bigalcal Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 So after a summer with the new Sharkskin line I was very happy with it. It is an awesome dry fly line. Floats well, picks up well and roll casts well. Now that I'm done for the year I was wondering about the maintenance/cleaning I should do. Does one use Armour All? Soap? Line dressing? Because it has a rough texture would these products ruin the line? Advice please. Quote
bcubed Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 The sharkskin really impressed me all summer, used it from april and on. Was an absolute delight on my Z-Axis, from tossing size 20 dries to pushing big hoppers with a dropper behind them...Was also very nice on 8" 4 weight SLT, absolutely perfect for a slower rod too (which i wasn't suspecting). I still think people complaining about the noise and "cutting" are just looking for something to complain about. I've found all you have to do is warm up some water with a few drops of soap in it. Strip your line into the water, let it sit for a while...go back and clean it with a pad. They recommend not using any cleaners other then that. I line dress mine, but i've heard they recommend not to..i just like having things being dressed so they shoot better Quote
theiceman2 Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 The killer of any petroleum based product (IE rubber or plastic, tires or Fly line) is Ozone (O3). Ozone (O3) is present in the air thru a reaction of Hydrocarbons + nitrogen and heat being a catilyst (speeds up the reaction). Ozone cracks the C=C double bonds, your hydrocarbon based fly line will slowly decompose with time if not protected against atmospheric ozone. Like the tires on your dad's 1984 pontiac 6000 small cracks will start to appear as the integrity and strength of the polymer breaks down. To prevent this break down of your polymer fly line you need to treat it with a wax based fly line dressing and store it in a cool dark place. If you want to be really anal you can put it in a zip lock bag and suck all of the air out to further prevent the reaction. DO NOT USE WD-40! I love WD-40 and duck tape but not on one of the most expensive fly lines out there. Matt Quote
birchy Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 I have it on my 6wt.. but I barely used my 6wt this year. I had very few trips to the Bow actually. Used my 3wt almost exclusively this summer and I have the regular Mastery series on it. That being said.. the times I did use it, I could definitely notice a difference. Although I had the same problem with it that I had with my other SA lines so far.. the front 4-6 feet sinking under the water when I'm nymphing.. Quote
headscan Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 To prevent this break down of your polymer fly line you need to treat it with a wax based fly line dressing and store it in a cool dark place. If you want to be really anal you can put it in a zip lock bag and suck all of the air out to further prevent the reaction. I would think that using a wax-based dressing on Sharkskin would be a bad idea. Wouldn't wax build up and eventually fill the textured part of the line? Without that you're losing the benefits of its unique design. Quote
bcubed Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 That being said.. the times I did use it, I could definitely notice a difference. Although I had the same problem with it that I had with my other SA lines so far.. the front 4-6 feet sinking under the water when I'm nymphing.. clean your line, the bow is notorious for making new lines sink Quote
Harps Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 I had a big reply with lots of stuff... then hit the back button on my mouse... To sum it up: I like the line> great shooting, good floating. Noise was't a problem, but one of the best anglers I know said it has put down fish for him. Friction wasn't a problem for me, but I can see it being an issue for city boys with soft hands that go steelheading. Clean the line with the pad as advised by SA. You can preserve the life of your lines by storing them in the freezer, but really you lines die from sun exposure, sharp rocks and big fish, not old age. Birchy, The tip has a smaller diameter so it will go below the surface. Fly lines float by displacing water with their volume first. Fatter lines will float better. Dressing a line will help a line float by "repelling water", cleaning a line will prevent it from cutting through the surface tension. The Sharkskin should "hold more air" around it, and increase the surface area, but the tip will still go down if there is tension. Its the taper of the line that makes a difference in the presentation of the fly. Bcube, I don't know what taper you were using before, but changing that may have made a similar difference. For me, I liked the extra slickness, and the ability to shoot... BUT My line is toast after one season. The coating peeled off parts of the line and got damaged really easily. My SA Nymph line lasted for 4 seasons of harder use, (the same streams and more) and it only has a few cuts in in. It was NOT worth the price to get that extra distance, when I could have practiced casting instead. I think thats about all I said before in less space. Quote
birchy Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 *edit* i'm hijacking this thread.. i'll add to the original. Quote
cheeler Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 Had it on my moderate-fast action 5 wt...didn't use it too much but I liked it for shooting and roll casting. Harps, did you check if there was a warranty on the line? If not, complain to SA anyways, they might just give you a new one. Quote
Harps Posted October 22, 2008 Posted October 22, 2008 Cheeler, I'm going to send it back, its useless to me as it is (I repaired probably about8-10 inches of it overall with UV knotsense). It doesn't shoot as well, which is why I got the line in the first place. Quote
headscan Posted October 24, 2008 Posted October 24, 2008 Just noticed that SA has put up some new SharkSkin tapers, including a GPX version: http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_U...ducts/WhatsNew/ Quote
birchy Posted December 25, 2008 Posted December 25, 2008 Birchy, The tip has a smaller diameter so it will go below the surface. Fly lines float by displacing water with their volume first. Fatter lines will float better. Dressing a line will help a line float by "repelling water", cleaning a line will prevent it from cutting through the surface tension. The Sharkskin should "hold more air" around it, and increase the surface area, but the tip will still go down if there is tension. I suppose I just need to suck it up and get this for nymphing.. http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_U...eryFresh/Nymph/ Quote
grannyknot Posted December 27, 2008 Posted December 27, 2008 Just noticed that SA has put up some new SharkSkin tapers, including a GPX version: http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_U...ducts/WhatsNew/ That's perfect! I love it on my 5wt, but I miss the GPX on my 3wt VT2. I find the sharkskin doesn't turn over as well on short casts. I fished the hell out of both weights this summer, and i thought they held out quite well. Worth every penny imho. Quote
maxwell Posted December 27, 2008 Posted December 27, 2008 get a pike line for nymphing. its design tooturn over big nasty weight and aqkward rigs... got the rio pike and it outperforms any other line IMHO for nymphing/streamer fishing i think both brand nymph taper is ok.. specially if u cut off teh front few feet of that wimpy taper wich dotn turn over much.... Quote
fisher26 Posted January 13, 2009 Posted January 13, 2009 I liked my sharkskin line this season, however I believe that since I treated it with line conditioner it may have been damaged. There are cracks in the line when I fold it btw. my fingers and it seems to have had some considerable wear... I loved the line but for $100.00 I don't think I should get another one! Quote
jack Posted January 14, 2009 Posted January 14, 2009 I liked my sharkskin line this season, however I believe that since I treated it with line conditioner it may have been damaged. There are cracks in the line when I fold it btw. my fingers and it seems to have had some considerable wear... I loved the line but for $100.00 I don't think I should get another one! Run, do not walk, back to your dealer for an exchange. Stuff happens, S.A is good for it. j Quote
fisher26 Posted January 19, 2009 Posted January 19, 2009 really? I think I may... Aside from the receipt do I need you think I need a warranty on it? I didn't really think about that stuff at the time. Quote
birchy Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 get a pike line for nymphing. its design tooturn over big nasty weight and aqkward rigs... got the rio pike and it outperforms any other line IMHO for nymphing/streamer fishing i think both brand nymph taper is ok.. specially if u cut off teh front few feet of that wimpy taper wich dotn turn over much.... Just re-reading this thread.. really getting fed up with my front 3-4 feet sinking under when trying to nymph. Both my lines do it.. one Mastery Series trout taper, and the other Sharkskin trout taper.. i'm sure it must be the taper. CDock has the GPX taper and his is fine. Today I looked and the smallest pike line is an 8 weight.. are you guys just over-lining? Quote
AndyW Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 I have it on my 7wt. It is a dirt magnet, noisy, and if you are stripping any ammount you'd better have a stripping guard on your finger or it will slowly saw said digit off. I would never buy it again. Even with my shitty review it seems to have little memory and not much stretch, this I like. If you like cool noises you will probably like Sharkskin as shooting line zings through the guides with a fair volume. sounds like a baitcast rod loaded with braid. Quote
beedhead Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 If its a dirt magnet, and slowly saws off your fingers while stripping...Im sure its not to good for the guides on thee old rod... Quote
Wazzy Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 I love this line. I have used it for a year and a half, cleaned it with the SA cleaning pad and flyline dressing and have had zero problems. It casts and floats like a dream. I do agree, it is slightly abrasive on your finger, especially when attempting a hookset, however that is a minor detail in my opinion as it comes nowhere close to "sawing off a digit." I have yet to find a better shooting/high floating line. Quote
AndyW Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 I have yet to find a better shooting/high floating line. Try an airflo 40+ line for better shooting. Quote
bhurt Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Try an airflo 40+ line for better shooting. I agree with this, as I have tried both and find that the Airflo 40+ shoots alot better and I can do all of my single hand spey casts with it, and the biggest thing is it is $60 cheeper so I can almost buy three 40+ shoot lines for the price of 1. However I do not know how the longivity of the two compare, I know with my hardcore addiction to fly fishin when I was using the 40+ I would go through 1 every 3 month or so. I also did not like the noise that the sharkskin was making (but that is a personal thing as I refuse to buy a reel that is loud, prefeer the silky smooth and extremly quite reels myself) Quote
jack Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 I got the "new" Sharkskin "Magnum" 5wt this spring, just spent a month and a half using it exclusively for chironomid/long leader/indicator techniques. Yesterday, I used my 2007 original Sharkskin Trout Taper in order to compare. I found that the "zing noise level" is less with the new line, the '07 does sink at the tip, more than the Magnum, and the Magnum is by far, a superior chironomid line. The Magnum taper is, I think, designed to compete with Rio Gold and other enhanced weight forward lines. I still find that the very best value for a chironomid line is SA Headstart. Cheap like borscht and very effective. j Quote
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