Fly lines - ridiculously expensive?

[sdewis]

Hi all

Excuse my ignorance if I've got this all wrong, but I was looking through one of the supplier catalogues that came with Sea Angler mag this month and was astounded at how expensive fly lines are!

Do you guys really pay £25-£50 for a length of fly line?

Or was I looking at something completely different?

Cheers

Sean

[ickypimp]

yes easily and that isnt an expensive one.. you can pay 80 quid for them...

[bigads]

We do pay that, but the lines last for a long time if you care for them. I've had some of my trout lines for 2 seasons now, my Snowbee Spey caster line for salmon for 4 years. All of them in great condition.

I spend more on fills of mono or braid than i ever do on fly lines.

[SeaDonkey]

Ive always stuck will cortland 333 or 444 in various specs as ive found them good quality and value for money,anywhere between £25-£45 per line.But as stated they do last seasons if looked after and you only need to change to the leader or tippet,just as well as when you get different rods = different line ratings then uve got floating/sinking/intermediate etc :ahhh:

[Norrie]

Hiya, I've been buying Cortland 333 for around a fiver from the states on Fleabay....BUT as Adam says, like him,I spend fortunes on my braid for sea fishing..:)

[ron bell]

There is no need to spend excessive amounts of money on fly lines.
I get all my lines now from a guy that sells on ebay.
His seller name is PitsfordPirate and he is a good guy to buy from.
He sells Worcestershire lines for around £15 might even get them cheaper in the auctions, and they are superb.
I've also got really expensive lines and these perform no better than the Worcestershire ones.
I've been a fly fisherman for 44 years and these lines are as good as anything I've ever cast.
Hope this helps.

RonB

[sdewis]

Good to see that there's an affordable way of fly fishing! My faith is now restored.

Cheers

Sean

[yorkio]

There is no need to spend excessive amounts of money on fly lines.
I get all my lines now from a guy that sells on ebay.
His seller name is PitsfordPirate and he is a good guy to buy from.
He sells Worcestershire lines for around £15 might even get them cheaper in the auctions, and they are superb.
I've also got really expensive lines and these perform no better than the Worcestershire ones.
I've been a fly fisherman for 44 years and these lines are as good as anything I've ever cast.

Yup, another Pirate customer here and a very happy one. Great lines and a top bloke.

[SeaDonkey]

Some good tips there guys :thumbs:.Over the years ive heard a good few people speak highly of the worcestershire lines ,i take it they are still the shakespear ones.Im sure i read somewhere they are made for them by cortland but i could of got mixed up.:unsure:

[ickypimp]

another top tip is mullarkeys direct, mill end lines for £3.50 and there budget unboxed lines for a fiver

[Flyguy]

Another vote for PitsfordPirate. Or use the cheaper Cortland 444/333 lines especially if you are a beginner.

I would stay clear of Mill Ends as the are variable quality and not very slick. You will probably cast a lot further with a 444/333 than a mill end.

Once you are a competent caster you will be able to distinguish a good line from a bad one, and probably spend the extra money on a quality line.

[ickypimp]

Another vote for PitsfordPirate. Or use the cheaper Cortland 444/333 lines especially if you are a beginner.

I would stay clear of Mill Ends as the are variable quality and not very slick. You will probably cast a lot further with a 444/333 than a mill end.

Once you are a competent caster you will be able to distinguish a good line from a bad one, and probably spend the extra money on a quality line.

I am currently fishing with a couple of mill ends i can put the backing knot through the rod tip... how fat do you want to cast for gods sakes

Mill ends is a generic term for "seconds" they might have blobs on them, 10 second fix with shrink tube and a lighter.. the colour may be off or they may be a bit shorter...

buy what you can afford... if it means a 3 quid mill end means the difference between fishing and not then it is a no brainer to me

there is alot of snobbery in fluff chucking... at the end of the day the line doesnt catch the fish but the fly and fly presentation do, the best investment you can make as a fly fisherman is some good casting instruction a good caster with crap gear will outfish a crap caster with all the tarty tackle...

[Shropfisher]

We do pay that, but the lines last for a long time if you care for them. I've had some of my trout lines for 2 seasons now, my Snowbee Spey caster line for salmon for 4 years. All of them in great condition.

I spend more on fills of mono or braid than i ever do on fly lines.

Last a long Time !! 2 seasons.. Depends on how often you fish and how hard, if you do a lot of big water fishing putting out 25 plus yards all the time, the back end is screwed by the end of the season, cracked to hell. I love the 3m Scientific Anglers range, but a hard season is too long for them, I can just drag out a line to end of Oct. So starting using cheapo's, free line with a mag, casts well and still working after 4 years !!!

[crazyplums]

i use a guy on ebay called ruddthebudd, reputedly courtland lines, but he won't ' can't say. good enough for me at about £8 a pop.

[lobbit]

Good to see that there's an affordable way of fly fishing! My faith is now restored.

Cheers

Sean

in fairness a fly line will last years and if its a dt double that as it can be reverssed itf dammaged .

[Interfisher]

Ive tried loads of lines in various weights and I dont think you can go past Cortlands 444 famous peach for a floater. I've even went to the 555(what a load of crap that was) Best 40 quid ever to spend on a floater.

[basspopper666]

i use a guy on ebay called ruddthebudd, reputedly courtland lines, but he won't ' can't say. good enough for me at about £8 a pop.

SAME HERE ANOTHER CUSTOMER OF HIS AND THEM SINK TIPS ARE A CERTIAN BRAND YOU PAYS TOP DOLLAR FOR AND ALL AS THEY SAY WHY PAY FOR THE RUDDY BOX WHEN ALL YOU NEED IS THE LINE LOL :thumbs:

CHEAPER TO RECOMMEND HIM AND HIS CUSTUMER SERVICE LOL:thumbs:

[wooky114]

Have a look at UK Tacklebargains (http://www.tacklebargains.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Fly_Lines_3.html) - some decent looking lines at good prices :thumbs:

[Mr Steve Parker]

I am currently fishing with a couple of mill ends i can put the backing knot through the rod tip... how fat do you want to cast for gods sakes

Mill ends is a generic term for "seconds" they might have blobs on them, 10 second fix with shrink tube and a lighter.. the colour may be off or they may be a bit shorter...

buy what you can afford... if it means a 3 quid mill end means the difference between fishing and not then it is a no brainer to me

there is alot of snobbery in fluff chucking... at the end of the day the line doesnt catch the fish but the fly and fly presentation do, the best investment you can make as a fly fisherman is some good casting instruction a good caster with crap gear will outfish a crap caster with all the tarty tackle...Nice one.....................

[bigbass]

I am currently fishing with a couple of mill ends i can put the backing knot through the rod tip... how fat do you want to cast for gods sakes

Mill ends is a generic term for "seconds" they might have blobs on them, 10 second fix with shrink tube and a lighter.. the colour may be off or they may be a bit shorter...

buy what you can afford... if it means a 3 quid mill end means the difference between fishing and not then it is a no brainer to me

there is alot of snobbery in fluff chucking... at the end of the day the line doesnt catch the fish but the fly and fly presentation do, the best investment you can make as a fly fisherman is some good casting instruction a good caster with crap gear will outfish a crap caster with all the tarty tackle...

Mill ends.............................

What taper do you get
What length
What thickness

Its like buying a rod, that isnt described for the same criteria

If you want to make up some shooting heads, perhaps OK

BUT

If you want a line to do a certain thing, in particular conditions with a select fly, then you ought to buy the line most suitable

OK 40~50 quid later you have a premium line, with care and regular dressing, it usually does what you bought it for and lasts

I have quality lines, used in extreme conditions (fishing swells and rocks which would give a gyroscope vertigo) which are six seasons old good as new, the cost over that time per annum is small and worth it

Its not snobbery, its being effective

bb

IMHO, go for quality every time, even if it costs