I was “shopping” for a 7wt line, and did something dangerous…I started thinking about fly line colors. I’ve seen colors from day-glo orange to clear. Some lines are tri-color to help judge distance. Most are some more earth like colors, or sky blue.
Does fly line color matter?
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Buy the taper you want and don’t think twice about the color.
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I like lines with color changes. The main reason is it gives an exact distance. Say if the color change is at 40’ and I am running a 10’ leader. This means I can see exactly where 50’ is. If someone is on my bow, I use this to give them an example of distance. I have them make a cast with the change at the reel. If I am fishing with a guide, their distance might not be in sync with mine. This puts us on the same page.
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Color changes can be beneficial. If you find for particular conditions that you can shoot well to the distance you want to fish by retrieving line until the transition from the peach-colored head to the green running line is X feet from the tip, then your casts will be more consistent. This helps for blind casting, when you are making similar casts over and over again. It is particularly useful for casting into the surf or a lake, where there is not otherwise a good distance reference. If you are casting to a bank, then it is less critical, because you can gauge the distance of your false casts relative to the bank.
Orange is good for seeing your loops for training and competition.
I don’t know what you are fishing for or where but it’s hard to go wrong with SA Grand Slam for the flats.
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I do like the two color lines, for reasons already mentioned. As to specific colors, I’m not sure it really matters. I keep 3 rods on board, all have different colors, all of em will blow mullet out when casting over them in skinny water.
My yard cast rod has a clear monic on it, that I intend to try once the conditions return, but I’m not expecting any difference.
Way back I fished with an Orvis bright orange line designed to “cut the wind”. I caught plenty of albies with it in Rhode Island in the fall. Then I was all over the intermediate clear lines they made for stripers. This was back in the late 90’s when they made a really good clear line not the size of a rope. I do like being able to track my line to help with fly location, especially for tarpon. Tarpon lines are often sand or light blue etc. I’ll have to think about that.
I’m interested to see your observations using a clear line. Please let us know.
A few years back I tried Monic Henley clear line on my 8wt and it had bubbles in the coating and felt really gummy after a few trips. Cleaning with their proprietary cleaning solution did not help. They replaced it twice and the same thing happened so I tossed it. I really wanted to like it but it sucked. If there was a full clear or at least clear head line that felt like SA Grand Slam I’d be all over it but I don’t think there is one that I am aware of. I could still see the Henley line in the air, it was not an issue. Maybe they made improvements since then. I like that the line is made in USA.
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SA Grand Slam Magnitude- full clear or clear tip/smooth or textured-
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Interesting, thank you. How does it cast and handle?
Ahh can’t say- not enough seat time to give a valuable answer- i rigged up the bonefish plus magnitude w/ 10’ clear tip 2 weeks ago as a setup to throw/sightcast to winter trout in clear water- i usually have visual/bright flies (char/pink/orange) so Hoping the 10’ clear plus 10’ leader would help out. SA offers these lines in full clear or clear tip In several tapers. It feels good and is slick- just not enough real time use here yet to say-
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Well good luck. I might have to try it for these spooky clear water reds that have been molested and harassed by googan shoreline and flats burners day in and day out.
Yessir it’s been no bueno
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The lines definitely had some QC issues way back in the day but I have not had an issue with their lines in the last 7 or so years. For me at least, they’ve been perfect, never an issue on the hot deck of a skiff in the Florida sun (they used to get very gummy and stick to the deck) and I really like the taper/weighting of the lines these days. They are my preferred choice of clear lines these days.
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Man do the sa clear tip or all clear for saltwater. I think that catches more fish. Freshwater Dosent matter as much the color. It’s a big deal in south Florida and the keys
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@Smackdaddy53
Try a longer leader first, 10-12’.
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exactly!!
I figured that might be the case. Thanks for the updated information. I may have to give them another shot. I still have some 10 and 12weight phantom tip lines from them I never took out of the box.