of my trout rods like a basic DT.

Rio Smallmouth, 333 Bass Bug and a regular WF Rio Classic (now discontinued) on my warmwater rigs which are all faster graphite.


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 20:29 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 11/18/18
Posts: 356
Location: US-TX
I use a single spey line Orvis Bank Shot on my Superfine 6wt it throws large bugs nicely


Top
  
Quote
Post 24 May 2020, 23:11 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/23/05
Posts: 4971
Location: US-MT
Any line without a memory problem works for me.


Top
  
Quote
Post 25 May 2020, 06:51 • #14 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/08/06
Posts: 796
Location: RenoNV/FranklinWV
Quite fond of the Wulff TT's and Longbelly flylines, sunset Masterline and Chalkstreams, but really most lines work very well, some though a a bit of magic.


Top
  
Quote
Post 25 May 2020, 08:09 • #15 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/03/14
Posts: 945
Location: central AR
Most of my rods are vintage, the majority of them work great with Scientific Anglers AirCel lines. I also use some Cortland and Barrio lines. On my newer glass, some do prefer overweight lines.


Top
  
Quote
Post 25 May 2020, 10:43 • #16 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2512
Location: South of Joplin
majicwrench wrote:
Any line without a memory problem works for me.

That covers it pretty well. In truth, neither my 'glass nor my carbon rods have ever cared what brand or taper line was used, the rod is mostly just a handle, so pick the line to match the fly and the job; floating lines for top water work and sinking lines for deep water, heavy lines for large flies and light lines for delicate presentation of midges and so forth.
If one looks at the taper profiles and weight distribution of each line it will probably indicate some manufacturers market the same line under several labels aimed at specific fish, differing only in box color and price.
Cut a DT in half and splice it to running line and it becomes a WF, cut 5-7' off the front of either and they become basic level lines.
Add a few inches to the tip or to the rear taper of any line and you can market it as some new line for $10 more.
Change the color of the dye and double the price and everybody will need the "new" "improved" line.
After several decades of every company touting how slick their lines were and how wonderful "slick" was/is, they suddenly found that rough/textured/sharkskin/etc could sell.
I'm not a good enough caster to appreciate the difference that ten grains of weight (spread over 30') or six inches of extra rear taper or ten more feet of running line makes. I do like slick. I can get about any front taper I want by changing leaders or leader design. By 1985 the lines had about as good of design as they do now, as far as I can tell. Plastic is still plastic and there is only so much manipulation that can be done with any material, marketing though has no limits.


Top
  
Quote
Post 27 May 2020, 15:40 • #17 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/27/09
Posts: 573
Location: US-SD
majicwrench wrote:
Any line without a memory problem works for me.

Agreed! Between myself and my equipment, only one of us should have a memory problem.


Top
  
Quote
Post 29 May 2020, 05:02 • #18 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/24/11
Posts: 1148
Location: Belgium
I am partial to DTs and longer bellied WF lines. They are more honest and versatile. The specialty lines can be one trick ponies designed to mask operator shortcomings. For vintage rods that sometimes don't have the best guides or not enough guides, slickness is particularly important, that can be dealt with by keeping the line clean and well dressed. I tend to like SA and Cortland as brands.


Top
  
Quote
Post 29 May 2020, 08:32 • #19 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/21/06
Posts: 3082
Location: Orygun
For me it really boils down to the type of fishing I'm doing. For most trout applications, I like a standard weight forward floating line with a slightly more aggressive taper since most of the time I'm throwing a dry/dropper setup. My preference is the Airflo Elite.

For streamers, I go with either a short Skagit/tip (opst commando) setup or a fast sinking integrated shooting head (I prefer the newer SA Titan Sonar 3d lines for much of this, but the good old fashioned Teeny lines work just fine too, they just don't last as long for me). I use this for all of my tiger musky, most of my bass, all of my surf fishing.

If I'm throwing a couple if nymphs under an indicator, I prefer a longer WF floating line, slightly over-weighted head with an aggressive front taper for turning everything over with one long roll cast. I currently have an SA nymph line but will probably switch out to an Airflo when this wears out.

As with all "what's your favorite...." Type of questions, it really boils down to personal preference and that's mine.

Cheers!


Top
  
Quote
Post 31 May 2020, 12:24 • #20 
Guide
Joined: 04/03/19
Posts: 221
Location: CO
I’ve got the Orvis Bankshot on my System 7, and I have Cortland Peach DT and Orvis Superfine WF lines for my Orvis SFG and Flea (bamboo) rods. Both work well, although I find I like the double taper more. My Abercrombie & Fitch (Phillipson) Featherweight loves the Cortland line though; roll casts are a dream!


Top
  
Quote
Post 31 May 2020, 14:18 • #21 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/20/11
Posts: 1883
Location: US-MD
Have always liked the S/A Trout and Distance Taper series for freshwater and the Sonar and Bonefish tapers for salt.


Top
  
Quote
Post 02 Jun 2020, 18:16 • #22 
New Member
Joined: 12/05/16
Posts: 4
Location: Austin, TX
This is all super helpful and covers a variety of situations. I’m looking specifically for a line to match a 6wt Fenwick Fenglass for catching creek bass in Central Texas. My gut says that a simple 6wt WF line would suffice, but would love input from the group (without having to start a new thread).

Fire away!


Top
  
Quote
Post 02 Jun 2020, 18:25 • #23 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/03/14
Posts: 945
Location: central AR
I just lined up a Hook and Hackle six weight line for that rod. Lawn casting,
It is a great combo. I haven’t fished these lines yet but they get good reviews here for fiberglass.

Tim


Top
  
Quote
Post 09 Jun 2020, 23:12 • #24 
Guide
Joined: 11/25/10
Posts: 180
Location: US-NV
I like premium lines that are on clearance. Currently I am using a now discontinued SA sharkwave WF-6 on my FF806 and it seems to be really nice, it does have a little hiss to it, which I don’t mind. For my FF807 I have an Airflo Super-dri Elite WF-7, really nice line. The older Airflo lines have been a bit too stiff or have memory, this one is supple and floats really well.


Top
  
Quote
Post 11 Jun 2020, 03:59 • #25 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/24/11
Posts: 1148
Location: Belgium
Textured lines can really be the answer for vintage rods that don't necessarily have the slickest guides.


Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

New Topic Add Reply



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: kdean, neumie and 11 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
Google
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group