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3. Black fly line?

I have looked all other and cannot find it anywhere. I built a "stealth" rod and want a dark color line for nothing more than appearance. I would even take a dark brown, gray or green. Can you guys give me some tips where to look. I am looking for WF4F.

Thanks, Marty

Don't know if it is still available but Orvis used to make a gray stealthy line called the "Spring Creek". I have two, one a #4 and the other a #5.

Cortland's "Spring Creek" line is part of their 444 series and is a reasonably good line. I've had several and they've been OK. Not real durable (I suspect they have same finish as the old Cortland 444SL, which shot through the guides like poop through a goose, but usually cracked and checked after a single season, for me anyway..). It is a medium to dark olive color and may meet your desire for a dark line. You could take a look, here: http://www.cortlandline.com/fly-fishing/freshwater/444-classic/spring-creek-olive

The 444 Spring Creek line has a 4 foot level section at the tip that supposedly aids in making more delicate presentations. Maybe its true and maybe its marketing BS, I could never tell one way or the other.

Just as an afterthought, you can dye fly lines any color you like with Rit. Just use a dye bath that is only hot to the touch and not one that follows the dye bath temperature instructions on the Rit package. Temperatures that high would probably ruin the line. I used to buy white Aquanova (Canadian) lines from Wal-Mart when they handled them. Then I would dye them with Rit in a lower temperature bath. The dye job doesn't last forever, but it will usually last as long as the line itself. I have one Aquanova I dyed blue denim and it has held up for 7-8 years of intermittent use.

Just a thought...

Ditto the RIT. As Lee says, not too hot, and use extra salt. Dyed lines make an enormous difference over spooky fish.

Paul wrote;



In my opinion long leaders, 12'-15', ending in 5X or 6X, and flawless, drag free presentations make an enormous difference over spooky fish. I don't believe the color of the fly line makes one iota of difference.

Well, the entire leader length/line color thing is pretty subjective/dependent...

One the one hand, I can't really say one way or the other whether line color spooks fish or not. I used to dye lines just to see how they would come out and not with any concrete fishing-related purpose in mind. Which is how I ended up with a blue denim fly line. Whimsy...

But I can say that on the majority of quality wild trout water in the East, fishing a leader in the 12-15 foot class is not practical most of the time.

It depends where you are. Presentation matters though. A lot. I can agree with that.

I don't tend to use long leaders on the small waters I fish. On larger waters, sure. They can be especially important on flat waters. The issues are: line flash, splashdown, and length of drift required. Long leaders help on all three counts. But they are unwieldy at best on a lot of small waters.

Try throwing a bright white or flu green fly-line over or near spooky trout in clear shallow water. Then try it with a dark dyed one. You will be convinced. The trout simply can't see it.

I went to a dark dyed line years ago (and never looked back) when I found I simply couldn't get a cast off on a certain small flat headwater creek without scaring the bejesus out of each and every pool. I could stalk within range but one flick of the line and each and every pool erupted with ripples, boils and mud clouds. A dyed line solved the issue entirely, and I could use any leader length I wanted.

Very interesting readings on this post.I myself never went to the dark dyed lines. I think I have never thought the need. I have heard of others playing with it dyeing lines, I mean. But then I never seen it, for I think they screwed it up doing it. Maybe it all falls on what a ol'guy, named Bob says time & time again. You fly guys got to many tricks for catching fish. He may have a point.....
Paul does have me thinking, having a 4wt like what he makes up, huh!!! Maybe fun on the clear water brooks.

Many manufacturers have stealth lines out there. Check out the Scientific Anglers Trout Tapers in the textured series. Green.

Yes, you are 100% correct and I agree with you. One can't be using a 12' leader on a stream 8' wide. I don't believe I have ever fished a trout stream less than 12' wide and the majority of the waters I fish are 80' - 200' wide often with very clear water and tough fish - hence the reason I'm so hung up on long and fine leaders. At 12' - 15' even the spooky big fish never see my fly line. As a young man I used to use the Cortland 333 in peach and caught a zillion trout on the spring creeks in Montana. Now I prefer the subtle colors of light olive, gray, buckskin.

I dye mine a deep dark brown or olive. The only drawback is that the caster can't see the line in the air -probably not something to recommend to a novice caster I suppose.

Guys, not too long ago I had the Cortland 555 Clear Floater. Yes, you heard right, a CLEAR dry fly line. Stiff as a danged board, kinked up pretty bad, but it shot surprisingly well and I don't know if the clear color made a difference but I caught a LOT of fish on that line. Currently I have the Cortland Spring Creek on my 3-weight in dark olive color. My streams are small (10-25' wide) with brushy banks and gin-clear water (OK, the Rifle is a bit tannin colored) so stealth is paramount. My 5-weight is an Orvis in peach, I have caught plenty of fish on that line as well but tend to fish bigger waters with it (e.g., lakes).

Jonathon

was gifted a nifty rod and swell reel once--with day-glo orange line, back when i was just beginning. no way did i want to show off my terrible casting to all the other folks on the stream.
bought some dark blue Rit, and the result was a gorgeous mahogany brown, with a one-foot orange section at the tip so i could see where the cast went. caught a ton of fish on it after i changed the color...first line i wore out!