Sharkskin
- This topic has 21 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated Feb 24, 2009 at 11:28 pm by
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Anybody fishing the newer Sharskin tapers here? I’m looking to see what the general concensus is on these lines.
Thanks Roy,
Have you or anyone else you know used the Sharkskins for streamer fishing or other situations that require constant line pinching while pulling the line through?
I am planning on using this for river smallies, which require motion 95% of the time.
I tried them for about an hour smallie fishing and said forget this. The line will there your fingers to shreads, and I can’t stand the noise. I had two guys in the boat using it for 10 hours and the noise drove me amost insane. If you want a line for bass bugs and river fishing, why not check out a multi-tip system. Rio’s VersiTip uses the Clouser head for the floater, plus you got the sink tips for fishing streamers. Not to mention its only $35 more then a Sharkskin, and equals having several lines basically.
-Mike
Thanks Roy,
Have you or anyone else you know used the Sharkskins for streamer fishing or other situations that require constant line pinching while pulling the line through?
I am planning on using this for river smallies, which require motion 95% of the time. As you can imagine, a line that cuts you after a long day of stripping flies and strip striking fish could be a problem…
I have used it streamer fishing but my favorite floating line for that purpose is the RIO Cold Water Clouser line.
I have commented on sharkskin extensively because it was such a painful experience. I have a ground down Winston BIIMX and a bloody memory of my encounter with the shark. http://texasflycaster.com/2008/08/09/a-fix-and-some-cutts/
ShannonIf you are primarily going to be stripping line in, I would stay away from sharkskin. It will shred your fingers up. You could wear a glove to prevent this if you wanted.
In my opinion, it’s a better dry fly line and the best nymph line out there.
I could not have said it better.
If you are primarily going to be stripping line in, I would stay away from sharkskin. It will shred your fingers up. You could wear a glove to prevent this if you wanted.
In my opinion, it’s a better dry fly line and the best nymph line out there.
Now, this is an interesting observation.
The Sharkskin line seems to be made from a different concept than other lines made so far. Sharkskin’s concept seems to be based on minimal surface contact with anything it encounters. Be it water, guides of a rod or human skin (hand).
Now, this does look fine if it’s casting the line further than any other line, float higher than any other line and pick up better than any other line. But the physical characteristic of this line seems to have conflicting goal when it comes down to actually fishing with a fly line. In fly fishing we keep the line in our hand because this way we can manipulate the line and feel the strike of the fish. So if the Sharkskin cuts ones skin as a result of handling (this includes stripping) the line while fishing, there must be a fault somewhere along the thought what Sharkskin is supposed to be…
Am I making sense here?
Jay
With handling I also meant stripping line.
Obviously, when fishing streamers you strip a lot faster (and more frequent) than say fishing dries or nymphs. But nonetheless if you fish the whole day with dries and/or nymphs (I fish 99% of the time with nymphs) there’s still a lot of stripping involved. Not as quick & jerky as fishing streamer.
In fact, there are times you need to react to a quick take and you’ll strip a short distance of line pretty close to striking a streamer take.
With handling I also meant stripping line.
Obviously, when fishing streamers you strip a lot faster (and more frequent) than say fishing dries or nymphs. But nonetheless if you fish the whole day with dries and/or nymphs (I fish 99% of the time with nymphs) there’s still a lot of stripping involved. Not as quick & jerky as fishing streamer.
In fact, there are times you need to react to a quick take and you’ll strip a short distance of line pretty close to striking a streamer take.
If you are streamer fishing all day, with any fly line, you will have finger cuts.
For those looking for a sharkskin line, over on the FAOL board a guy is selling both a 4 wt and 5 wt line (new) for $50. each. Get them while they last.
Mike,
I always seem to get line cuts from tightening up leaders before I get them from fly lines. I now use a product called Vet-Wrap on my stripping finger to prevent cuts. It’s a bandage for pets which sticks to itself but doesn;t have adhesive.I’ve been using Sharkskin lines since they were released and the magnum is my favorite taper by far… I have the #7 and #10 which I use to huck big bulky surface flies and have no complaints.
Best Regards,
Beechy
Mike – I am a Sharkskin fan for three reasons…
1. Mend-a-bility
2. It’s very “hydro-phobic”
3. It shoots like a cannon
If you are going to be striping all day, a small peice of medical tape or a band-aid fixes what can be a ligitamate problem.Stop by International Angler and you can cast one of our demo’s.
Kb
I have been fishing one since 4 weeks after it was released…
THE best line I have ever fished. Got it on my 5wXP…
You get over the finger burns, took me 3 trips to figure everything out.
You get over the noise, I actually think it helps my casting, you know when the line is working, cause it sings to you. I find myself missing something when I fish a non-SS…
Here’s what I like…
Hydrophobic – I can pick up 15m of line, and move it without thinking about it.
Shoot ability – I can shoot almost a full line with only 5m out behind me.
Wear ability – I am generally hard on lines, one season and turn a DT around or replace it, this is close to 2 seasons old, and it looks like it came out of the box.
Versatility – I can present an emerger perfectly at 20m, or chuck a nymph, or roll it miles, or switch cast it to the horizon, yet, I can high stick it with 2m out, or flutter a RAB at 5m…My 2cents… and I have only fished it in fresh water…
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