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We're going to need a lot more spools


Rob G

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Just received the annual Cabela's Fly Fishing catalog this afternoon and saw that Rio now sells 26 different fly lines and 10 different types of packaged leaders. Scientific Anglers better get to work because they only had 22 different fly lines for sale in the same catalog. Now I know some like Ron will probably own one of each before the season is done :) but for the most of us, I understand marketing is one thing but don't you think we've past the "just being silly" ?

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So many lines, so little time.

 

Rob, you brought this up at the right time. It takes a college degree to sort through the lines that are out there. As if to save the day, Kelley showed up with this video just in time. It reminds me of what Bob Long Jr has been preaching for a long time-"Short casts 30 ft or less." Do we really need the WF "high performance shooting lines?" Kelley asks a similar question, "Why buy a single WF Line for $70 when you can get two lines in a DT for the same $70?

 

 

BTW, I mark 1970 as the beginning of the WF era in fly lines. I almost always bought WF lines after that so I could huck my fly way out there.

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Mike,

great link, I really enjoyed that one.

 

Little story, about 17 years ago, I tried to buy a 9 ft 5 wt finished fly rod. It would be the last finished rod that I would ever buy and since then have always built my own. But having close ties with Park Falls, WI I ordered the St. Croix 9 ft 5 wt and upon receiving it, I gave it the usual shake and wag and thought, wow, this thing seems really stiff and powerful for a 5 wt. I promptly placed a 5 wt line on it and went out to test cast it. I couldn't get that rod to load until I had most of the my line aerialized. I put on a 6 wt line and though much better, still wasn't happy with the broom stick like taper. Thinking the rod had been mismarked as a 5wt when actually it was a 6 or 7 wt., I sent the rod back and asked them to send me another 9ft 5 wt and when they did, it performed in the same manner. I called the guy back and told him of my dilemma and he referred me to the actual rod designer there at Park Falls. (back when the blanks and rods were actually made up there). And hence my eye (or ear) opening conversation, when the designer told me that, yes, that particular 9 ft 5 wt was far more powerful than some of their other 5 wt's and it was actually designed more for line distance casting competitions which were becoming all the rage in Europe and out west. His response, just slap a standard 7 wt line on it and I would probably be happy. But when I told him that I didn't want to cast a 7 wt. line but rather a 5 wt line at closer or more normal and actual fishing distances, he then told me to purchase the 4 wt model and spoke down to me as though I was not keeping up with the times. Shortly thereafter, I started weighing lines on a scale and quickly realized at just how perverted the system had become. Even to this day, many of my favorite sticks require overlining by a single weight. So when I say my favorite smallie rods are 9ft 5 wts, nah, actaully 6 weights disquised as 5 wt's, if you want to consider the old and now seemingly outdated line weight tables.

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More than once I've said that the many fish specific flylines are ridiculous. Believing rightly or wrongly that Rio started that nonsense I will never buy any of their lines.

Re Kelly G's video it's strange that he recommends dubl taper lines while working for Airflo since of all their now also far too many lines only one is a dubl taper recommended to beginners no doubt mainly for their low cost compared to wfs. Imo just as graphite rods can do more than their glass or bamboo counterparts wfs do more than dts.i disagree with his assertion that virtually all casts should be less than 40' and that being able to cast for distance is not only unnecessary but counterproductive as well.There certainly are situations where when possible short extremely accurate delicate casts make a big difference as when casting to sighted fish ie risers or tailing fish or when casting crosscurrents..But there are also times when dubl hauling makes a big difference.Do the Fishing Gods always turn off the wind whenever you go fishing or does the opposite seem to be more often the case? Is the river always accommodating enuf to allow you to wade to within 30' of your target?Doesn't matter how accurate your cast is if it's too short.On bright days on low clear water will the fish never be spooked if we wade only 30' away or bring the boat in that close and than stand up to cast? Unless your in some sort of an accuracy casting contest Is it a little bit anal to say that a cast is only accurate when it hits the dead center of a hula hoop when just putting it into the hoop will do nicely too? i magicmark my lines so that most of my casts with the above exceptions etal are more or less 60' including the leader.With a little haul that's a challenging but still comfortable distance for me.If i routinely confined my casts to only about 30' flyfishing would soon become boring & monotonous:and we've all heard that fishing is about more than just catching but is about the total experience.The ability to cast well at all distances makes for a more rewarding experience enjoyed by a more competent ffer. :)

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When Kelly was speaking about using a double taper line, I'm assuming he meant for small dries only. I'm sure he's using a weight forward for his streamer fishing, sink tip or full sinking lines?

 

Ron, did anyone ever create a sink tip or full sinking double taper line? I don't remember any but you might since you're a little longer in the tooth than I :)

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Thanks Steve.

 

Rob

I doubt it but If what you think is so than KG should've been more specific. I doubt there were ever any dt sinkers. An intermediate is basically a floater that sinks just enuf to go under the surface ripples or waves in order to get a direct straight line connection to the fly rather than undulating up & down with the wave action.

Btw I should've said that most of my casts max out at 60' with many in the 40's/50's. However just to stay practiced at extreme distances and also just for the fun of it once in awhile I go into the 70s for a few casts. When I used to do a lot of shoreline pounding for largemouths with an 8wt in quarries or strip pits from a floatube I enjoyed seeing a bass jump from way out there and so usually kept the tube 70+' from shore.

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When Kelly was speaking about using a double taper line, I'm assuming he meant for small dries only. I'm sure he's using a weight forward for his streamer fishing, sink tip or full sinking lines?

 

 

 

Kelly delivers a mixed message when you consider a cross section of his videos. We know he prefers his WF Sinking Streamer Express for streamers. And he will go with a sink tip for nymphing. So it is hard to figure where the DT is so superior to the WF as a general purpose line.

 

That might be where West meets Midwest. The trout fishing model where Kelly makes his home, I believe, does require extreme accuracy to hit the feeding lane and superior control to keep the fly there through the presentation. So I take it that Kelly is telling us to trade stealth for distance. We got this advice years ago from Bob Long Jr. Get closer and maximize the time with the fly in front of the fish rather than hauling it back through so so water time after time.

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Does Distance Casting Really Matter in Dry Fly Fishing?

 

(I have to keep recalling that Buck Perry referred to depth, speed, size, color, and action as "controls." His science of fishing required careful control oof these for success.)

 

Kelly's video caused a stir apparently. He came back with another to 'splain things in terms of control..

 

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Interesting - he wants you to control the slack, put slack into the leader with a dry fly while most of the streamer fishing is the opposite. You want a straight leader so the swing or strip puts you in contact or you likely miss any early strikes. If casting to the bank you need to get the fly moving or you snag. Either way closer shorter casts give more control.

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Rio makes soft "suppleflex" leaders & tippet material for dryflying. KG talks about controlling the leader to deal with drag but doesn't say anything about mending the flyline which is the only way to deal with it.The leader is merely an extension of the line and so can only be controlled by controlling the line itself with various mends..

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