TR: Sylk

@#$%! I just wrote this damn post, and deleted it before I sent it.

Equipment:
South Bend #24, 8 1/2', 2-piece, 6wt. with small guides. Precisionbilt
Mosquito reel, with backing and 444 Sylk WF6F line. #12 Olive Wooly Bugger.
Famous Grouse Scotch.

Location:
Neshaminy Creek at Dark Hollow: tree-lined stream, some under-cut banks,
some cold-water seeps, some blow-downs, some riffles, runs, 3 -4' deep
pools, submerged rocks, easy to wade, 8 1/2' rod is needed for some deep
flat water, a little tight around some narrow tree-lined spots. Stream has
smallmouth, sunfish, rock bass, carp, some largemouth, bullheads, pickerel.
Water was cool and slightly turbid from heavy rains the previous evening. I
started at noon and quit around 5. The day started calm and overcast with
low clouds, and became sunny and windy.

The Sylk line is smaller in diameter than the 333 WF6F I was using on the
same stream the previous day. The Sylk is very supple, and pretty oily
feeling. It is mustard yellow with black speckles, and might look sort of
like silk a little from a distance in the right light, maybe.

The Sylk doesn't load the rod like the 333 does, and I'm not convinced it
isn't a 5 1/3 weight line, not a 6 weight. I'm guessing that Cortland
reduced the number of microspheres to reduce the line diameter, and
compensated with the extra-oily finish, but trimmed down the weight a tad
too, to further reduce the diameter.

Because it doesn't load the rod as much, I couldn't cast the 444 Sylk as far
as the 333 - maybe a loss of 10 or 15 feet. But, because of the super slick
finish, the line slides right through the fingers and guides and really does
shoot out pretty nicely. I found that on closer casts I was overshooting
the mark - the line went farther than I thought it would. But for distance,
it didn't have the oomph.

Now the good news: the line lays down in the water super sweet. Just as
gentle as feather - this wasn't due to skill on my part, my casting sucks -
the line just floats down onto the water as easy as can be.

Bottom line: more fish caught, bigger fish caught - a dozen smallmouth from
12 - 16", but only 4 little smallmouth. 7 jumbo sunfish, but only 4 or 5
little ones, and 3 nice rock bass, including one bruiser. It appeared the
bigger fish weren't getting line spooked, and were slamming the fly before
the little ones had a chance to get at it. I couldn't cast from quite as
far away, but far enough, and with such a dainty presentation, that the
smallmouth bass were leaping for joy at the prospect of soon meeting such a
fine fisherman. O.K., the turbidity of the water was masking my approach
somewhat - I admit that now - , and my little black Brittany is learning to
stay at my side in the water instead of swimming through the pool I'm trying
to fish, and the planets were in perfect alignment, and the Gods had so
arranged the Solunar tables to favor me, but I still think this line alights
so gingerly upon the water surface is a real boon to my otherwise laughable
technique, or lack thereof.

Even though the line feels oily, it doesn't leave an oil slick in the water,
or a mess on the hands or tackle. It picks up nice, and floated fine all
afternoon, with no additional dressing - better than the 333.

So, I'm a little disapointed it doesn't ~really~ look like silk line. But
if the Sylk diameter trade-off is a little distance for a much better
presentation, I'll take it. Even if it does look like dirty mustard.

Timothy Juvenal

"VibraJet" wrote in message
...
@#$%! I just wrote this damn post, and deleted it before I sent it.

Equipment:
South Bend #24, 8 1/2', 2-piece, 6wt. with small guides. Precisionbilt
Mosquito reel, with backing and 444 Sylk WF6F line. #12 Olive Wooly
Bugger.
Famous Grouse Scotch.

Location:
Neshaminy Creek at Dark Hollow: tree-lined stream, some under-cut banks,
some cold-water seeps, some blow-downs, some riffles, runs, 3 -4' deep
pools, submerged rocks, easy to wade, 8 1/2' rod is needed for some deep
flat water, a little tight around some narrow tree-lined spots. Stream
has
smallmouth, sunfish, rock bass, carp, some largemouth, bullheads,
pickerel.
Water was cool and slightly turbid from heavy rains the previous evening.
I
started at noon and quit around 5. The day started calm and overcast with
low clouds, and became sunny and windy.

The Sylk line is smaller in diameter than the 333 WF6F I was using on the
same stream the previous day. The Sylk is very supple, and pretty oily
feeling. It is mustard yellow with black speckles, and might look sort of
like silk a little from a distance in the right light, maybe.

The Sylk doesn't load the rod like the 333 does, and I'm not convinced it
isn't a 5 1/3 weight line, not a 6 weight. I'm guessing that Cortland
reduced the number of microspheres to reduce the line diameter, and
compensated with the extra-oily finish, but trimmed down the weight a tad
too, to further reduce the diameter.

Because it doesn't load the rod as much, I couldn't cast the 444 Sylk as
far
as the 333 - maybe a loss of 10 or 15 feet. But, because of the super
slick
finish, the line slides right through the fingers and guides and really
does
shoot out pretty nicely. I found that on closer casts I was overshooting
the mark - the line went farther than I thought it would. But for
distance,
it didn't have the oomph.

Now the good news: the line lays down in the water super sweet. Just as
gentle as feather - this wasn't due to skill on my part, my casting
sucks -
the line just floats down onto the water as easy as can be.

Bottom line: more fish caught, bigger fish caught - a dozen smallmouth
from
12 - 16", but only 4 little smallmouth. 7 jumbo sunfish, but only 4 or 5
little ones, and 3 nice rock bass, including one bruiser. It appeared the
bigger fish weren't getting line spooked, and were slamming the fly before
the little ones had a chance to get at it. I couldn't cast from quite as
far away, but far enough, and with such a dainty presentation, that the
smallmouth bass were leaping for joy at the prospect of soon meeting such
a
fine fisherman. O.K., the turbidity of the water was masking my approach
somewhat - I admit that now - , and my little black Brittany is learning
to
stay at my side in the water instead of swimming through the pool I'm
trying
to fish, and the planets were in perfect alignment, and the Gods had so
arranged the Solunar tables to favor me, but I still think this line
alights
so gingerly upon the water surface is a real boon to my otherwise
laughable
technique, or lack thereof.

Even though the line feels oily, it doesn't leave an oil slick in the
water,
or a mess on the hands or tackle. It picks up nice, and floated fine all
afternoon, with no additional dressing - better than the 333.

So, I'm a little disapointed it doesn't ~really~ look like silk line. But
if the Sylk diameter trade-off is a little distance for a much better
presentation, I'll take it. Even if it does look like dirty mustard.

Timothy Juvenal



yeah, but, didjya catch any fish?
damn good show! :-}

snakefiddler- (i'm so jealous)

"snakefiddler" wrote...


(i'm so jealous)

Don't be - you're on the right track. It takes a short while to get
comfortable with all the mechanics; things like casting technique, having
the right fly at the right time and place, having go-to flies that you have
confidence in, tying on a finer tippet on the spot, finding the best rod(s)
for your casting style and fishing conditions, etc., etc.

Once you don't have to think about the tackle and technique, you can just
wade along, going with the flow, not really being concerned about catching a
fish, but rather, just making the proper presentation at the proper place -
that's what it's really all about in the end. Flyfishing is like stalking
the fish in it's own element, pretending to be a tiny insect, searching out
all the places a fish might hide or feed, never revealing oneself, never
coming out of character as an insect, until the fish makes its play for the
bait. The tackle stuff becomes second nature, force of habit, while you
concentrate on being a mayfly riding the current, or a catapillar that's
fallen from an overhanging branch into a shaded pool, or a fingerling that's
gotten confused at the seam between fast and slow currents.

IMO, a lot of tackle stuff is just a matter of finding out what works best
for you and the conditions you fish. Fanny pack or vest? All-around weight
like 5 or 6, or a 3 weight for small streams and an 8 weight for the river?
Waders or wade wet? Scotch or Bourbon? Practice & experience will quickly
get you to the point where you'll have a day when it all comes together
almost magically, and from then on you'll have it.

Timothy Juvenal