Masterline Toothy Critter #9 Pike Fly lines

[fishfinder]

has anyone tried these lines with big pike or bass flies?

 

any opinions?

[Croix]

I had a couple of their #10 lines, the sinker was pretty muck OK for the money but I didn't like the floater at all, lots of memory and very thick compared with other 9 & 10 weight floaters I've used.

Edited January 24, 2006 by Croix

[fishfinder]

Quite a few of you have mentione Cortland 444 Ghost tip line - why do you recommend it, and how much does it cost?

[spanner]

Have a look at the review here

 

http://www.ukswff.co.uk/review1.htm

[Simon Everett]

Spanner - that link doesn't cover the Ghost Tip - just the floater.

 

Fishfinder - the Cortland 444SL (stands for Slime Line) is a series of lines using a very smooth coating. They cast well and are good value for money. Not much memory - if it does go coily, just put it in a washing up bowl of hot water - NOT TOO HOT!! If you can put your hand in and keep it there you will be OK. Bath temp is all you need. Then take it out into the garden and lay it out in big flakes. This works for loads of lines.

 

The Ghost Tipuses the same floating line, only at the end you have a clear intermediate 15' section (they also do a 5' tip). The beauty is you have a line that is easy to pick up off the water because of the floating main section, but you can also fish a fly deep by letting the intermediate tip sink - I use it for pike too and count it down to 1 minute if need be. The intermediate tip sink rate is about 1.5 inches per second. So with a weighted fly you can fish fairly close to the bottom in 3 fathoms of water happily, provided there isn't a fast current - deep enough for most SWFFing.

BY starting your retrieve immediately after the cast you can fish a fy in the top 6" of water. They don't work for surface flies though, because you get a sunk belly which drags floating flies under. For 90% of UK SWFing the Ghost Tip works. You might also want a good floater for fishing those surface flies. I only have the one line because I am a total cheap skate!

[fishfinder]

Hey Fishfinder,

 

What rod weight have you settled on?

 

I'm having a bit of a clean out - so I may have a line for you.

 

Regards

Mike

 

 

Hi Mike - I bought myself a Greys GRX 9ft #8/9 3 piece rod.

 

Hi Mike - I bought myself a Greys GRX 9ft #8/9 3 piece rod.

 

 

Mike - sorry - I didn't see the second bit of your message - I don't want to appear rude1 That's very kind of you - as you can imagine, buying a new setup is expensive, especially as I've also got an Okuma Helios 7/8 & Spare spool on the way!!

[MJB]

The Ghost Tipuses the same floating line, only at the end you have a clear intermediate 15' section (they also do a 5' tip). The beauty is you have a line that is easy to pick up off the water because of the floating main section, but you can also fish a fly deep by letting the intermediate tip sink - I use it for pike too and count it down to 1 minute if need be. The intermediate tip sink rate is about 1.5 inches per second. So with a weighted fly you can fish fairly close to the bottom in 3 fathoms of water happily, provided there isn't a fast current - deep enough for most SWFFing.

BY starting your retrieve immediately after the cast you can fish a fy in the top 6" of water. They don't work for surface flies though, because you get a sunk belly which drags floating flies under. For 90% of UK SWFing the Ghost Tip works. You might also want a good floater for fishing those surface flies. I only have the one line because I am a total cheap skate!

 

 

The big benefit, for me at least, when using the ghost tip is the ability to mend line during the drift or swing (which you can't do with a full intermediate) which can give more action or change speed of the fly. They DO work for surface patterns, in fact I prefer the ghost tip to a full floater for this purpose as it gives a great action to the fly. If you want a fly to go deep and stay deep, then get a full sinker as the ghost tip will always lift the fly in the water once you start retrieving.

 

Martin

 

P.S. Cortland say the SL stands for Speciality Line.

[fishfinder]

Hey Fishfinder,

 

What Martin Says is absolutely right.

Also

I dont know where this slime Line stuff comes from

 

I have a 333 pro SL (you now know what means) full sinking line (Brand new in the box) that you can have free of charge.......

 

Get a 444 SL (Ghost tip) and you have everything you need for swffing off the beach or off a yak in the UK.

 

If you want the line - just send me a PM.

Best Regards

Mike

 

 

Mike - I've sent you a PM.

 

Thanks

 

John

 

PS - can you recommend a dealer for the Ghost Tip?

[Simon Everett]

Fishfinder - or try Harris sportsmail. I can't do web addresses, they don't work when I do them because I am a numpty with computer thingies.

 

I can't remember where I got the Slime Line thing from - something I read somewhere, probabluy in a magazine review - so got to be right.

[MJB]

Simon,

 

Slime Line has become a generic term for any clear intermediate line, although a I believe it was the product name of a specific clear intermediate (Possibly Airflo?).