Floating Lines – Vaal

[dleroux]

My floating line (Cortland) is 3 seasons old and I’m considering buying the Airflo Sixth Sense – this line has extreme low stretch (6%) and good floating properties. What is your take on the low stretch, will this benefit me on the Vaal?

Is there better floating lines on the market for yellow fishing (excluding Airflo Yellowfish line) please advice?

[Dieter]

I'm no expert but have been using airflo lines for a long time I have the sixth sense intermediate as well as the ridge line floater.. Using mostly the ridge line I dont know if the sixth sense is available in a floating line, Anyway the ridge line performs pretty well for me an the vaal and elsewhere..

Guys have had some memory problems but mine seems to be fine, though my reel is an sla (large arbour) so it causes less memory..

I have heard alot of guys being impressed with the Jim Teeny range of lines but I havent used it and cannot vouch, I know it's cheaper though..

please remember I'm not an expert and can only comment on my experiences there are alot of good lines on the market I just usually end up buying airflo..

As for low stretch I think sensitivity can be very advantigous.. As well as greater linespeed not that you are going to cast very far on the vaal, but it helps in windy conditions..

hope thios helps a bit..

[Troep]

Hi

Ive recently got the Rio Gold line.

Its real nice, good casting line, very "glad" two tone line. It floats very well and its highly visible. I cant comment on the Sixth Sense but the Gold line is worth while for me!!

Cheers

[Niel Myburgh]

I can also vouch for the Gold. Excellent line.

[C J]

The Airflow is nice, but......IMHO, I will not go that expencive. I learned the hard way....bought a Cortland 444 5WF some time ago, cost me R500 and the first time I used it a yellow took me around a submerged rock...stripped nearly 2m of line fecked up!!! This happens a lot so you have to keep that in consideration. The Vaal is hard on a fly line!

I now use a cheaper line, the Cortland 333 Profesional and it's awesome. Cost me R350 and left me with some extra cash to buy something else.

[kreef]

I use the Airflo Sixth Sense Intermediate for stillwaters and it is a fantastic line. Casts well and I think the low stretch has improved bite detection. I am not sure if the low stretch in the Vaal will have the same benefits as it does in stillwaters as you rather see the take on your strike detector or fly line tip as opposed to feeling it (maybe that's just me).

On the Vaal I use a RIO Nymph floating line and it floats well and the fly line tip is bright orange and can be used as a strike indicator when nymphing.

[jock0]

I'm with CJ on this one. Unless you're casting long lines and fishing delicate dries in pools there really is no need for a top end line. Memory also shouldnt be an issue as 90% of us use LA reels and the water temps never really drop significantly below 20 degrees. I use a cortland fairplay for my vaal fishing - way easier to dump a R150 line than a R500 line when it gets trashed.

I am not sure that I'd want a low stretch line for the vaal either, as you use an indicator or watch the tip of the line rather than feel takes unless you're mono nymphing. The stretch acts as a cushion which helps protect your tippet when those yellows head for the atlantic. Your average fly line is also no where near as stretchy as manufacturers would have us believe. 20% stretch on an average line means it'll stretch 6m when you have 30m of line out unless I've misunderstood this? If thats what they are saying I call BS

[Michael]

Only use Sci Anglers Shark Skin line on the Vaal!!!! .........





Naah, use a cheapie line...and I mean cheapie. You can get lines for R180.00...they work fine for nymphing the rapids in the summer.

When casting longer lines though, and dry-fly fishing, you need a much better line though.

Mike

[Nymph+O-]

If you use the search tool you will find a lot of controversial posts on floating lines - in my experience Courtland line remains the best value for money as far as floating lines are concerned. Scientific Anglers also make excellent lines but at a fraction more expensive. Airflo on the other hand in my experience is only good for intermediate and sinking lines as their floating lines has only disappointed me and many others on this forum.

[GrahamS]

Only use Sci Anglers Shark Skin line on the Vaal!!!! .........





Naah, use a cheapie line...and I mean cheapie. You can get lines for R180.00...they work fine for nymphing the rapids in the summer.

When casting longer lines though, and dry-fly fishing, you need a much better line though.

Mike

R180? Cheap? That's more than the Fairplay costs
I saw lines R80 this weekend!!