wrote:
I'm just full of questions lately.

I was out fishing today with a 3-weight Sylk line (as opposed to my
usual 5-weight SA GPX WF)... and suddenly, I could mend just like I've
read about. Picked up the line, mended, maybe even twice -- all
without my dry fly moving a millimeter. Amazing!

Normally when I mend with the SA 5 GPX, I get a nice little pull on my
fly for a second. (Nice, meaning, bad.) Maybe it's my poor technique.
Probably. But the fact that it worked so easy with the light Sylk
like has me wondering. Anyone have any particular lines they like for
mending - talking 5-weight, trout-fishing here? (I know that DT mends
better than WF, at least that's what I've read. Just wondering, I
don't know, how much difference it makes, or if some lines are
significantly better than others outside of WF vs. DT, etc.)

For the record - I think I'm generally pretty good about keeping my
line clean. So I don't think that should be an issue...

Thanks as always for your insights, Tim


Until you get the head of a WF line outside the tiptop, it's behavior,
mending and otherwise is the same as the same length of DT. Once the
head is out and you're into the thinner running line, it is noticeably
harder to mend or roll cast than the same length of DT. Front end tapers
can have quite an effect on line behavior. Long gradual tapers turn over
and land more gently than short abrupt ones, but the latter are better
for turning over heavy wind resistant flies. The line manufacturers have
quite a zoo of different front tapers out there, claimed to be
advantageous for various things--caveat emptor!

Mike