# Fly line help



## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

I’m looking for a little help with fly line choice, right now I’m using rio avid saltwater line, but I’m looking to get some new line for a new 8 wt I will be getting after the Holliday’s. I’ve been fly fishing for 6-7 months now would consider myself an intermediate caster. Just looking for a good overall fly line, to be used year round I live in SE Georgia so we can get cold in the winter, thank you guys for the help!!


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

If you provide the rod you will be putting it on, someone in this group will be able to offer you some advice. You are doing good, I have been casting the long rods for over 30 years and I consider myself an intermediate caster on a good day.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Steve_Mevers said:


> If you provide the rod you will be putting it on, someone in this group will be able to offer you some advice. You are doing good, I have been casting the long rods for over 30 years and I consider myself an intermediate caster on a good day.


Haha well then maybe I should consider myself a beginner caster, I will be using an axiom 2


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

JT McStravic said:


> Haha well then maybe I should consider myself a beginner caster, I will be using an axiom 2


I am not familiar with that rod, but I bet Backwater will have a recomendation for ya.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Steve_Mevers said:


> I am not familiar with that rod, but I bet Backwater will have a recomendation for ya.


It’s a rod by TFO


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

I have a Redington Predator rod with Behemoth reel in 8wt, and I like the Rio Gold floating line. I'm using it for striper in fresh and will be using it in salt for reds as well. I cant afford specific lines for both right now. The Gold series is good stuff.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

fishnpreacher said:


> I have a Redington Predator rod with Behemoth reel in 8wt, and I like the Rio Gold floating line. I'm using it for striper in fresh and will be using it in salt for reds as well. I cant afford specific lines for both right now. The Gold series is good stuff.


Okay good to know I really enjoy the avid saltwater I’m just wanted to see if I was missing anything not trying others haha I’m with you thought I don’t wanna buy specific lines


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2018)

JT, more importantly, are you getting the fly where you want it every time? I've spent over 30 years flyfishing saltwater and couldn't tell you what kind of lines I have on my roughly dozen saltwater rods. But I do practice about 30 minutes every day casting them. 

My first trip to Belize about 24 years ago, I went with a group of guys who were avid fly tiers. At the end of the day, the guides would write how many fish their client had caught that day on a chalkboard. Many days I caught more fish than the other guys. They all asked about what fly I was using, what equipment, etc. I told them I was using store-bought flies and wasn't sure what pattern or size. What enabled me to catch more fish was keeping the fly in the water, not in my fly box as I search for the perfect fly (and admired my handiwork). The second thing that enabled me to catch more fish was fly placement and that comes from lots of practice.

With rare exceptions, most saltwater fish I've caught are within 40-50 feet. That's not a real long cast and most any fly line can achieve those results. What's more important is being able to put the fly at the end of the fish that eats.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Exactly Greg. If you are fortunate to fly fish frequently and use just one or two fly rods, buy the best fly lines you can afford for durability.


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

JT, what type of fish and what type of flies will you be casting? I like the Rio Redfish and it suits the size flies I throw. If you're looking for something for loooong leaders, small flies, and more finesse presentation, there may be something better.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Hey guys I appreciate the help! I’m targeting redfish 95% of the time. And I’m just looking for a year round general fly line. This morning I was reading about the SA mastery saltwater line which seemed to be an “all purpos line” for lack of better words. I throw your average redfish flies crab and shrimp patterns with maybe some dumbbell eyes for weigh,gurgler, slowsinking baitfish patterns


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

I use SA mastery redfish in 8wt, but I have no idea what I'm doing so take that with a grain of salt.


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## Ken T (Dec 10, 2015)

There was a recent thread about the axiom II which discussed fly lines that you might want to search. I have several Axioms on My skiff that I put in my clients hands every day. Right now I have Wulff Bermuda lines on them. A great combination. Have also used several other lines on this rod. For intermediate level casters the SA Redfish or Grand Slam are also good choices. All have heavy heads that load the rod easily. If you regularly fish for spooky fish the SA Grand Slam is a heavy lander in some anglers hands.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

Okay cool thank you that’s good to know


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## HelthInsXpert (Jan 24, 2018)

I recently picked up Cortland's 'Guide' line in 7wt for redfish. Normally I would throw Rio's Redfish taper but I feel like the line loses slickness very quickly. Been fishing this Cortland line a few months in warm and very cold weather and it has performed quite well.

Even picked up a nice brown in Iceland in 20degree weather!

































And I guess my wife did ok too.............


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

That’s awesome man! Those are some beautiful fish!


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

I have a Axiom II and run Cortland Guide taper on it. IMO the SA Grand Slam is a good line but too heavy for the Axiom's relatively moderate action.


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## JT McStravic (Jun 5, 2018)

ZaneD said:


> I have a Axiom II and run Cortland Guide taper on it. IMO the SA Grand Slam is a good line but too heavy for the Axiom's relatively moderate action.


Alright thanks, what about the SA mastery saltwater line. Any experience there?


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

I can’t emphasize enough how accurate Greg’s input above is. Whatever line you get will perform well provided you practice with it. I consider myself an ntermediate caster at best myself after 6yrs and I have found the most important thing for me is to be familiar with my rod and line. I am just starting to be able tell difference between lines, of course and even a beginner can tell difference when throwing a shooting or sinking line vs a standard floating line with a normal taper. I use rio lines because that is what I can get a deal on and they perform well for me.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

JT McStravic said:


> I’m looking for a little help with fly line choice, right now I’m using rio avid saltwater line, but I’m looking to get some new line for a new 8 wt I will be getting after the Holliday’s. I’ve been fly fishing for 6-7 months now would consider myself an intermediate caster. Just looking for a good overall fly line, to be used year round I live in SE Georgia so we can get cold in the winter, thank you guys for the help!!


I spent a weekend with Flip and Chico a few weeks ago and both are really big on Cortland High Vis line, especially for 8 wt. or 7 wt. They were using it with a TFO Mangrove 8 wt. rod.


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## Flyguy22 (Feb 23, 2008)

Orvis HD Ignitor line on sale in all company retail stores for $79. You wont be disappointed.


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## redjim (Oct 16, 2012)

Greg Lyles said:


> JT, more importantly, are you getting the fly where you want it every time? I've spent over 30 years flyfishing saltwater and couldn't tell you what kind of lines I have on my roughly dozen saltwater rods. But I do practice about 30 minutes every day casting them.
> 
> My first trip to Belize about 24 years ago, I went with a group of guys who were avid fly tiers. At the end of the day, the guides would write how many fish their client had caught that day on a chalkboard. Many days I caught more fish than the other guys. They all asked about what fly I was using, what equipment, etc. I told them I was using store-bought flies and wasn't sure what pattern or size. What enabled me to catch more fish was keeping the fly in the water, not in my fly box as I search for the perfect fly (and admired my handiwork). The second thing that enabled me to catch more fish was fly placement and that comes from lots of practice.
> 
> With rare exceptions, most saltwater fish I've caught are within 40-50 feet. That's not a real long cast and most any fly line can achieve those results. What's more important is being able to put the fly at the end of the fish that eats.


*I would like to nominate this post for "post of the year". Great job Greg!*

After two years, of 20 minute a day practice sessions I now have the ability to somewhat put a fly where I want it to be on most occasions. I kept thinking the latest, greatest line or rod would do the trick. No, it was not the gear it was the operator.

But, just like a recovering alcoholic, I have to keep my practice up day after day.


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Have a Rio Bonefish floater on my TFO TICRx which TFO says matches the Axiom action closely. The TTICRx is discontinued. I really like the line and seems to load and shoot line pretty well.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

HelthInsXpert said:


> I recently picked up Cortland's 'Guide' line in 7wt for redfish. Normally I would throw Rio's Redfish taper but I feel like the line loses slickness very quickly. Been fishing this Cortland line a few months in warm and very cold weather and it has performed quite well.
> 
> Even picked up a nice brown in Iceland in 20degree weather!
> 
> ...


I hate you...


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## Tailer (Jan 10, 2017)

A lot of the lines mentioned here are pretty heavy. I am not familiar with the Axiom, but if you're new to fly casting I would recommend a fly line that is pretty close in specification to the AFFTA standard (210gr for a #8) while you improve your technique. The Wulff Bermuda TT, Rio Redfish, Cortland Flip, and SA Grand Slam are all 235-245gr which is actually a #9 line. The Cortland Guide and the SA Saltwater are both 225gr, which is a little closer but still pretty heavy, particularly if the Axiom is a moderate action like ZaneD suggests. 

I'm not saying that lines like the above don't have their uses, but while you're learning to cast properly you need to remove as many variables from the equation as possible. I've been casting a fly rod more than twenty years and the one thing I wish I could go back and tell myself all those years ago is that the gear doesn't really matter. Practice every day (or even just once a week!) like Greg says above and in a few years you'll be able to pickup any rod / line combination and make it sing. 

https://www.affta.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/fly_line_weight_specs.pdf


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

JT McStravic said:


> Alright thanks, what about the SA mastery saltwater line. Any experience there?


Very happy with the SA Mastery Bonefish line on my 6wt. If I wasn't running a Rio Permit line on my 8wt I'd probably give the SA Mastery Redfish a shot. 

If you like to wade and you like to throw bigger bulkier flies then the Rio Permit isn't a bad option on an 8wt. Its not going to be the best for finesse presentations but it'll load and deliver on those windy days.


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