Ryan Kral Posted December 29, 2013 Report Share Posted December 29, 2013 Hey guys, just picked a 350grain SA sharkskin streamer express line while in montana, all their big game line was half off. Anybody have any experience with it? I've heard just OK reviews about the regular SE line, but that the sharkskin version took care of some of the coiling problems. I needed a intermediate line for my 9wt, and am a big fan of the sharkskin lines, use them on all my rods now. Just curious if anyone has any experience with it? It's going to be on my 9wt rod for fishing the rivers up north for musky. Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Ryan, All I know about SS lines is that the theory says that the textured surface reduces friction and that some say the uneven surface makes it harder to clean. Since you like it maybe you can tell us the pros and cons. BTW I applaud your use of light tackle 9 wt vs10 or 11 for Skies. It is all relative Oops that 350 is 11 weight going on 12 in the books. Now that's an overtime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Kral Posted December 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Ryan, All I know about SS lines is that the theory says that the textured surface reduces friction and that some say the uneven surface makes it harder to clean. Since you like it maybe you can tell us the pros and cons. BTW I applaud your use of light tackle 9 wt vs10 or 11 for Skies. It is all relative Oops that 350 is 11 weight going on 12 in the books. Now that's an overtim I personally just like the textured line, because it really does cast/shoot better in my opinion. My favorite thing about it though is its lack of memory, it has more of a rope type of feel, its very loose, doesn't coil up much at all. Ive read so many reviews of guys talking about these lines cutting their fingers, ruining their guides. Thats all I've used on my rods for a couple years now, including casting and stripping it for 8 hours a day for three days up north, and never have these issues. The only time I've been burned by this line, is when I strip set real hard, and got a little burn on my finger crease on my grip hand, but Ive done this with non textured line too. Yeah, Ive read of guys putting the 350 grain on their 9-12 wts with this line. Scientific Angler has it right on the box "Grain: 350 Rod: 9-10wt", and my 9wt is a very fast rod, so I'd prefer to over load it a bit. I'll let everyone know how it works out in about 6 months when musky season opens up in the North! Actually, as soon as this cold spell snaps, Ill been launching this line across my neighbors front yards! Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Kral Posted December 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 And my 9wts more than enough to cast the flies I'm using, and definitely more than enough to handle a musky, they throw their weight around, but not really the most impressive fighters, they give in pretty quick. If I was fishing big water lakes, like Lake St. Clair for example, strictly for trophies, I would bump up to a 10wt, but on the rivers, totally uneccesary. Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom L Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Ryan, congrats on a good deal of the new line. Didn't know SA has a Sharkskin version of the Streamer Express taper. I also have been using SA Sharkskin lines on several setups, and have always been using stripping guards with them. I one had an SA line cut my finger from stripping all day. Would love to see a review after you have a chance to fish it. I've been looking for a sink tip line for lake/harbor smallie, steelhead and brown fishing. I'm currently leaning toward Rio OutBound Short. btw, over the holidays I just added a Rio InTouch Deep 3 into my lake/harbor fishing arsenal. Will report back in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Kral Posted December 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Yeah, kind of weird Tom, SA does not have it listed on there website, must not have been a big seller! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim A Posted January 22, 2014 Report Share Posted January 22, 2014 As Tom suggested, I too would take precautions against line burn on stripping fingers when using this line for musky fishing especially. It takes a lot of force to move big musky flies through the water quickly, 18" at a time, 8 hours a day. And when you finally strip set on a fish... you get it. Wear a stripping glove or stripping guard lycra sleeve thing. I have not fished the SA streamer express sink line. I have the Orvis Hydros 3D Depth Charge 450grn textured line and it is super limp even in the cold and shoots like a champ! I love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Kral Posted January 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2014 Yeah, having textured line on all my rods, I have become used to how to handle the line. I used my 8wt in the spring for musky for a weekend with no issues. I found stripping flies constantly keeps the line and hands wet, only time I got a little burned was on a hard strip set, but I've done that with a traditional line too. Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike G Posted January 22, 2014 Report Share Posted January 22, 2014 Fly fishers are lucky they don't get hurt more quickly and severely. Bait casters and spinners know that lines like Fireline cut deeply without warning if you make a mistake. Then there's KD's old story about a friend who used Fireline for backing on his fly reel. He hooked a Musky. The Sky's first run took the guy into the backing and sliced up his index finger. Bleeding profusely friend held on and brought the fish to hand. The Lunge' s first lunge transfered the hook to the hand he brung it to. Hook in hand friend watched the victorious Musky tumble down the bank and swim away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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