# Tropical vs cold water lines



## BayStYat (Sep 12, 2012)

GG34 said:


> I've got an 8wt rio outbound coldwater series line. I've read all the differences between lines but can't find anything that says what temps classify coldwater vs tropical. I fish GA and North Florida. Anybody have any ideas?


unless the temp get to below 40 degrees i use my tropical . Less than 40 I switch to cold water.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

BayStYat said:


> unless the temp get to below 40 degrees i use my tropical . Less than 40 I switch to cold water.


Less than 40, I'm crawlin back in bed! Ha!


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

GG34 said:


> I've got an 8wt rio outbound coldwater series line. I've read all the differences between lines but can't find anything that says what temps classify coldwater vs tropical. I fish GA and North Florida. Anybody have any ideas?


RIO will tell you 60 degrees, but I agree with BayStYat on using tropical lines down in the 40's before feeling the need to switch. As for coldwater lines I've used them up into the 70's before I felt I needed to switch.

The RIO Redfish line has a cold water core with a tropical coating to theoretically support never having to switch. I haven't tried it below 40 to confirm.

If you look at Scientific Anglers website they have cold, medium, and hot for water temp selection filters, and have a Redfish Cold and Redfish Warm line. Sheeesh....can't they all speak the same language.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

BayStYat said:


> unless the temp get to below 40 degrees i use my tropical . Less than 40 I switch to cold water.


Which means you never use the coldwater line! Seriously we never fish when its below 40 except for perhaps a few minutes when we first get on the water. Hell buddy you are cold when its 50! LOL

Now besides pulling Bays chain. Here are my thoughts. I would much rather use a "coldwater" line when its really warm than a tropical line when its really cold.


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## BayStYat (Sep 12, 2012)

ifsteve said:


> Which means you never use the coldwater line! Seriously we never fish when its below 40 except for perhaps a few minutes when we first get on the water. Hell buddy you are cold when its 50! LOL
> 
> Now besides pulling Bays chain. Here are my thoughts. I would much rather use a "coldwater" line when its really warm than a tropical line when its really cold.


hell Im cold at 60!

I have only switched 2 times while I was in the Bay. It was during the 2013 cold winter we had. That was an anomaly for us.


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

ifsteve said:


> I would much rather use a "coldwater" line when its really warm than a tropical line when its really cold.


I think I disagree with this. I've used a bonefish line steelhead fishing with water temps in the 40s/50s and the coiling wasn't that bad. On the flip side, having a soft, limp fly line trying to fish a summer day would be pretty terrible I think.

I think like most things, get the line that fits 80% of the fishing you do and suck it up for the other part.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

JS my experience with a tropical line in cold weather was not so fun...coiling was a big issue. Straightening the line before a day chasing steel helped but then I was also fishing with air temps in the upper 30s. And water temps in the low 40s. That is winter steelheading....lol.

You are spot on with your 80% suggestion.

Now I will add one comment to that. Lets say you are typically a salt guy so a tropical line makes sense. That is what you should buy. But then a opportunity comes along to go the upper Great Lakes or the Pacific Northwest to chase steelhead or salmon in the winter. Buy another fly line. Yes you can use your tropical line. But you can easily find a better fly line for that trip for $50. Which is good money spent considering what the trip is going to cost you. Here's an example I just commented on in the Spey Pages. A guy was taking a trip to Christmas Island to chase bonefish and GTs. He was looking for an "inexpensive" 12wt setup to use on the GTs. My response was that given the money you are spending on this trip that trying to buy an inexpensive 12wt setup to target GTs was a huge mistake. We weren't talking even tarpon here....GTs are just bad ass fish and will rip your inexpensive reel to pieces. My suggestions was to find a solid top end reel. It will last a lifetime and if in fact this was a once in a lifetime trip then you can alwasy resell the reel after the trip. 

Sorry to go off track. Nothing wrong with making do with the equipment you have IF its workable enough AND the cost of what would make the trip potentially more effiecient is too much in the overall picture.


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## GG34 (May 2, 2014)

So. ..it sounds like I need a tropical line. Anybody need a rio outbound coldwater 8wt F/I? Still in the box.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

GG34 said:


> So. ..it sounds like I need a tropical line. Anybody need a rio outbound coldwater 8wt F/I? Still in the box.


You would want a new line even if it was tropical because of that "I" on the end.

F/I means the line has a F (floating) head with an I (intermediate) tip that will sink at about 1.5 inches per second in freshwater. They are typically used for casting across a current to bring the fly down along the bottom and catch fish that are holding there. I have them in my 4, 5, and 6 for coldwater, and 9 and 12 for tropical.
Considering most coastal waters have oyster beds you definitely don't want that. You want a WF8F, Weight Forward 8wt Floating line.

When you see what fly lines sell for nowadays, another F word may come to mind.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

MariettaMike said:


> *Considering most coastal waters have oyster beds *you definitely don't want that. You want a WF8F, Weight Forward 8wt Floating line.
> .


Depending on where you are fishing, oysters can be isolated into certain areas. I personally keep 2 rods with me. One will have a floater and the other will have an intermediate or intermediate tip. The same thing applies here too in the winter. Cold water means the fish will hold tight to the bottom. Intermediates of any kind are not ideal for skinny flats. But when it's cold, the fish will drop down in cuts and holes or deeper water all together and that's where the intermediates come into play.


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## GG34 (May 2, 2014)

Yep, I know it is intermediate. I bought it to fish for trout in 5-6 ft of water on some grass flats. I like to have a floater and a sink tip.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

GG34 said:


> Yep, I know it is intermediate. I bought it to fish for trout in 5-6 ft of water on some grass flats. I like to have a floater and a sink tip.


ok...maybe keep the line for dock light fishing....


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## GG34 (May 2, 2014)

FYI...I called rio to see what they would say. They recommended 65-70 degrees. Probably would be good higher as long as it isn't baking in the sun.


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