I am looking to flyfish the surf this spring/summer, and would like recommendations on appropriate lines other than my floating WF. Intermediate? Sinking Tip? Full Sinking? What do you use? I'm leaning toward an Intermediate or Type III Sinking. Intermediate sink rates I've generally have been in the 1.5" - 3.0" per second range. Is this enough to get a fly down, or should I go with a faster Sinking line? Any thoughts appreciated.
JBB
Line Recommendations
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M-D
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John,
You'll have to tailor this for your own situation, but here's the scoop from someone who, if anyone does, qualifies as being an expert on the subject, Ed Jaworowski. (I hate that word "expert".)
M-D
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M-D,
For east coast surf fishing, probably the most widely used line is an intermediate. The Air-Flo (used to be called the 7000TS) has been great for at least the past 6 years. It tangles less than any line I've used. They have changed their lines and I suppose the closest is the "Striper/Cold Salt" line. The SA Striper line is also o.k., as is the Cortland 555 'Little Tunny' intermediate. I still use mostly a WF10I.
The second most used is an integrated shooting head of the Teeny type, although most other lines outperform the Teenys, which haven't changed since they were first introduced. Rio and SA lines are both very good, but again my choice is the AirFlo Depth-Finder 300 or 400 grain head. It has tapers front and rear (Teenys have no tapers) and it's density compensated. It forms loops like a real line, although with much tighter loops be cause of the density. The DepthFinders also sink faster than any comparable line. The 400 DF sinks faster thjan a 600 grain Teeny, because it's so thin. If you are in shallower waters, the DF might actually sink too fast, though. A lot of our fishing is from boats in deeper waters so the DF lines are excellent.
As for regular shooting heads, for years I used them exclusively. They are still tops for max distance but not so pleasant to use, and I've largely gone back to full lines. (I'm getting older and looking for comfort and ease.) For nearly 30 years I connected my heads to braided Gudebrod "Bass Line", about 30 lb test. It is a braided mono that works beautifully. "Elite" is another very good braided running line. And, of course, SA makes a good "shooting line"---really just a thin level fly line. Any of these work well.
So, an intermediate and a fast sinking integrated head are the two lines that I, and most other eastern s.w. anglers, use most for stripers, false albacore, bluefish, weakfish, etc.
Ed
You'll have to tailor this for your own situation, but here's the scoop from someone who, if anyone does, qualifies as being an expert on the subject, Ed Jaworowski. (I hate that word "expert".)
M-D
________________________________________________________
M-D,
For east coast surf fishing, probably the most widely used line is an intermediate. The Air-Flo (used to be called the 7000TS) has been great for at least the past 6 years. It tangles less than any line I've used. They have changed their lines and I suppose the closest is the "Striper/Cold Salt" line. The SA Striper line is also o.k., as is the Cortland 555 'Little Tunny' intermediate. I still use mostly a WF10I.
The second most used is an integrated shooting head of the Teeny type, although most other lines outperform the Teenys, which haven't changed since they were first introduced. Rio and SA lines are both very good, but again my choice is the AirFlo Depth-Finder 300 or 400 grain head. It has tapers front and rear (Teenys have no tapers) and it's density compensated. It forms loops like a real line, although with much tighter loops be cause of the density. The DepthFinders also sink faster than any comparable line. The 400 DF sinks faster thjan a 600 grain Teeny, because it's so thin. If you are in shallower waters, the DF might actually sink too fast, though. A lot of our fishing is from boats in deeper waters so the DF lines are excellent.
As for regular shooting heads, for years I used them exclusively. They are still tops for max distance but not so pleasant to use, and I've largely gone back to full lines. (I'm getting older and looking for comfort and ease.) For nearly 30 years I connected my heads to braided Gudebrod "Bass Line", about 30 lb test. It is a braided mono that works beautifully. "Elite" is another very good braided running line. And, of course, SA makes a good "shooting line"---really just a thin level fly line. Any of these work well.
So, an intermediate and a fast sinking integrated head are the two lines that I, and most other eastern s.w. anglers, use most for stripers, false albacore, bluefish, weakfish, etc.
Ed
