Thoughts on tropical clear floating line

[Tony]

I see the store has both the Airflo and cortland clear floating lines. How are these lines for wading? I assume they float just like other floating lines.

Also, do you sometimes get extra shots at fish because the clear line does not spook them?

Lastly, which one do you think is the better line?

[David Lee]

Hi Tony .

The only time I've found a clear line to make ANY difference is .... fishing for Roosterfish (Roos' HATE a dark line , especially if they've been fished over even a little ....) . Then , I use a clear intermediate head .

I can't think of a single situation where I would/could use a clear floater . I don't Trout fish anymore , but when I did , I never found Trout to require anything more than a longish leader .

Hope this helps -

D.~

[Darian]

I have to agree with David. I've never found it necessary to use a clear-floating or camo line to catch anything I was after. A tropical line might be fairly stiff requiring some straightening before use.

I prefer an intermediate line and lengthen the leader as necessary in clear tropical waters. Also, I like braided core rather than mono core lines. :cool:

[mems]

Aloha Tony, I use the cortland crystal floating line for ahi and mahi offshore. It is great and doesn't spook the fish. I fish mostly poppers, and out fish other guys with a regular colored line. I would like to try one on bonefish, and might set up a reel with one for oahu and christmas island this spring. I know the boes on CI really don't care, but it might make a difference on oahu with the skiddish bones over there. But for my experience on a 12wt for pelagics I love this line. Hope this helps, I don't know what you are going after, I think as long as you are striping the fly then it wouldn't matter, I like to use the end of my flyline as a strike indicator for trout and such. Good luck and let us know how it works for you, Mems.

[Tony]

A lodge in the Yucatan I may go to this summer is adamant it makes a difference for getting 2nd shots at Permit and Tarpon. IDK about bones.

FWIW, I was dubious but with only one Permit on fly under my belt I will take any advantage I can get.

A couple of years ago I was fishing in the Abacos with a friend of mine and he was using a clear floater (Monic I think) and he took it off by the middle of the 2nd day because of the problems he was having with it.

[mems]

Hey Tony, good luck with the permit. I would get a 10wt floating crystal cortland line and rig it for the tarpon and the permit. I use the braided loop as a strike indicator if you can't follow the fly. It might give you a couple more shots. Good luck, I don't have coil issues with my 12wt line. Mems.

[Tony]

Thanks for the help.