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.

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“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

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The fish are slippery when wet.

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