Bait: Any fish and frogs may be used as bait when legally taken and possessed, EXCEPT lampreys, live carp and goldfish. Wigglers (mayfly nymphs) and other aquatic nymphs and larvae also may be used for bait, but may not be taken from any trout stream except for personal use on the same stream. Crayfish may be taken for bait and personal use. See exceptions on the Michigan-Wisconsin Boundary Waters. To help reduce the spread of invasive species, anglers are reminded to properly dispose of all bait containers including worms and soil, crayfish and minnows in a trash receptacle.
Oklahoma is even more so. OK does not have restrictions about aquatic nymphs. OK is starting to get a little restrictive about the transportation of live bait, thanks to invasive species. I wouldn't be too surprised, if in a few years, I will not be allowed to catch bait in the river where it's plentiful, and transport said bait to a different BOW where said bait is hard or impossible to catch.
Allen,
SC is pretty much there already. Transporting aquatic creatures from one BOW to another is pretty much verboten, as far as I know.
Certainly, dumping left over bait in the waters is specifically addressed.
Dick, the snake shot he is talking about is usually .38 or 9mm shells meant to pack a real punch. Bird shot is not effective on a rattlesnake or moccasin.
hey bill;; usually I find those rat shot shells in a 22 caliber;; at close range;; it does a descent enough job I guess. I always thought those things were for those that cant hit anything
I hand load those for .38 spl and .44 spl/mag. I have never been too impressed with them. I have killed snakes with them but you need to be VERY close. The rifling in the barrel causes the shot to spread out very fast after it leaves the barrel (that's why you need to be so close). I have since bought a Taurus Judge in .45/410. It too has a rifled barrel, but does a MUCH BETTER job of dispatching snakes. (That's my fishing gun now) loaded with two .410 shells for snakes and three .45 Colt rounds in case I meet up with a Hog or Coyote etc.......It deals me "Great Comfort" when fishing a river or pond way back in the woods......
In all the seasons spent tramping the South Edisto, the backwaters of Florida, craggy mountains of California and Arizona, I never once needed to shoot a snake.
There have been a few times, however, that I wanted to defend myself against TWO LEGGED reptiles.
Wish I had the money for one of those Taurus Judge's.
I've done a couple different ones. The first production run was on standard wet-fly hooks, size 18, with starling hackle as the "legs". Basically a modified peacock and starling soft hackle (also a deadly pattern). I've done bead-head and unweighted.
I've also done an experimental batch, tied onto a size 16 scud hook. I like the shape of scud hooks; they just plain catch fish. The shank of that size hook approximates the size 18 wet fly hooks I've been using. That size is just about perfect for the big black "wood ants" we have around here. Apparently, the 'gills agree with me :)
I have used "hard bodied ants" # 12 hook in Red and Black on Red Breasted Sunfish in a shallow stream with good success and Dick Tabbert ants tied on a #10 hook in the same stream worked and took some Gills at two lakes .Ants are killers!
Man, I wish I have calm years like you guys. Mine have been on overdrive mode since I was 14. If I get enough luck, I spend my tired body hours resting in the bucket of hot water somewhere before waking up and do everything all over again. Would love to spend some nice time sitting on my air chair and search for water monsters.
HI: Just joined the group and am going to be purchasing some new line for my fly rods. I saw that Scientific Anglers has a specific "Panfish" line out now. Anyone have any experience with it or can suggest another great line? I have been using some old "Climax" WF line that I love, but it's going on 15 years old.
Marty;; I just use a courtland 333 line in a 3 wt. regular mono line for a tippet. and have a ball with it!! I also catch; by accident some descent size catfish;; bass; and stripe with this setup.
my 2 cents buy the best line you can afford.i buy the midgrade stuff at cabela's as they are the closest place to buy flyline.i want something that will cast as far as my skills will allow.not throwing sz 26 dries on 1/2 pound tippet.the line cleaning/conditioning cloths seem to bring older line back to life tho.
I agree totally with Jim Cosgrove; and Mark Sleeper. cheap line; usually has memory coils;; doesn't cast well; kinks up at times. so ;; with that being said;; GUYS;; WHAT IS YOUR OPPINION ON A GOOD QUALITY FLY LINE??? WHAT MAKER;; FAST SINK; LEVEL; DOUBLE TAPER.
Hi I use a lot of Jim Teeny fly line Gary La Fontaine Pro olive drab color great fly line also Rio fly line and Sage quiet taper fly line most of my fly lines are olive color I do have some yellow but I like dull colors that blend in esp clear water fishing
some of the fly line is very expensive in my opinion; a courtland 444 is also a good choice. my personal pref. is a level line. since I use quill floats;; and roll cast most of the time;; just works better for me
carl check out Teeny fly line they have a lot of sinking tip lines, the best part the color let's you know when the sinking tip is out, this helps casting. I have met Jim at a fly fishing show at LL Beans he is a great guy. Ps you hit it on the head on the cheap lines. it would be better to have a cheap rod and Quality fly line
A well cleaned and conditioned fly line is your best friend when it comes to casting a fly line, the easier the line slides through the eyelets the further you can cast. I use live bait " Crickets " and porcupine quills for my presentations which means my cast have to be even more delicate to make sure I dont throw the cricket off during casting, I prefer a 9 inch quill to do battle with the bluegill and I cheat a little by using a floating weight forward tapered line with about 2 and a half feet cut off the end of the line where the taper is being reduced, this put more weight closer to the end of the line for easier casting with the quill, I also use a No Knot Eyelet to attach my leader, this combination has served me well over the last 50 years and has put a lot of fish in the boat, the fish just think that a twig has falling into the water with a fat cricket cricket on it and they have to have that taste morsel before there bluegill buddy gets it. One final note when I hook the cricket a drop of cricket juice comes out and I believe this is the best scent attractant you can get , it's fresh and it comes in small containers , The Cricket it's self. LOFR
Several things here have been well said.
A good quality fly line can be had for 20-40$
Is it the ultimate best? Will it be the envy of the "fly fashion" crowd? No
But it'll work well.
Line protectant/cleaner/lubricant is a good idea, too, especially if you use it. I clean mine with a product made for vinyl and have no problems. There are also dedicated fly line products, and Leo recommends a space age protectant called "303." Line maintenance is the key.
You can repair fly lines if needed, up to a point. Small nicks and cuts should be tended to right away, or they get bigger. Even larger cuts and tears can be fixed.
All this will help the money spent go a long way.
I like LOFRs idea of the No Knot eyelet, too. Attaching leaders is kind of a pain, especially if you use a nail knot. With the eyelet, you get a seamless connection without hassles.
I favor tippet rings. Not directly line related, they also make life easier by facilitating tippet replacement.
Now, I'm just a fly fishing newbie, so this is just my two cents.
I've used em too, and your right - not difficult.
Some will say they are too bulky, and act as an energy-robbing hinge point in the line. I never noticed.
I've used nail knots and they are good, as they don't hinge and are a good bit tidier. They're the classic method.
The knotless connectors are gadgety, another bit of hardware to fiddle with. But they are very nice.
Personally, I like the ease of the loops. The No tie connectors are close seconds.
thanks sleepy that's one line I haven't heard of yet. got to check it out !! one other thing I have found ;; is clean your lines ; couple times a year;; more often if the water your fishing in is real stained; or dirty. to clean a fly line;; soak it in luke warm water for about 10 minutes;; then rinse. apply dressing;; your ready to go. makes a big difference I think.
Many PVC fly lines only last 3-4 years ago best. Airflo make there lines from a different kind of kind of plastics or people Khmer, then have a five year warranty and I have lines that are 7 years old that set and fish well still.
They are towards the top end of any fly line, around $60 or so, but when you average over theines life they are more cost effective inthe long run.
I like the double taper when you Ou need short casts and deli a e presentations, otherwise go wit a standard weight forward.
She m one mentioneda level line: PLEASE try a weight forward, you'll never go back
Fly line technology has greatly improved over the years, especially within the past decade. They're not using the cheapy PVC any more. Rather, the formulation, even for the cheapest fly line (I witnessed a few extrusion companies making the fly lines), utilizing the polymers that match the high specs end. Scientific Angler's, Cortland's, Rio's and Bass Pro Shop product lines are here in the nearby cities. The polymers they're using is similar to, if not the exact match, as the Cortland's 333 and 444, yet, sold by Bass Pro for practically half the price. From what I could evaluate the "secret resin" used by in the proprietary Cortland's product, aside from the rest, the resin higher binder but lower tensile strength, allowing the product to last longer. The rest of the product has a lower binding agent but higher tensile strength at first, but does not last long. All products are made to last up to 10 years average, if you take care of it.
Carl's slick 50 stuff is the highest form of chemical coating and reagent, 303 Aerospace Protectant, recently bought out by/merged with Gold Eagle. The reagent rebind, repair, and reseal the cracks when it dries. The excess layer create a splendid protection against the elements. The result, my suggestion is not to get the surface you've accidental spilled/sprayed wet and walk over it. Bad..bad..mistake.
I have $80 lines and $8 lines and some in between. Rio, Cortland, Wulff and SA are in my inventory. I have one sinking line and it has never been in the water and all the rest are floating WF and DT. I have a couple of specialty lines. One has a long front taper and I don't really care for it in warm water. I have a new one with a short front taper and a long rear taper. I like it fine but I don't see a lot of difference between it and a regular WF line that has a shortened front taper and it was a lot cheaper. DT's cast just fine for most situations and I don't find a lot of difference from the WF lines except for long casts of over 50'. I guess I am just not good enough to detect the differences between lines. I will say that I love the Wulff line on my 9wt for distance and short casts. I would like to try a 5wt of the same line design to see how it would cast. I am considering a Teeny sink tip to throw streamers. To sum up....for all round fly casting in warm water I would just buy a $20 SA line from WM in either DT or WF. Just in my cheap opinion.
I forgot to mention that I do find that the more expensive lines do 'shoot' better. Some of the cheap lines will hardly 'shoot' at all. Shooting line is only really needed on long casts. I mostly use the loop to loop connection between leader and fly line. Easy to do and quick change. I also use loop to loop connection between the furled leader and tippet. Again easy and quick. I don't like messing with tackle while fishing. I want my fly in the water.
The line memory is more of an issue with lighter weight lines, similar to mono. I believe this is where I can see higher end proprietary formulated lines will be beneficial..but man, $60 to $80 for the line?
For the lines that are not being used, dress them up with your best dressing, and put them away in an airtight and vacuumed container. A bit drastic, but the the company's specs to increase/preserve the lines at their highest peak and longevity (25 years without exposure to UV and kept in cool dark place) is through this method.
I do ok with some pretty cheap fly lines, while I have a couple in the $70 dollar range I don't see a big difference from the ones in the $25 dollar range. what does seem to make a big difference is matching the weight of the line to the rod and being familiar enough with your rod to know if you need to go up or down a weight to get the best performance. Recently I took a high dollar wf7f off a 7 wt rod and replaced it with a dt8f and booyah!! ten more feet and a lot less wear and tear on my casting arm. oh and I use loop connections too.
David, Ray, if you want to give Cal's slick 'em, or slick 50, or "slip the bikini off real fast" protectant a try, let one of us know.
I've tested the specs on the solution on most front, primarily brutal conditions, and so far, I'm extremely please. I've used both on the rookie's fly rod combos, to the old and excellent combo, and will be testing it on the 3wt or 2wt combo soon (Christmas present..maybe?), the gain for further cast even by the rookies can be observed.
Mark nailed it. I used wf5f high end on a 5wt rod, only max out at 50ft. Put in the cheapy wf4f on a 5wt rod, and again that extra 7ft without the slick stuff, and 11ft with the slick stuff. Haven't try with the wf3f lines on the 5wt rod yet. May need to.
Leo, Carl calls it slick 50 but what is the actual name of it. I got some from Carl haven't used any yet mainly cause I have to retie everything I suck at fly knot tying.
David, aka, "McScruff"
It IS great stuff, to be sure.
Jul 29, 2013
Slip Sinker
very liberal here in michigan:
Lawful Methods
Bait: Any fish and frogs may be used as bait when legally taken and possessed, EXCEPT lampreys, live carp and goldfish. Wigglers (mayfly nymphs) and other aquatic nymphs and larvae also may be used for bait, but may not be taken from any trout stream except for personal use on the same stream. Crayfish may be taken for bait and personal use. See exceptions on the Michigan-Wisconsin Boundary Waters. To help reduce the spread of invasive species, anglers are reminded to properly dispose of all bait containers including worms and soil, crayfish and minnows in a trash receptacle.
Jul 29, 2013
Allen Morgan
Oklahoma is even more so. OK does not have restrictions about aquatic nymphs. OK is starting to get a little restrictive about the transportation of live bait, thanks to invasive species. I wouldn't be too surprised, if in a few years, I will not be allowed to catch bait in the river where it's plentiful, and transport said bait to a different BOW where said bait is hard or impossible to catch.
Jul 30, 2013
David, aka, "McScruff"
SC is pretty much there already. Transporting aquatic creatures from one BOW to another is pretty much verboten, as far as I know.
Certainly, dumping left over bait in the waters is specifically addressed.
Jul 30, 2013
dick tabbert
Don't know anything about snake shot is that like bird shot.
Mar 8, 2014
David Truelove
Mar 8, 2014
Bill Purmort
Mar 8, 2014
carl hendrix
hey bill;; usually I find those rat shot shells in a 22 caliber;; at close range;; it does a descent enough job I guess. I always thought those things were for those that cant hit anything
Mar 8, 2014
Donald Schmotzer
I hand load those for .38 spl and .44 spl/mag. I have never been too impressed with them. I have killed snakes with them but you need to be VERY close. The rifling in the barrel causes the shot to spread out very fast after it leaves the barrel (that's why you need to be so close). I have since bought a Taurus Judge in .45/410. It too has a rifled barrel, but does a MUCH BETTER job of dispatching snakes. (That's my fishing gun now) loaded with two .410 shells for snakes and three .45 Colt rounds in case I meet up with a Hog or Coyote etc.......It deals me "Great Comfort" when fishing a river or pond way back in the woods......
Just my $.02.............Don in SC
Mar 8, 2014
dick tabbert
Thanks Bill I thought it was something like that but didn't know they made it in larger calibers.
Mar 8, 2014
David, aka, "McScruff"
There have been a few times, however, that I wanted to defend myself against TWO LEGGED reptiles.
Wish I had the money for one of those Taurus Judge's.
Mar 8, 2014
John Sheehan
ANTS!
Jun 21, 2014
Allen Morgan
John, don't get me started! I've been tying some ants lately. Freaking deadly buggers.....
Jun 22, 2014
John Sheehan
ha ha, go for it Allen .What sizes are you tying ?
Jun 23, 2014
Mark Stine
Sweet! I used some ants this morning as a dropper on my popper! the gills were nailing it (size 14 "attractant")
Jun 23, 2014
Allen Morgan
I've done a couple different ones. The first production run was on standard wet-fly hooks, size 18, with starling hackle as the "legs". Basically a modified peacock and starling soft hackle (also a deadly pattern). I've done bead-head and unweighted.
I've also done an experimental batch, tied onto a size 16 scud hook. I like the shape of scud hooks; they just plain catch fish. The shank of that size hook approximates the size 18 wet fly hooks I've been using. That size is just about perfect for the big black "wood ants" we have around here. Apparently, the 'gills agree with me :)
Jun 25, 2014
John Sheehan
I have used "hard bodied ants" # 12 hook in Red and Black on Red Breasted Sunfish in a shallow stream with good success and Dick Tabbert ants tied on a #10 hook in the same stream worked and took some Gills at two lakes .Ants are killers!
Jun 27, 2014
John Sheehan
Allen's got it going on with the ant tying and catching!
Jun 27, 2014
Leo Nguyen
Man, I wish I have calm years like you guys. Mine have been on overdrive mode since I was 14. If I get enough luck, I spend my tired body hours resting in the bucket of hot water somewhere before waking up and do everything all over again. Would love to spend some nice time sitting on my air chair and search for water monsters.
Jun 27, 2014
Marty Lemons
HI: Just joined the group and am going to be purchasing some new line for my fly rods. I saw that Scientific Anglers has a specific "Panfish" line out now. Anyone have any experience with it or can suggest another great line? I have been using some old "Climax" WF line that I love, but it's going on 15 years old.
Thanks,
Marty
Cornelius, NC
Nov 18, 2014
carl hendrix
Marty;; I just use a courtland 333 line in a 3 wt. regular mono line for a tippet. and have a ball with it!! I also catch; by accident some descent size catfish;; bass; and stripe with this setup.
Nov 18, 2014
David, aka, "McScruff"
Go for it and maybe let us know what you thiink.
As Tooty says around here..."It's only money."
Nov 18, 2014
Ray Ditzenberger
That is right David....and it only costs a little more to go first class. Or so I have been told
Nov 18, 2014
David, aka, "McScruff"
First class is where them other people sit...
Nov 18, 2014
Ray Ditzenberger
Ain't it the truth.
Nov 18, 2014
Leo Nguyen
First class? Hm..what's the last class? Well, just put me behind 5 seats from the last class..
Nov 18, 2014
jim cosgrove
my 2 cents buy the best line you can afford.i buy the midgrade stuff at cabela's as they are the closest place to buy flyline.i want something that will cast as far as my skills will allow.not throwing sz 26 dries on 1/2 pound tippet.the line cleaning/conditioning cloths seem to bring older line back to life tho.
l
Nov 18, 2014
Mark Sleeper
buy a Quality fly line don't skimp, the cheap
stuff is like barb wire
Nov 18, 2014
carl hendrix
I agree totally with Jim Cosgrove; and Mark Sleeper. cheap line; usually has memory coils;; doesn't cast well; kinks up at times. so ;; with that being said;; GUYS;; WHAT IS YOUR OPPINION ON A GOOD QUALITY FLY LINE??? WHAT MAKER;; FAST SINK; LEVEL; DOUBLE TAPER.
Nov 18, 2014
Mark Sleeper
Hi I use a lot of Jim Teeny fly line Gary La Fontaine Pro olive drab color great fly line also Rio fly line and Sage quiet taper fly line most of my fly lines are olive color I do have some yellow but I like dull colors that blend in esp clear water fishing
Nov 19, 2014
carl hendrix
some of the fly line is very expensive in my opinion; a courtland 444 is also a good choice. my personal pref. is a level line. since I use quill floats;; and roll cast most of the time;; just works better for me
Nov 19, 2014
Mark Sleeper
carl check out Teeny fly line they have a lot of sinking tip lines, the best part the color let's you know when the sinking tip is out, this helps casting. I have met Jim at a fly fishing show at LL Beans he is a great guy. Ps you hit it on the head on the cheap lines. it would be better to have a cheap rod and Quality fly line
Nov 19, 2014
Lord of the Fly , Rods
A well cleaned and conditioned fly line is your best friend when it comes to casting a fly line, the easier the line slides through the eyelets the further you can cast. I use live bait " Crickets " and porcupine quills for my presentations which means my cast have to be even more delicate to make sure I dont throw the cricket off during casting, I prefer a 9 inch quill to do battle with the bluegill and I cheat a little by using a floating weight forward tapered line with about 2 and a half feet cut off the end of the line where the taper is being reduced, this put more weight closer to the end of the line for easier casting with the quill, I also use a No Knot Eyelet to attach my leader, this combination has served me well over the last 50 years and has put a lot of fish in the boat, the fish just think that a twig has falling into the water with a fat cricket cricket on it and they have to have that taste morsel before there bluegill buddy gets it. One final note when I hook the cricket a drop of cricket juice comes out and I believe this is the best scent attractant you can get , it's fresh and it comes in small containers , The Cricket it's self. LOFR
Nov 19, 2014
David, aka, "McScruff"
A good quality fly line can be had for 20-40$
Is it the ultimate best? Will it be the envy of the "fly fashion" crowd? No
But it'll work well.
Line protectant/cleaner/lubricant is a good idea, too, especially if you use it. I clean mine with a product made for vinyl and have no problems. There are also dedicated fly line products, and Leo recommends a space age protectant called "303." Line maintenance is the key.
You can repair fly lines if needed, up to a point. Small nicks and cuts should be tended to right away, or they get bigger. Even larger cuts and tears can be fixed.
All this will help the money spent go a long way.
I like LOFRs idea of the No Knot eyelet, too. Attaching leaders is kind of a pain, especially if you use a nail knot. With the eyelet, you get a seamless connection without hassles.
I favor tippet rings. Not directly line related, they also make life easier by facilitating tippet replacement.
Now, I'm just a fly fishing newbie, so this is just my two cents.
Nov 19, 2014
Mark Sleeper
I use loop connections it's fast to change out, and easy to get apart
Nov 19, 2014
David, aka, "McScruff"
Some will say they are too bulky, and act as an energy-robbing hinge point in the line. I never noticed.
I've used nail knots and they are good, as they don't hinge and are a good bit tidier. They're the classic method.
The knotless connectors are gadgety, another bit of hardware to fiddle with. But they are very nice.
Personally, I like the ease of the loops. The No tie connectors are close seconds.
Nov 19, 2014
carl hendrix
thanks sleepy that's one line I haven't heard of yet. got to check it out !! one other thing I have found ;; is clean your lines ; couple times a year;; more often if the water your fishing in is real stained; or dirty. to clean a fly line;; soak it in luke warm water for about 10 minutes;; then rinse. apply dressing;; your ready to go. makes a big difference I think.
Nov 19, 2014
Slip Sinker
good tip carl! what dressing do you use?
Nov 19, 2014
David, aka, "McScruff"
Nov 19, 2014
dick tabbert
Carl have you tried out your slick 50 yet I think that should work it's plenty slippery.
Nov 19, 2014
Richard Allen Rupp
They are towards the top end of any fly line, around $60 or so, but when you average over theines life they are more cost effective inthe long run.
I like the double taper when you Ou need short casts and deli a e presentations, otherwise go wit a standard weight forward.
She m one mentioneda level line: PLEASE try a weight forward, you'll never go back
Nov 19, 2014
Leo Nguyen
Fly line technology has greatly improved over the years, especially within the past decade. They're not using the cheapy PVC any more. Rather, the formulation, even for the cheapest fly line (I witnessed a few extrusion companies making the fly lines), utilizing the polymers that match the high specs end. Scientific Angler's, Cortland's, Rio's and Bass Pro Shop product lines are here in the nearby cities. The polymers they're using is similar to, if not the exact match, as the Cortland's 333 and 444, yet, sold by Bass Pro for practically half the price. From what I could evaluate the "secret resin" used by in the proprietary Cortland's product, aside from the rest, the resin higher binder but lower tensile strength, allowing the product to last longer. The rest of the product has a lower binding agent but higher tensile strength at first, but does not last long. All products are made to last up to 10 years average, if you take care of it.
Carl's slick 50 stuff is the highest form of chemical coating and reagent, 303 Aerospace Protectant, recently bought out by/merged with Gold Eagle. The reagent rebind, repair, and reseal the cracks when it dries. The excess layer create a splendid protection against the elements. The result, my suggestion is not to get the surface you've accidental spilled/sprayed wet and walk over it. Bad..bad..mistake.
Nov 19, 2014
Ray Ditzenberger
I have $80 lines and $8 lines and some in between. Rio, Cortland, Wulff and SA are in my inventory. I have one sinking line and it has never been in the water and all the rest are floating WF and DT. I have a couple of specialty lines. One has a long front taper and I don't really care for it in warm water. I have a new one with a short front taper and a long rear taper. I like it fine but I don't see a lot of difference between it and a regular WF line that has a shortened front taper and it was a lot cheaper. DT's cast just fine for most situations and I don't find a lot of difference from the WF lines except for long casts of over 50'. I guess I am just not good enough to detect the differences between lines. I will say that I love the Wulff line on my 9wt for distance and short casts. I would like to try a 5wt of the same line design to see how it would cast. I am considering a Teeny sink tip to throw streamers. To sum up....for all round fly casting in warm water I would just buy a $20 SA line from WM in either DT or WF. Just in my cheap opinion.
Nov 19, 2014
Ray Ditzenberger
I forgot to mention that I do find that the more expensive lines do 'shoot' better. Some of the cheap lines will hardly 'shoot' at all. Shooting line is only really needed on long casts. I mostly use the loop to loop connection between leader and fly line. Easy to do and quick change. I also use loop to loop connection between the furled leader and tippet. Again easy and quick. I don't like messing with tackle while fishing. I want my fly in the water.
Nov 19, 2014
Leo Nguyen
The line memory is more of an issue with lighter weight lines, similar to mono. I believe this is where I can see higher end proprietary formulated lines will be beneficial..but man, $60 to $80 for the line?
For the lines that are not being used, dress them up with your best dressing, and put them away in an airtight and vacuumed container. A bit drastic, but the the company's specs to increase/preserve the lines at their highest peak and longevity (25 years without exposure to UV and kept in cool dark place) is through this method.
Nov 19, 2014
David, aka, "McScruff"
Ditzy - I'm with you
Leo - you ARE a mad scientist!
Nov 19, 2014
Mark Stine
I do ok with some pretty cheap fly lines, while I have a couple in the $70 dollar range I don't see a big difference from the ones in the $25 dollar range. what does seem to make a big difference is matching the weight of the line to the rod and being familiar enough with your rod to know if you need to go up or down a weight to get the best performance. Recently I took a high dollar wf7f off a 7 wt rod and replaced it with a dt8f and booyah!! ten more feet and a lot less wear and tear on my casting arm. oh and I use loop connections too.
Nov 19, 2014
Leo Nguyen
David, Ray, if you want to give Cal's slick 'em, or slick 50, or "slip the bikini off real fast" protectant a try, let one of us know.
I've tested the specs on the solution on most front, primarily brutal conditions, and so far, I'm extremely please. I've used both on the rookie's fly rod combos, to the old and excellent combo, and will be testing it on the 3wt or 2wt combo soon (Christmas present..maybe?), the gain for further cast even by the rookies can be observed.
Nov 19, 2014
Leo Nguyen
Mark nailed it. I used wf5f high end on a 5wt rod, only max out at 50ft. Put in the cheapy wf4f on a 5wt rod, and again that extra 7ft without the slick stuff, and 11ft with the slick stuff. Haven't try with the wf3f lines on the 5wt rod yet. May need to.
Nov 19, 2014
dick tabbert
Leo, Carl calls it slick 50 but what is the actual name of it. I got some from Carl haven't used any yet mainly cause I have to retie everything I suck at fly knot tying.
Nov 19, 2014