What's my (your) line?

by Les Albjerg
(Caldwell, ID)

If you spend much time perusing this website, you will notice a lot of talk about what line you use with what rod or fly. This is totally appropriate as it really is one of the 3 essentials for the fishing we do! I've noticed that Chris talks about it, but we don't talk about it much as bloggers.

So what's my line? This question hit me after two days in a row sneaking in some fishing on my way to work. I bought the Shimano Pack 31-34ZW to fill in a hole in my line-up for upstream worm fishing. Yesterday I stopped on the way to work to give it a whirl, and had left my Zimmerbuilt Pack at home. Lucky for me, I had a box of fishing goodies in the car, and ended up fishing a longer line than intended, and simply had a blast for 20 minutes. At first, I was attributing all the fun to the rod. However, upon further reflection it was the amazing job that the line was doing to allow great turnover and presentation of a fly-rod spoon!

That line is the Fuji Style Tenkara Nissin PALS SP Pro twisted fluorocarbon line. I bought this 4 meter line to fish with my 4.5 meter rod bought for upstream worm fishing. I have the same line in an even longer version that I use with my 5.2 to 5.6 meter rod as well as my 6.3 meter rod. This is an amazing line. Actually it is a series of lines, and since Chris has given it such a lengthy write-up I will not repeat what he has said.

There are several reasons I really like this tapered line. I often have to fish in the wind. Today there was some wind. This line can really handle wind! It is a flexible line in that I have fished everything from weighted nymphs to size 28 dry flies with it. The line doesn't have much memory, so it is easy to get it straight and keep it straight. As much as I was thrilled with my new rod, it was the line that really made it sing!

You may gulp at the price, but have you priced a quality fly-line recently? If you have a premium rod, it deserves a premium line! And yes, I do fish level lines as well. However, when you are having to deal with wind, a tapered line can save the day. Today I had to go to a size 4 level line with the wind. Fishing the Fuji Style Tenkara Nissin PALS SP Pro twisted fluorocarbon line 4 meter line with a slightly longer than 3 meter rod today was no problem!

I would encourage you to give the Nissin PALS line a serious look. Chris really does lay out the information about them. If you are feeling your rod is more "show" than "go" maybe fueling it up with a Fuji Style Tenkara Nissin PALS SP Pro twisted fluorocarbon line will give you the performance you have been looking for. My new Shimano rod fishes really well with a level line. It goes from really good to awesome with the tapered line!

“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.