Sharkskin Line Review

[fisher26]

So I ended up getting a new sharkskin line in green for my five weight. I would like to give a review so others like me can make the decision whether to get a sharkskin or a normal line.

 

Well a hundred dollars is a lot of money, but a new GPX costs about $70 so keep in mind its only thirty dollars more. Coming from a guy who doesn't spend much on gear (is that possible in fly fishing?) Sharkskin certainly seems worth it. The line casts line a dream and handles beautifully. My old line sits halfway in the water but sharkskin practically hovers above the water. Mending is made quite east, so is roll casting. Overall I thought it takes far less effort to cast the line compared to my old one.

 

A big problem for a lot of people is the noise. Well the best connection I can draw between likeable sounds is the drag on your reel clicking when you've hooked a large trout – now that’s certainly a nice noise; the sound of an effortless cast bombing over your head in a tight loop is a good sound too. An interesting point about the sound is it gives the fisherman anther dimension to analyze their cast. Much like when learning to cast many people look at their back cast to see how they are doing. Well the sound of the fly line can give you an approximate range of what your line is doing without looking.

 

One problem I encountered is the fact sharkskin takes more room up on one's reel, my old line fit perfectly on my reel, but the sharkskin almost doesn't fit (the last few feet of line rubs against the reel rim, is this a problem?). If you are buying a new reel leave some space. I'm sure this could be solved by simply reducing the amount of backing...

 

My fly rod cost a little over $200.00 so the line is about half the price of my rod. From reading and personal experience line can be a very crucial part of your fishing. Load a Z- axis with a $15 line from Canadian tire and it'll cast like crap. My point is when your line wears out spend the extra thirty bucks and enjoy it/

 

For the rest, only time will tell…

[Taco]

Don't step on it with your studded boots said the Cortland 444peach man :D

[Guest bigbadbrent]

One problem I encountered is the fact sharkskin takes more room up on one's reel, my old line fit perfectly on my reel, but the sharkskin almost doesn't fit (the last few feet of line rubs against the reel rim, is this a problem?). If you are buying a new reel leave some space. I'm sure this could be solved by simply reducing the amount of backing...

 

The reason it takes up more room, is cause it has a 51 foot head on a 5 weight, compared to 38 feet of head on a GPX

 

Either cut down some backing, or remove a bit off the back of the fly line

 

Glad to hear you liked it man, it really is an unreal line

 

and that green is SERIOUSLY green isn't it?

 

(btw, easiest way to clean it and get it spanking new everytime is to strip off the line that you were fishing into a lukewarm pail of water that has a drop of dishwashing soap. Soak it in there for 5 minutes. Dry it off, put some SA fly line dressing, and this line will last you a long, long time)

[fisher26]

I was wondering about cleaning... Does the SA website recommend dish soap etc? I'm sort of reluctant to put anything on it because apparently it has little bubbles of air (or whatever they are) and I don't want to mess with how it works.

 

Your right the "green" is really, really green!

[fisher26]

The reason it takes up more room, is cause it has a 51 foot head on a 5 weight, compared to 38 feet of head on a GPX

 

Either cut down some backing, or remove a bit off the back of the fly line

 

I have never really spooled my own backing or anything and I don't know the knots. Should I go back to the store and get them to do it for me? It just rubs a tiny bit so I'll probably leave it... I don't want to wear down the line though.

[Guest bigbadbrent]

get it done, or just do it yourself

 

Google Albright Knot, or use a regular nail knot

 

 

as for cleaning, they recommend the soap and water, then the fly line dressing

[CrisD]

Also the sharkskin is 100 ft long were most lines in the 5-6 weight are 90 ft, simple solution is to cut 10 fett off the back of your line.

[Highlander]

I was out chasing coastal cutts yeareday with a fried who had just picked up a shark skin line for his 5-wt. The line is certainly noisy as it passes through the guides, but is does seem to cast well. I was getting an extra five feet or so compared to my GPX line, but the rods were different too so that also may be a factor. Aside from the noise, there was only one other negative with the line, my buddy wore a significant groove in his finger from stripping flies all day. He didn't notice until his bright yellowy green line started to turn red. It might not be a factor if you're dry fly fishing, but if it's that much more abrasive on your fingers, what is it doing to the guides? I'll stick to my GPX lines until more info is available on the effects on the guides.

[Tako]

There is LESS (read: LESS) friction on the guides. The ridging of the line puts less surface area on the guides. IE: the purpose of the line. The reason it will probably mangle your hands is because your hands will form to the line, and are a lot softer than your guides.

 

You guys are making it difficult not to buy one of these

[maxwell]

will stick with my cheap ol SA aircel for my single handers... 20-30 bucks works great for me the past few years.... useto fish lots of the 60-80 doller lines... fish em on high end or low end rods and toss em as far as u want... right too the backing... best part for me is no worries if i blow through one or two a year too cuz she is CHEAP! the 444 aint too bad either when shes on sale

[headscan]

I have never really spooled my own backing or anything and I don't know the knots. Should I go back to the store and get them to do it for me? It just rubs a tiny bit so I'll probably leave it... I don't want to wear down the line though.

 

http://www.animatedknots.com/albright/index.php

 

Great site to learn all sorts of knots. I'm not very good at tying some of the complex knots, hell nail knots give me fits, but I was able to tie a good albright following the instructions on that site.

[WETDUCK]

the line cast great i dont mind the noise either^^ i did find it grabbed the water alittle more on the pick up and it did bleed me fishing a streamer. real hard on the hand i dont recomend stripping^^

[Guest bigbadbrent]

certainly don't need a sharkskin to streamer fish..thats my thoughts anyway, its tapered to be a nymping and dry fly line....i'll have my other spools set up for the streamer fishing, or just wear a finger cot

[fisher26]

Great website wetduck! I'm going to do that right now, get it done with.

 

Quick question when it says "make a loop in the thicker line" it means the fly line of course? After all it is thicker.

(When I do catch a bow river hog I don't want to lose it, and my $100 dollar line!)

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Fisher, make a loop in the fly line

 

or just save ur self the troubles and get a flyshop to do it lol

[rusty]

If you get a shop to do it make sure they use an Albright. Lots of places use nail knots and something just doesn't feel right about that.

 

On that note, I tried an Albright between 30# gelspun and my new running line and found it didn't hold. Any suggestions? How many wraps should I use?

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Rusty,

 

Don't use knots like that for gelspun, it doesn't hold as strong as doing the loop method

 

This is what all the saltwater guys do when using gel:

 

 

What you want to do is make a loop that is big enough to go over your reel. The Loop is done the traditional Surgeons Loop, but loop it through 10-11 times, you can swivel the knots down to make it super slick. Then make a loop on your running line by either doing the same thingm but not so many times through (if its mono). Otherwise, fold the running line back on itself, make it into a loop, and do at least 2 nail knots with 25lb mono, knot sense it if you want.. Then put the gel loop through the other, over top of the reel, and you're set.. If you're using just regular running line (like thin fly line), use knot sense on the top of the loop, just a thin layer, and then use the loop to loop.

 

 

 

 

Nail knots will work, if you do more complete turns and make sure the fly line is looped back on itself.

 

I knot sense everything now, as it flows better through guides if you do it right