Making Titanium lines more visible

by Mike Wong
(Boulder, CO)

The wind really blows a lot here in the West, and I am preparing my rig for such occasions. I am going to try out the 15' Titanium line, but with a slight modification. Since most reviews here say that it is difficult to see where you are casting with a titanium line, I planned on adding some sight indicator that will not add much weight or wind resistance. I bought a chartreuse and an orange lillian in a size small from TenkaraBum. I cut off 3 pieces of 3" sections in each color and insert the titanium line into them 2 feet apart, alternating between the 2 colors. The alternating colors are intended for better visibility in different light conditions. I did not put any lillians on the top half of the titanium line. I started near the middle of the titanium line since we tend to focus on the business end of the line when we cast --- that is the end where the fly is. I put 2 lillians closer together near the end where it joins the tippet. To fasten the lillians to the line, I simply move the lillian/line carefully over a stovetop. The titanium line is not affected by that small amount of heat, but the lillian shrinks and melts to the line.

I have not cast this in open water yet, since it has been very cold and snowy here in Colorado the past month. But even when I look at it inside my house where I have a wood floor, it is quite visible.

BTW, the ends of the titanium line are a little sharp, and I will use some Loon knot sense on it as Chris suggested. But to put this into perspective, it does not come close to being poked by the trailing fly.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.