North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine October 2015 | Page 29

Basically, what it comes down
to is personal preference.
I have been using the same running
line for close to 10 years now. I have
lost the coating on many different
sections. However, it is rated at 72lbs
of break strength and has zero stretch,
so I haven’t replaced it. The problem
with this line is when it tangles. If you
are not extremely careful in taking the
tangle out, the coating strips off the
gel-spun core. I personally look for a
small diameter to increase how far the
head shoots, but I also like low stretch
so that I can feel short takes and bumps
when swinging.

Try a few different lines out. The mono
running lines are inexpensive, easy to
find, and come in a lot of colors. The
coated lines can be easier to grip and
don’t coil as badly.
There are some newer ideas coming
on to the market as well that improves
on the negative parts of each type. For
example in mono running lines, Rio’s
Grip Shooter helps casters control their
mono running line by adding a grippy
handling section in the casters hands
where you most frequently handle
the line for casting. Another example
is Airflo’s Ridge coated running line,
which adds small ridges in the line to
keep less surface on the rod guides as
the line shoots, it seems to be a very
popular line among instructors. Give
them a try, and of course we have all
of these options in stock at all North 40
Fly Shop locations.

Calvin Fuller

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