# Review Monic Henley fly lines



## Gadaboutgaddis (Jan 19, 2019)

I was looking through threads here on clear tip fly lines. @Shadowcast had good things to stay about Monic so I bought a full clear/intermediate in 8w and had a chance to cast it yesterday.

Upon opening up the box the line wants to spring off the spool. Its that stiff. 

It seems to be a larger diameter (the reel had a SA Bonefish line on it previously) and I had to remove backing to keep from overfilling the Spool. (Nautilus XL-Max).

I had no issues with coiling, I think that stiffness helps. It casts really well although I didn't weigh it, it seems much more like a 9-10 than an 8.

Finish is nice.. slides right through the guides.

Cheers

Gad


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

They have the grain weights on the site, I have the Henley 8wt and Skykine 10wt lines. Haven’t fished the 10wt, waiting on time to build my rod but the 8wt has been fantastic.


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## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

Fished the Phantom tip Henley floating a little, the 8 weight. I've got to get used to not being able to see the line well. May get to fish it this afternoon, about to bust out of work and hit up a redfish spot, sunny, low winds today, too good to waste working.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

karstopo said:


> Fished the Phantom tip Henley floating a little, the 8 weight. I've got to get used to not being able to see the line well. May get to fish it this afternoon, about to bust out of work and hit up a redfish spot, sunny, low winds today, too good to waste working.


I had to go to a clear line because lots of redfish here are so skittish they spook with the colored line in the air if you can even get within range before they bolt. You have to love shoreline and flats boats burning every area they can and not even stopping to fish.


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

I had the henley out for a day (8wt) and it coiled and tangled so bad, I threw it out.
I hate having to untangle fly line when fish are swimming by.


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

Good stuff!


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## OED (Feb 26, 2019)

I had the same issue with it coiling up on me so i stretched it out several times which helped a little bit.

I prefer the airflow ridge or cortland more than the monic


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

I had a great Tarpon season with the Cortland liquid crystal but I felt the key to that line was *not* to stretch it. The more I stretch the clear lines, the more they seem to knot up. I ignore the coil as long as it doesn't tangle. Just my .02


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## TheAdamsProject (Oct 29, 2007)

I fish the Cortland clear often and do not like stretching it either. I see very little coiling issues and if it starts to get a little out of wack I strip it out, pull it behind the boat and remove the twist as that seems to cause more issues than coiling. Also, dont remove backing, just cut the line to 80', I am not nocking your casting ability but are you taking shots at that length? Just cut it back and make a new loop as we tend to cut the welded ones anyway and it will gain you a little capacity.


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## karstopo (Nov 28, 2019)

Fished the 8 weight Monic Henley phantom tip this afternoon. 60 degree water, 60 something air. No serious tangles, nothing out of the ordinary. Handles nicely, casts well at various distances. I had it on my 7/8 weight CGR. I like that it isn’t so extra slippery, that’s better for solid strip sets. Some of my other lines feel like they have too much lubricant on them. 

Getting more comfortable with the stealthy, hard to see nature of the line. 

Wasn’t an afternoon that stealth was a big deal since the water wasn’t all that clear. I don’t see how the Monic line cost me fish or added fish.


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## Seymour fish (May 13, 2018)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I had to go to a clear line because lots of redfish here are so skittish they spook with the colored line in the air if you can even get within range before they bolt. You have to love shoreline and flats boats burning every area they can and not even stopping to fish.


Mac, how much has it helped ? What length leader will these lines allow, and what is necessary in your fishery given a clear Henley ? How close can you approach in skiff vs wading. Do you notice these fish spooking off rod flash as you start to false cast ? 0000 steel wool can be your friend. Seymour


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Seymour fish said:


> Mac, how much has it helped?
> They don’t spook before the line hits the water any more.
> 
> What length leader will these lines allow, and what is necessary in your fishery given a clear Henley?
> ...


Thanks bro!


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## Surffshr (Dec 28, 2017)

bringing this thread back up to ask if others using the Monic Henley full clear have noticed how stretchy it is? I’m checking other lines from SA and RIO and none have that amount of stretch to them. Concerns me a bit on setting the hook (but I have yet to fish it). Thoughts appreciated.


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## GladesFlyFishing (Jan 17, 2020)

I've fished them myself and with clients quite a bit now. I haven't noticed it mattering at all.


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## saltyhackle (Jun 28, 2020)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I had to go to a clear line because lots of redfish here are so skittish they spook with the colored line in the air if you can even get within range before they bolt. You have to love shoreline and flats boats burning every area they can and not even stopping to fish.


I fish tampa so I felt that pretty deep hahah. Are you spooking less fish with the clear line in the air? Curious if you've found if it makes a significant difference. I was out this morning and spooked a nice red before my fly even hit the water...


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## 59441 (Oct 2, 2020)

Surffshr said:


> bringing this thread back up to ask if others using the Monic Henley full clear have noticed how stretchy it is? I’m checking other lines from SA and RIO and none have that amount of stretch to them. Concerns me a bit on setting the hook (but I have yet to fish it). Thoughts appreciated.


Used the full clear in 5 and 8 wt. The line made a very loud noise when shooting through my recoil guides. The welded loop on the 8wt started failing within the week and I lopped it off. I also noticed clear "bubbles" form in the core which I think was the line beginning to fail. Both lines were super stretchy and had a ton of memory on moderately cool days after being on the reel for even a day. Hated casting them with my CC pro 1.

Ended up throwing both in the trash. Maybe i got a bad batch idk.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Yeah I initially liked the lines when I got them. Bought a 12wt that was about right grain wise then bought a 6wt and it was way light. 

The taper is to short for my liking and how I’m fishing it seems. The 12wt line only got minimal use and has bubbles just as flat_lyin’s lines.

The 6 wt has done similar things with more use than the 12wt but I stepped on the line while fishing a dock just as would be down with most lines and it dented badly and messed up the coating. In multiple spots along with some of the bubbles that appeared on the 12wt line.

So yeah they seem to be pretty crappy construction. I have just bumped to using 12-15’ leaders and gotten away from the clear fly line jazz altogether.


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## Flyfish40 (Sep 23, 2019)

Have been using the Henley clear floating line on my 6wt sector for a few weeks now and I really like it so far. Is about 165 grain I believe a touch more than the liquid crystal at 160. Haven’t had any issues with tangles and taper is pretty nice. Cast well and doesn’t get sticky feeling like other clear lines can to me. I have noticed little bright spots or “hot” spots in the fly line not sure why but going to contact monic and see what they say,Other than that I’m happy


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Last year my welded loop failed and also had the shiny bubbles like the core was separating so I called Monic and they honored their word and sent me a new line. I have been fishing the new line simce then with no issues. He said they had a bunch of bad batches that had a softer feel and are replacing everyone’s lines that contact them about the issue. Sometimes it’s cool to make an attempt to contact someone about a product issue instead of tossing it inbthe trash and talking trash online about it . Customer contact makes companies and their products better. If they were assholes about it I would have had something to say but they are in Colorado and make the product in the USA. We need to support our USA businesses that aen’t outsourcing Chinese garbage for a higher profit margin.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

No issues with any of my Monic Henley lines. Of the four 8wt rods I keep in the boat, 3 of them are Monic Henley phantom tip and the other is Monic icicle. Just ordered some of the saltwater master line and two more of the skyline since they are on sale.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

jmrodandgun said:


> No issues with any of my Monic Henley lines. Of the four 8wt rods I keep in the boat, 3 of them are Monic Henley phantom tip and the other is Monic icicle. Just ordered some of the saltwater master line and two more of the skyline since they are on sale.


I have the gel spun braided core Skyline in 10wt I’m waiting on building the rod for it. It’s good stuff from the look and feel.


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## 59441 (Oct 2, 2020)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Last year my welded loop failed and also had the shiny bubbles like the core was separating so I called Monic and they honored their word and sent me a new line. I have been fishing the new line simce then with no issues. He said they had a bunch of bad batches that had a softer feel and are replacing everyone’s lines that contact them about the issue. Sometimes it’s cool to make an attempt to contact someone about a product issue instead of tossing it inbthe trash and talking trash online about it . Customer contact makes companies and their products better. If they were assholes about it I would have had something to say but they are in Colorado and make the product in the USA. We need to support our USA businesses that aen’t outsourcing Chinese garbage for a higher profit margin.


Took your advice and reached out to them. Will update if things work out. It never occurred to me since the lines were different weights and bought months apart that it might be a batch issue but I guess that depends on how many lines they produce in one go.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Flat_Lyin said:


> Took your advice and reached out to them. Will update if things work out. It never occurred to me since the lines were different weights and bought months apart that it might be a batch issue but I guess that depends on how many lines they produce in one go.


They will take care of you. Check out their line recycling program too. I think it’s 25% off if you send them any old fly line. It’s on their site.


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## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I have the gel spun braided core Skyline in 10wt I’m waiting on building the rod for it. It’s good stuff from the look and feel.


@Smackdaddy53 interested to hear if you ever got to fish with the Skyline (this is the one I'm looking at on their site: Skyline PLUS - New Coating Release Coming Soon, Remaining Stock 35% off!). 

I'm looking to use it on my 6 or 7 weight redfish rods this winter/spring, and it has a couple things I tend to like:
1) Translucent rather than opaque
2) Minimal stretch
3) Wide temperature tolerance (I'm worried about tropical lines when it drops into the 60's, not sure if that's a valid concern)

If you've casted/fished it yet and have any thoughts would love to hear them!


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have Monic Henley on both my Tarpon rods. 13wt. and 12wt. On my 13 reel I had to remove some backing to fit it, not on my 12 behemoth. Monica had some memory problems on their lines a couple years ago but seemed to solve this now​


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## Seymour fish (May 13, 2018)

Cory Michner said:


> @Smackdaddy53 interested to hear if you ever got to fish with the Skyline (this is the one I'm looking at on their site: Skyline PLUS - New Coating Release Coming Soon, Remaining Stock 35% off!).
> 
> I'm looking to use it on my 6 or 7 weight redfish rods this winter/spring, and it has a couple things I tend to like:
> 1) Translucent rather than opaque
> ...


Cory, bought the Henly line a couple yrs ago and it flunked the lawn-test. Felt sticky, limp, primitive, so parked it. Currently post-front reds are laid up in and around potholes in crystal-clear water and are spooky beyond belief in the LLM. Much frustration caused a re-visit with the Henly. Stretched that rubber band Hard, coated with food-grade silicone, and polished it. It fishes Great now. Shoots ! No bird nests. Does not spook reds false-casting. The 5 wt on and old 590 rp fishes off the bow in 18 kt wind, short to medium, and quick on the delivery.


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## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

Seymour fish said:


> Cory, bought the Henly line a couple yrs ago and it flunked the lawn-test. Felt sticky, limp, primitive, so parked it. Currently post-front reds are laid up in and around potholes in crystal-clear water and are spooky beyond belief in the LLM. Much frustration caused a re-visit with the Henly. Stretched that rubber band Hard, coated with food-grade silicone, and polished it. It fishes Great now. Shoots ! No bird nests. Does not spook reds false-casting. The 5 wt on and old 590 rp fishes off the bow in 18 kt wind, short to medium, and quick on the delivery.


Thanks for the update, @Seymour fish !

Did you upline with the henley? They make a point on the site of stating that their lines are more true to line weight and you should upline for faster rods. The grain ratings already seem on the high end to me, but it's also a pretty moderate taper.

Thanks again for the info!


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## Seymour fish (May 13, 2018)

Cory Michner said:


> Thanks for the update, @Seymour fish !
> 
> Did you upline with the henley? They make a point on the site of stating that their lines are more true to line weight and you should upline for faster rods. The grain ratings already seem on the high end to me, but it's also a pretty moderate taper.
> 
> Thanks again for the info!


Cory, the line is at a minimum 1/2-3/4 heavy, and perhaps vary in weight more than other lines. I went with their 5 and 9 on 590 rp and GLX 4-piece, respectively. Would not overline unless taming a Beast. Throwing 8’ leader and #6 flies. Best of luck.


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## Cory Michner (Jan 28, 2020)

Seymour fish said:


> Cory, the line is at a minimum 1/2-3/4 heavy, and perhaps vary in weight more than other lines. I went with their 5 and 9 on 590 rp and GLX 4-piece, respectively. Would not overline unless taming a Beast. Throwing 8’ leader and #6 flies. Best of luck.


Beautiful. Thank you for all the help!


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