# best fly line



## mel (Dec 17, 2017)

Hi All.... I'm new to this site but was impressed by the quality of posts and responses. I've been a fly fisherman for over 50 years, and most recently fish for trout and snook around the mangroves in Naples. I'm looking for a good all-round 6-7 weight line that will fish well in this climate during March and early April. I will be using it on a Sage Method rod. If possible, I'd like to use the line for smallmouth up North during the summer, though I realize you can't have everything. Any suggestions are much appreciated. Thanks in advance.... Mel


----------



## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

point of clarification - "up north"? whats north? northern florida or northern US? 
I'm a fan of the rio redfish line on the method - however the older "summer" line isn't great in colder temps. I might suggest considering the "winter redfish" or the outbound cold water line. Both should handle big bass flies well and moderate temps.


----------



## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

@mel - I'd run two rods with two different lines. I'd go intermediate tip with a floating running line. Trout and snook can hang out in a bit deeper water (especially trout), so getting the fly down and moving quick is key. The intermediate tip will do this for you. It would also work well for bass if they are in a bit deeper water. I fish sink heads for bass to get it down deep, but I also always carry a full floating line. That allows you to be armed based on the topography and where the fish are at.

I am a big fan of Wulff fly lines. I'd recommend the Bermuda Triangle Taper floating, and then the same line in their Ghost Tip. It handles cooler water just fine (I use it here in TX during the fall, winter and spring without issue). The Bermuda Triangle Taper line is in the top 2 or 3 recommended from anglers on these boards.


----------



## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Another vote for BTT. 
I use Bermuda Triangle Taper in FL all year, and all over the Upper Midwest in the warmer months. Does fine for both. I also use SA Amp Grand Slam in FL, but I think it would be just a bit too stiff in cold water (it's pretty stiff in warm water).


----------



## mel (Dec 17, 2017)

jamie said:


> point of clarification - "up north"? whats north? northern florida or northern US?
> I'm a fan of the rio redfish line on the method - however the older "summer" line isn't great in colder temps. I might suggest considering the "winter redfish" or the outbound cold water line. Both should handle big bass flies well and moderate temps.


----------



## mel (Dec 17, 2017)

North being Ottawa Ontario, Canada. Think temperatures in the high 60's,- high 70's....


----------



## jonrconner (May 20, 2015)

If you choose the Wulff Bermuda Triangle it will be fine at the temps in Ontario, I use them on Cape Cod in October when air temps can go down to the high forties, water temps in the sixties.
I also recommend these lines without reservation.
JC


----------



## bananabob (Jun 3, 2015)

Monic Covert Clear all temp. line works for me.


----------



## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

I think you will need to test and decide. I have rio tarpon and absolutely hate Wulff. I also love ridge clear (on 8W) and a lot of my friends hate it. Its all up to the user.


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I like the heavier RIO lines (8wt permit and 12wt tarpon) but prefer SA for the lighter lines (6wt bonefish and 6wt tropical). My favorite redfish line so far (8wt) has been the Airflo Ridge but I'd like to try the Courtland lines next.


----------



## mel (Dec 17, 2017)

K3anderson said:


> I think you will need to test and decide. I have rio tarpon and absolutely hate Wulff. I also love ridge clear (on 8W) and a lot of my friends hate it. Its all up to the user


----------



## mel (Dec 17, 2017)

I would love to try before I buy, but that's not possible where I live... Curious: What do you hate about the Wulff Bermuda TT line?


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

mel said:


> I would love to try before I buy, but that's not possible where I live... Curious: What do you hate about the Wulff Bermuda TT line?


What K3 prolly doesn't like with the BTT is it's lighter in the front of the head and gradually get's heavier in the back section of the head, where the lines he uses are flipped, putting more weight at the end of the line/head and therefore, quicker and shorter to pick up and shoot back out there with his NRX's vs aeralizing more line out of the rod guides (or picking up more line) before the rod loads, to shoot with the triangle type tapers.

The other option is to go to the BTT short (nicknamed Bermuda Shorts) with is actually just a short heavy shoot head fly line. The good is the quick pick up and lay down at a reasonable short range. The bad will be distance shooting.

I agree with most here, you are going to need 2 lines. For Naples in the cooler months, you are going to be needing something to cast more weighted flies rather than top water flies or unweighted flies that run in the upper water column. By the time you get down here, the beach snooking will be over and topwater action will all but be gone, except for really warm water (warm for us) days. So I recommend using a line that can carry a little more weight in a fly to keep it riding a little lower in the water column. But mid you, with a 6/7wt, you want no more than an ex sm head dumbbell eyes, unless throwing at shallow skinny water snook sunning themselves or tailing redfish forgaging for food, then a bead chain eyes will work. Which means a flyline with a head that will be more weight forward. The other idea is to have a clear intermediate tipped floating line to get the fly down for things like sea trout without dealing with casting weighted flies, which can be a PITA to cast. But it takes a good roll cast to get the tip up to the surface to be able to pick it up to cast.

By far, the nicest casting line I've thrown on a Method is the SA Expert Distance. But might not be the best thing for the heavier weighted flies. It's design to cast more bonefish type flies, which could work for you with a 6wt.

Personally, I see no reason why the BTT can't work for you. Just keep in mind, you have one of the fastest rods made and the tip and forward head of the BTT is light to start with, so you may need another false cast or 2 over other weight forward lines, to let more line out and cause the rod to load up.

Another good overall line to use on that rod is a general purpose SA Saltwater Mastery line. Personally, I think the Redfish type lines puts too much weight at the end for those fast tip rods where you are casting more distance rather than close up shots. And for Naples, that is the type of cast you are making, in my experience there (I lived and fish there for a period after I got out of the Navy).

For up north, I couldn't tell you except try looking for a SA striper floating line for bigger flies in saltwater, or for freshwater for trout and such, try a teeny or a regular Wulff TT.

Ted


----------



## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

K3anderson said:


> I think you will need to test and decide. I have rio tarpon and absolutely hate Wulff. I also love ridge clear (on 8W) and a lot of my friends hate it. Its all up to the user.


First person I have ever heard say they hate the Wulff line. Which one were you using? And on what rod?

Every single person I have recommended the line to loves it. To each their own, but data doesn't lie.


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Backwater said:


> By far, the nicest casting line I've thrown on a Method is the SA Expert Distance. But might not be the best thing for the heavier weighted flies. It's design to cast more bonefish type flies, which could work for you with a 6wt.


Very curious about the SA distance line. Is if a freshwater or saltwater line? Think it would be a good option on a Sage ONE (6wt) for stalking winter reds on foot? I love throwing small flies at tails...


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

crboggs said:


> Very curious about the SA distance line. Is if a freshwater or saltwater line? Think it would be a good option on a Sage ONE (6wt) for stalking winter reds on foot? I love throwing small flies at tails...


For smaller flies, the size of bonefish flies, it's a beautiful line to throw. Since it has a very long rear taper, there is a lot you can do with line control as the line is sliding through your fingers on the shoot. In other words, it make it easy to regulate how far the fly goes based on how far out your target fish is positioned.

What line do you currently have on it. These guys recommend a BTT on that rod, but idk how they act together since I'd never thrown that combo of rod and line. But my guess is it needs an extra false cast to load up.


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

@Backwater - Currently using an SA Mastery Bonefish line which casts beautifully, especially when water loading. Love it for small flies on long light leaders. Curious if the distance line would be any sort of difference maker...


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

crboggs said:


> @Backwater - Currently using an SA Mastery Bonefish line which casts beautifully, especially when water loading. Love it for small flies on long light leaders. Curious if the distance line would be any sort of difference maker...


The bonefish taper spreads/distributes the weight along the head more and uses a longer head. The ED has more weight up front and provides a long taper to the running line. So you can pick up and lay down quicker and shorter or with one more false cast and sling it 70-80ft. I have no problems picking up that line on a pick up and lay down and shoot 80ft if need be. But that's me. This is one of the reason I like the taper of the Cortland Liquid Crystal, due to a similar taper, tho I hear complaints about the memory, especially in the colder winter temps. But the rear taper of the ED is longer than the LC.

Scientific Angler Mastery Series Expert Distance - Mist Green











Cortland Liquid Crystal Flats Taper - Sky Blue









Scientific Angler Mastery Series Bonefish line









SA Mastery Redfish (note the short head)









SA Mastery Grand Slam (Heavier line but longer rear taper)









SA Amplitude Grand Slam w/AST+ - (Heavier for bigger/heavier flies. Expensive but slick)










SA Amplitude Bonefish w/AST+ - (Expensive bonefish line but slick)










SA Amplitude Andros w/AST+ - (Expensive bonefish design for distance shooting in the wind with small flies. Very slick)










Wulff Bermuda Triangle Taper (no real diagram of the taper posted except for the logo. This is similar to the taper of the BTT). Though this diagram is flipped, but notice the reverse taper. The idea is to get the heavier part of the taper outside of the tip top guide and then the extended front taper helps to turn over the fly line, leader and fly for an easy presentation.


----------



## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

coconutgroves said:


> First person I have ever heard say they hate the Wulff line. Which one were you using? And on what rod?
> 
> Every single person I have recommended the line to loves it. To each their own, but data doesn't lie.



Wulff Bermuda Triangle Taper 2 Tone Floating Fly Line in Tropic Blue/Sand. Line lasted a couple trips. I thought maybe it was a bad batch so I contacted the company since that the first fly line I have ever ruined like that. No response. More than once. I'll never by anything from them again. So it was the customer service vs. the casting ability.


----------



## jonrconner (May 20, 2015)

I had a bad line from Wulff, called them up and was told to send it back, got a new line from them promptly, I suspect you didn’t use the proper contact mechanism.
JC


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

I really like the orvis igniter hd. Granted that’s for an 8 wt but for me it casts great. I don’t love how the rio reddish holds up, seemed to only get about 6 months out of it. I didn’t like how the wulff btt threw on my H2. Having said that I threw the same line on a different rod and I really liked it. So really the rod/line combo seems to have a lot to do with it.


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

mtoddsolomon said:


> So really the rod/line combo seems to have a lot to do with it.


Absolutely.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

mtoddsolomon said:


> I really like the orvis igniter hd. Granted that’s for an 8 wt but for me it casts great. I don’t love how the rio reddish holds up, seemed to only get about 6 months out of it. I didn’t like how the wulff btt threw on my H2. Having said that I threw the same line on a different rod and I really liked it. So really the rod/line combo seems to have a lot to do with it.


You probably like the ignighter since it's a slighy heavier and shorter head. So it loads that extra fast for you, like the redfish did and the Wulff is a lighter line and takes a little more line to aerolize out of the rod guides to get it to load that fast rod. The Wulff prolly felt goon on your Echo Ion XL since it's a softer rod than the H2 and takes less to load that rod for you. If you took the Wulff and kept more line out of the rod tip before you lifted it up off the water, you'd find that it would load the rod quicker than how you use to do it with the Echo Ion XL, which allowed you to retrieve in more line before you lifted it, to feel that load process. Makes sense?


----------



## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

K3anderson said:


> Wulff Bermuda Triangle Taper 2 Tone Floating Fly Line in Tropic Blue/Sand. Line lasted a couple trips. I thought maybe it was a bad batch so I contacted the company since that the first fly line I have ever ruined like that. No response. More than once. I'll never by anything from them again. So it was the customer service vs. the casting ability.


Sorry to hear that. I've sent two lines back out of at least 20 purchases. They've always taken care of me and have been responsive.


----------



## blackmagic1 (Jul 3, 2014)

mtoddsolomon said:


> I really like the orvis igniter hd. Granted that’s for an 8 wt but for me it casts great. I don’t love how the rio reddish holds up, seemed to only get about 6 months out of it. I didn’t like how the wulff btt threw on my H2. Having said that I threw the same line on a different rod and I really liked it. So really the rod/line combo seems to have a lot to do with it.


I wanted so much to like that line. I think years of casting a SA mastry bonefish, makes the Igniter feel like a lead rope to me. I simply cannot get used to swinging it. Im seriously thinking of giving the SA all purpose a shot.


----------



## redjim (Oct 16, 2012)

Backwater said:


> The bonefish taper spreads/distributes the weight along the head more and uses a longer head. The ED has more weight up front and provides a long tater to the running line. So you can pick up and lay down quicker and shorter or with one more false cast, sling it 80ft. I have no problems picking up that line on a pick up and lay down and shoot 80ft if need be. But that's me. This is one of the reason I like the taper of the Cortland Liquid Crystal, due to a similar taper, tho I hear complaints about the memory, especially in the colder winter temps. But the rear taper of the ED is longer than the LC.
> 
> Scientific Angler Mastery Series Expert Distance - Mist Green
> 
> ...



Ted, thanks for taking the time to do this. I found it very helpful. After reading this I purchased some of the Cortland LC (Guide) and loved the heavier taper up front. Like you mentioned, I had been using the Wuff BTT for quite a while but prefer the Cortland since I needed so much less to load rod at the start. I was able to throw smoother tighter loops as well. Thanks for your input.


----------

