Silk lines and cold weather

[Malcolm]

Here is the review of the line that I wrote for one of the guys on FFF who lent me the line. I think the review is going back to the guy who makes these lines.

I got a loan of a Cadno DT4 silk line from Mr Trout on FFF. He asked me to write a short review of the line. So here it is.

I also got Alan to try it out for the first couple of sessions and his thoughts are included here and despite writing separately were remarkably similar.

Firstly I have to say that this is not the time of year I would normally choose to try out an item of tackle but Alan and I tried it out first on a small coarse fishing loch and then on a boating pond. I then went out to use it for a couple of hours Graying fishing on the Clyde it really inhospitable conditions of 7 deg and a cold stiff breeze. In addition the line is almost new and silk lines reportedly improve with use so all in all the conditions were not auspicious!

The tackle we used were a 7.5 ft slow actioned 3/4 weight rod and a Loomis GLX Max line speed 5 weight.

First of all to the line appearance. This one was emerald green but it comes in other colours.

In use the line is remarkably like a good quality modern plastic line. We both remarked on this and on the short distances used with a DT4 I wouldn't be able to differentiate on the basis of casting accuracy or how it fished in good conditions - certainly there was no kinks or loops appearing in the cast. It was as straight as a die. If anything it landed a little more softly on the water and the line was a little more supple than plastic. Moving on to what we might call non-standard casts - curves and snake presentations there were absolutely no problems. Roll casting too was every bit as good as with a plastic line.

So in normal conditions it's all remarkably familiar.

Then it was onto the rough conditions on the Clyde. Here is where I did notice a difference. The silk line relies on surface tension to keep it afloat - the silk itself is heavier than water and the red mucilin keeps it floating. In the wind this brings a real benefit. I'm not going into artificial ecstasies here but there is a noticeable difference in the wind it certainly cuts through the wind like a much heavier line. So whereas a stiff breeze like I had on the Clyde would normally have me reaching for a 6 weight here I was quite happily getting a similar performance with a 4 weight.

So I would be happy to say that for my sort of river fishing I think the silk line is better - for no other reason than it's performance in wind.

Now the down sides:

After I finished for the day I took it off the reel and put it on a clothes airer to dry for 36 hours then reproofed it with Red Mucilin. And wound it back on the reel. That was that. In total I probably spent 15 minutes in total. The line did not sink during my time on the river.

The other downside is the cost of the line. Reputedly a silk line will last a lifetime even so at £135 some may baulk. I would normally get 3 years out of a river line so you would be looking at a pay back time of around 12 years or so.

One good thing is that the line can be custom built for your needs - if you know what you want. It can be made exactly as you would want so a specific taper or head length or head weight then all that is possible. These bespoke lines do however have unique pricing associated with them.

If I were to buy one for my 3/4 weight rod it would probably be a short, condensed WF line i.e - like a shortened 5 weight with an 8ft front taper and a 17ft head length as I would be highly unlikely to have more than 25 feet of line extended beyond the tip ring on a river and despite having the grains per foot of a 5 weight would still be thinner than a plastic 4 weight. That would be a perfect line!

[Wildfisher]

Good stuff Malcolm 

Honest, straightforward and independent - unlike much of the bollocks you might normally expect to find on FF written by the pals  of the various small scale fly line suppliers who punt  their wares there. Ask Alan what happens when an honest opinion is posted.  :lol:

[Malcolm]

I'll find out! Steven asked me to post on FFF so I did.

[Otter Spotter]

An excellent and well balanced review irrespective of what they think over in the monkey house.

You really have me thinking on the wind cutting properties of the silk line. I am often faced with a stiff downstream breeze on the Earn. I would start with the best of intentions but probably start to forget to look after the line as it should be looked after before long so the price in conjunction with my laziness is prohibitive.

[Wildfisher]

you have to soften the truth sometimes.

yes but it's a real pity-o  :lol:

[Wildfisher]

I have had a few issues myself  recently with the usual suspects (ejected from  here). Some of them are obsessed. It's a bit sad to be honest.   :roll:

Anyway - back to silk lines - I'd try one if they were not so bleeding expensive.

[Malcolm]

I put in a bid for a one year old second hand silk line by cadno on Ebay a couple of weeks ago. I was prepared to go to £60 but it went for £78. The price is the big downside, I'm not really a cheapskate but £135 is a lot. I wonder how long an intermediate line would float if greased up with Mucilin. That would be adopting the same principle.

[Highlander]

As a user of silk lines in my informative years Kingfisher & Hardy Corona I second Malcolms findings. Now having said that would I still use one?
Going on the price alone I would say no. Any advantage which is minimal on good days better in a wind is negated by the price & to a lesser but just as important  maintenance.  If you are not prepared to treat it as instructed then do not bother. it is not for you. Just my thoughts.
Tight Lines