Sharkskin

[headscan]

Picked up a spool of .035 Sharkskin running line last weekend and took it out for a whirl today on the Goran 6120. Have to say this is the best cold water running line I've tried yet. No coiling, no ice on the line, nice big loop at the front and shoots quite nicely. Didn't tear my fingers up at all when I was stripping it in, which was my biggest concern. It does make that zipping sound when it's going through the guides, though, so if you think that might bother you - it will. Doesn't shoot quite as far as Slickshooter, but so much easier to handle in the cold. Because it's so much thicker than flat beam mono I ended up having to strip about an extra 100 yds of backing off my reel to fit it on. Anyone want to buy an Airflo Ridge running line?

[bhurt]

If it is noisy then there is no way in hell I will buy it, more of a personal thing then functionality.

 

Personally I am going to try some of the new Frog Hair Shooting Line that Fish Tales now has in stock.

[headscan]

Yup, that's why I mentioned the noise. Some people will hate it just like with the Sharkskin single hand lines. Honestly, I didn't even notice it any more after the first half hour or so. The problem I find with mono running lines like Frog Hair and Slickshooter is that in the winter when your hands are cold and numb it can be tough to get a grip on them. I'll probably give the Frog Hair a try in the summer, but Sharkskin is my cold weather running line now.

[bhurt]

I haven't had any problem with my ridgeline, a little bit of coiling when it get below -10c but nothing to really effect the shooting, ice in the guide more problem then coiling. The hig Res stren I was using in the summer time was the cats ass, but just absoultly sucked ass in the cold.

 

I am kind of a freak on the whole noise thing so I don't think the Sharksin is for me.

[headscan]

Oh yeah, one other thing I found with the Sharkskin is that since it's designed to shed water it doesn't ice up as much as the Ridge line and there was less ice in my guides than usual. Since it's so light and rides high it mends just as easily as mono.

[Jayhad]

Do you find it easier to hang on to when your hands are a little colder. I find every once in a while the slick shooter flys out of my fingers.

[thefisherking]

I have sharkskin on my 5 wt and i have no trouble holding onto it. Its almost like sandpaper.

[headscan]

Do you find it easier to hang on to when your hands are a little colder. I find every once in a while the slick shooter flys out of my fingers.

Easier to find with numb fingers after your cast and easier to hold onto. Since it's thicker you can actually feel it and the texture does keep it from slipping out of your fingers a bit. Like I said, it isn't for everyone but I definitely like it a lot. For those worried about the abrasion, I work at a computer all day so don't exactly have heavily callused hands and the line didn't tear my fingers up even though I stripped some streamers for a while. Try before you buy. I only bought it without trying first because someone I know highly recommended it.

 

 

[alhuger]

Do you find it easier to hang on to when your hands are a little colder. I find every once in a while the slick shooter flys out of my fingers.

 

 

I had that same experience w/ SA's floating mono running line last week. It also coiled allot on me in chilly (and this well above 0) water. I noticed on the water once you get into nice fish it straightens out well but it does have some memory.

 

 

[bigalcal]

Due to the fact that my reel doesn't scream when a fish runs, the only sound I get is the Sharkskin going thru the guides. So I like/need the noise!

[headscan]

Haha, I never thought of that. Most of my reels don't click either so that's always a plus. I remember back when my Bow rod had a click pawl reel on it and I was fishing around other people I'd give the line a good hard pull just to see how many heads would snap around.

[Jayhad]

I had that same experience w/ SA's floating mono running line last week. It also coiled allot on me in chilly (and this well above 0) water. I noticed on the water once you get into nice fish it straightens out well but it does have some memory.

 

I don't have a problem with slick shooter coiling after i limp it, it just slips through my fingers to easily sometimes

[toolman]

Jay,

Dino had a great tip about using rubber tape on the upper grip to help prevent the running line from slipping out of your fingers when wet. It's in one of the Spey threads or drop him a pm about it.

[headscan]

I don't have a problem with slick shooter coiling after i limp it, it just slips through my fingers to easily sometimes

All mono running lines tend to have some memory to them and the cold just makes it worse from what I've experienced. Slickshooter isn't too bad as long as you give it a really good stretch before you start fishing but then I find I have to stretch it again in colder weather after a few hours. The "fly line" running lines like Ridge and Sharkskin just eliminate that hassle for me. If you aren't having any coiling at all with Slickshooter then you're luckier than me. Maybe you just aren't fishing in cold enough weather (sorry, couldn't resist that one).

[alhuger]

All mono running lines tend to have some memory to them and the cold just makes it worse from what I've experienced. Slickshooter isn't too bad as long as you give it a really good stretch before you start fishing but then I find I have to stretch it again in colder weather after a few hours. The "fly line" running lines like Ridge and Sharkskin just eliminate that hassle for me. If you aren't having any coiling at all with Slickshooter then you're luckier than me. Maybe you just aren't fishing in cold enough weather (sorry, couldn't resist that one).

 

 

Did the GSP coil on you in the cold?

[headscan]

The Monic didn't coil, but it did have a lot of ice build up on it especially at the loop. I've had the ice build up so thick on it that it wouldn't fit through the guides. Having loops at both ends on the Monic is a big plus, but the loops themselves are too small for my liking. I prefer the nice big loops that you can fit a spool or reel through for quick line changes.