AS SEEN IN THE SEPT/OCT 2006 ISSUE

Today’s fly anglers are reaping the benefits as chemistry, advanced technology,
and manufacturing ingenuity have transformed this once primitive component into a specialized part of our fly tackle equation.

What would it have been like to employ archaic tackle in pursuit of gamefish glory? Can you imagine stalking the spooky ‘grey ghost’ on the flats with nothing more than a rod’s length of tapered horsehair fly line? Or perhaps roll casting to a pod of laid up tarpon in a distant backcountry bay wielding nothing more than a split bamboo stick with a length of the era’s finest linen material?

Unable to achieve angling success with hard fighting fish, innovation in fly gear began to slowly evolve. During the first part of the nineteenth century while fly patterns were being craftfully created, rod construction was being vastly improved with a shift in materials from walnut and ash toward Calcutta for greater castability.

During this time of experimentation and innovation, fly lines also began to evolve. Tapered horsehair lines were quickly replaced with oiled braided silk. It was this dramatic change in line construction that would quickly change the design of fly rods, specifically the guides. However, expanded angling opportunities would be attributed to the silk line and its greater shoot-ability and buoyancy.

The long and short of it all…

From the late 1800s to the present day, advancements in fly fishing technology and technique have been far and wide. While all we know is modern day fly angling, we can thank visionary anglers long before us in parting the waters for fly fishing breakthroughs such as false casting, modern reel design, carbon fiber rods, and more importantly, the advent of modern fly lines designed specifically for a wide variety of angling situations.

Here in Florida, fly fishing abounds from the tannic skinny waters of the backcountry to the deep blue sea. Recognizing modern day fly anglers' needs and desires for a greater selection of situation specific lines, today’s leading fly line manufacturers have certainly delivered.

With so many fly lines available for specific piscatorial fly challenges, one could easily become quite confused. A visit to the line section in any of the hundreds of fly shops that cover the angling landscape reaffirms the need for fly anglers to do their homework before making that all important fly line investment.

Whether you are a fanatic fueling an ongoing quest for the latest and greatest gear, or perhaps it’s your first foray into the exciting world of fly fishing, possessing an astute understanding of the anatomy of modern day fly lines and how each line’s individual characteristics perform in various situations is key. Properly taking advantage of the many modern innovations is sure to enhance an often-arduous fly line purchase experience while increasing your overall catching results. Remember, it is likely that you will NOT have the luxury to test-drive several different lines before acquiring that crucial element of your fly fishing arsenal.

To keep the fly line education process simple, understanding how modern fly lines work starts with the overall anatomy of the line. In general, terms like the shape or taper dictate the performance of a fly line. Breaking it down further, your chosen length of leader will connect to the tip of the fly line at the end of the body or main section. The body section is where most of the weight is found. This is where fly line possesses the largest diameter characteristics, which will help facilitate the cast. More importantly, the body section contains a running line incorporated with a front and rear taper.

Front taper will gradually reduce in diameter toward the tip. It is this weight change or transition that will ultimately dictate how soft or forceful a fly is presented. The rear taper section also decreases from the thick body section to the thin running line section, creating ultra-smooth casts capable of reaching great distances.

Essentially, today’s fly lines are comprised of two distinct sections. The core section is made from braided nylon and single and multi-strand monofilament. The outer skin, or coating, is made with PVC which allows manufacturers the ability to create tapers.

While for many years the standard line for Florida fly rodders has been either a simple weight forward taper or perhaps a double taper design (same taper at both ends), the angling pursuits of the modern-day fly rodder have since matured.

Enter Agent X by Rio Fly Lines (www.RioProducts.com), a world leader in fly line manufacturing and technology. Agent X is a breakthrough manufacturing process in which two coatings are applied to the inner core at the same time creating a fly line with an ultra slick smooth finish possessing superior floating properties.

Reluctant to divulge too many sensitive trade secrets, Rio’s Simon Gawesworth explained that the two coatings applied simultaneously fuse together to become what Rio terms, “Fusion Technology.” Gawesworth says, “This process forms a seamless single coating that is free from separation or breakdown.”

More important in the Agent X process, according to Gawesworth, is that the under coating seals the core and covers any slight imperfections in the braid while adding a low density proprietary coating. The end result is the smoothest, slickest, and highest floating fly line ever manufactured.

Widely respected in the fly fishing world for the development of unique tapers, this cutting edge technology perhaps sets Rio apart from their competition. While it is not as easy as mixing up a concoction of chemicals to create the outer coatings, high-tech chemistry is obviously employed. In addition to liquid PVC, dye, slick agents, and tungsten, all industry standards, radical new ingredients are added to the recipe that give floating lines a specific gravity as low as 0.65, a number not possible with normal microspheres. Rio’s new “secret chemical” is up to five times lighter than the standard used in line manufacturing, but possesses a higher level of durability and floatation.

For fly anglers, just the thought of a higher floating line is music to our ears, much like a screaming drag. Added buoyancy allows for increased strike awareness, quick casts to fast moving species, and less sub-surface drag, all shortcomings of yesteryear’s fly lines.

As fanatical fly anglers, we have all been accused of being over the top in our quest for perfection, at times spending hours seated in front of the vise perfecting a pattern or meticulously cleaning and dressing our lines in preparation for an early morning outing. These meticulous, almost religious preparations appear very much out of the ordinary and are often intriguing for the run of the mill angler.

However, today’s new breed of fly lines virtually eliminates the need for extensive cleaning applications. Although not a brand exclusive feature, top companies incorporate slicking agents into their outer coating manufacturing process resulting in fly lines which will last and perform at a superior level over an extended period of moderate use.

Even with these great advancements, line maintenance should never be ignored. Employing common sense maintenance will enable your high-dollar line investment to last for several seasons. Thoroughly rinsing lines with warm water after each outing and vigilantly checking critical reel surfaces and rod guides for line scuffing imperfections coupled with avoiding line contact with oils and insect repellents will insure your fly line performs at its highest level.

Does color really matter?

In an industry where color is perhaps a driving force when it comes to selling product, fly lines are not exempt from this age-old marketing strategy. Stealth is the name of the game when stalking, casting to, and attempting to fool the trickiest of saltwater game fish, but at the end of the day, lining a redfish or bonefish in inches of water is still, well, lining a fish. Line color will not improve the mechanics of an ill-attempted roll cast or improve the accuracy or length of a long cast directly into a stiff wind. It will, however, afford the angler some added fish-catching advantages.

Fly anglers have always prided themselves with being resourceful and tricky in an earnest attempt to keep their rods bent and drags screaming. With increased angling pressure and cyclical fish stocks, we can all recall our attempts to alter certain aspects of our tackle, especially disguising the tip section of our brightly colored fly lines with a dark permanent maker. While most anglers are guilty as charged of the most common of “stealth altering crimes,” this practice is now an act of the past.

Through extensive field testing from expert anglers and top guides worldwide, today’s line companies have their A-Games perfected when it comes to producing products capable of performing in a full spectrum of challenging fly angling conditions.

Take for example, Cortland Line Company’s (www.CortlandLine.com) popular 555 Dynatip series. Having already enjoyed great popularity from discriminating anglers, Cortland expanded the Dynatip series’ innovative properties to include some very well-thought out color schemes. Offered in a weight forward configuration, Cortland has employed an avocado body matched with a sage colored tip, allowing the line’s body the ability to blend in, yet aiding the angler in seeing a strike while casting in heavy glare or when presenting a sub-surface offering.

A typical day on the water for the Florida fly angler often calls for taking on diverse conditions in pursuit of a mixed quarry of gamefish. While fly anglers are challenged daily, it is the seasons of change that drastically affect water clarity in our sport.

Rewarding fly anglers with a unique two for one scenario, Cortland’s Dynatip double taper can be applied effectively to the ever-changing Florida water conditions. One side of the double taper line has been dyed mango and finished off with an easy to see ivory tip, while the other half will aid fly rodders in gin clear water with its proven avocado body and sage tip.

The deal with taper and weight designs.

For the tropical Florida fly angler, specially designed tapers accommodating every available target species, water depth, and climate condition have been addressed.

With easy to read alpha coded labeled packaging, there is sure to be a line offered for your casting style and angling needs. From bonefish to bonito, target species specialty tapers abound, with shooting tapers for casting distance and saltwater tapers for casting large flies in challenging conditions. Whether dredging the deep blue with a fast sinking line for pelagics or chasing tarpon with an intermediate sinking line, the entire water column is covered.

Thoroughly benefiting from modern line technology are Florida’s fly fishing guides. While their daily routines are unique from region to region, all share one common challenge- the skill level of the anglers they are guiding. Employing the new lines of today, guides have facilitated their client’s success ratios by providing products that are easier to cast and do a better job at fooling line weary species.

Here along Florida’s Southwest coast, conditions of varying extremes exist daily. New lines have expanded fish catching opportunities for guides such as Captain Roan zumFelde (www.FishingExtremes.com). For Captain Roan, a certified FFF casting instructor, fly tying instructor, and full-time guide, a typical morning on the water could have him poling his skiff up into the ultra-shallow depths of a backcountry creek to chasing large beach snook in the clear, early summer Gulf conditions.

While choosing a fly line can be a matter of personal preference, Captain Roan and I agree, that carefully selecting lines which maximize precious fish catching opportunities is just as important as taking into account varying casting skills, the existing conditions, and the targeted species.

Offshore- On the fly!

Although inshore fly fishing is arguably the most popular arena to hook up with hard charging gamefish, the popularity of offshore fly fishing is growing dramatically.

Chasing a myriad of reef and pelagic species, today’s offshore fly angler is achieving catching success like never before. Modern lines capable of sinking to varying depths in areas of swift current along with slick, easy to cast floating and intermediate lines accompanied with interchangeable tips allow anglers the ability and confidence to tackle deep-water challenges.

Spanish, King mackerel, and speedy bonito steal the limelight for Gulf Coasters, while exciting dolphin and sailfish are at the top of the list for East Coast fly anglers. Although these are different bodies of water and varied target species, essentially, much of the tackle and tactics are the same.

Aboard the Grand Slam, anchored Gulf shrimp boats and nearshore structure provide my anglers solid opportunities to hook into fish not commonly caught on fly gear. While live chumming in the eyes of a purest fly angler is a forbidden act, stimulating a red-hot pelagic bite works wonders! On occasion, though, these speedsters become finicky eaters which refuse well-placed flies. What modern innovative fly lines have allowed the offshore fly angler to enjoy is greater flexibility in capitalizing on where the fish are feeding. Having rods spooled and at the ready with floating, intermediate, and fast sinking lines in an eclectic mix of color schemes and tips will ultimately lead to staying on the bite and staying “hooked up!”

Make no mistake; modern fly line innovation has broadened our angling opportunities, although the challenges are still just as formidable. Fly line manufacturing marvels have essentially put more pressure on us, the angler, to make pinpoint casts, tie better flies, and perfect our hook-sets. They have done their part, now it’s time to do ours.

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