Comments on: Part 1 of 2: Is the fly line industry running out of superlatives? http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/ Fly fishing and fly tying for anything that bites Wed, 23 May 2012 19:31:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Sully http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3613 Sully Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:17:47 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3613 Every generation of floating fly lines since the introduction of the AirCel in 1954 has claimed two attributes; “casts farther” and “floats higher”. By now you’d think we could hit Pyongyang from here and spool up ropy hovercraft. Unfortunately the two fisherman-friendly features conspicuously missing throughout our march of progress are “more durable” and “considerably cheaper”. Every generation of floating fly lines since the introduction of the AirCel in 1954 has claimed two attributes; “casts farther” and “floats higher”. By now you’d think we could hit Pyongyang from here and spool up ropy hovercraft.
Unfortunately the two fisherman-friendly features conspicuously missing throughout our march of progress are “more durable” and “considerably cheaper”.

]]> By: jeff http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3607 jeff Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:09:30 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3607 So your local fishing spot is blown out I hope? Holy crap, I used to think about this stuff just a wee bit but then my ADD would cause me to think about something else, like the difference between Dai-ichi and Dairiki hooks. Counting all of my shooting heads, I've got around a dozen six weight lines. Now I realize that's woefully inadequate. I still want to know which line will still float after a year or two of use. And now to wrap up this short-intro, short-mid, short-conclusion rant! So your local fishing spot is blown out I hope? Holy crap, I used to think about this stuff just a wee bit but then my ADD would cause me to think about something else, like the difference between Dai-ichi and Dairiki hooks.

Counting all of my shooting heads, I’ve got around a dozen six weight lines. Now I realize that’s woefully inadequate.

I still want to know which line will still float after a year or two of use.

And now to wrap up this short-intro, short-mid, short-conclusion rant!

]]> By: KBarton10 http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3605 KBarton10 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:32:13 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3605 James: Glad to oblige, and those textured lines remove callous and meat with equal ease. Fitting technology to the needs of the angler is one thing, making the angler wear gloves in order to take advantage of an extra 5 feet is ... priceless. I've lost so much flesh to the Sharkskin, I hid the SOB. James: Glad to oblige, and those textured lines remove callous and meat with equal ease.

Fitting technology to the needs of the angler is one thing, making the angler wear gloves in order to take advantage of an extra 5 feet is … priceless.

I’ve lost so much flesh to the Sharkskin, I hid the SOB.

]]> By: KBarton10 http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3604 KBarton10 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:15:56 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3604 TC - the fly line you want is hemp, and a weight forward, all 13 coils of it. It's available in concert with a sturdy tree branch. TC – the fly line you want is hemp, and a weight forward, all 13 coils of it. It’s available in concert with a sturdy tree branch.

]]> By: Should the fly fishing industry can its marketing departments and double its prices? | Michael Gracie http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3603 Should the fly fishing industry can its marketing departments and double its prices? | Michael Gracie Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:07:46 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3603 [...] industry faces extraordinary challenges. If it’s not dealing with the fact that it has drastically overloaded its own product lines and twisted the outgoing message for optimum confusion, there’s always the Madoff family connections. Meanwhile, the crew is rushing to the web, [...] [...] industry faces extraordinary challenges. If it’s not dealing with the fact that it has drastically overloaded its own product lines and twisted the outgoing message for optimum confusion, there’s always the Madoff family connections. Meanwhile, the crew is rushing to the web, [...]

]]> By: Trout Underground http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3602 Trout Underground Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:50:31 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3602 I'm compelled to point out the Underground has already performed the <a href="http://troutunderground.com/2007/09/13/the-underground-tries-to-go-mainstream-our-first-pre-ffr-show-product-report/" target="_blank">valuable journalistic service</a> of reporting on a Carp Line - the Jim Teeny version that was launched a couple FFR shows ago. Brilliant in its conclusions and technical depth, the review even includes - at no extra charge to readers - the wholly unrelated photograph of a man kissing a carp (well, a koi). Technically, I suppose, it's not exactly a review, being as I wrote it before going to the show, and in fact, before ever looking at the line, but I'm pretty sure my concise, succinct look at the <i>marketing</i> copy provided a valuable service. And in any case, it sure as hell beats sitting and looking at a spreadsheet all day. You see, readers don't want technical stuff; it's simply a waste of time. After all, wine is bought because of the label; Paris Hilton is famous because... (uh, never mind); Fly lines are bought based on... <i>which has the best package.</i> And frankly, I don't see how you're going to cover RIO in one post - the company uses so many acronyms in its marketing that I gave up trying to understand them, opting for alphabet soup instead. Still, I do want to take advantage of all your research: Why fly line is best for someone fishing for rainbow (instead of brook or brown) trout, typically at altitude (usually facing west or north). Oh yeah, I'm right handed. Thanks. I’m compelled to point out the Underground has already performed the valuable journalistic service of reporting on a Carp Line – the Jim Teeny version that was launched a couple FFR shows ago.

Brilliant in its conclusions and technical depth, the review even includes – at no extra charge to readers – the wholly unrelated photograph of a man kissing a carp (well, a koi).

Technically, I suppose, it’s not exactly a review, being as I wrote it before going to the show, and in fact, before ever looking at the line, but I’m pretty sure my concise, succinct look at the marketing copy provided a valuable service.

And in any case, it sure as hell beats sitting and looking at a spreadsheet all day.

You see, readers don’t want technical stuff; it’s simply a waste of time.

After all, wine is bought because of the label; Paris Hilton is famous because… (uh, never mind); Fly lines are bought based on… which has the best package.

And frankly, I don’t see how you’re going to cover RIO in one post – the company uses so many acronyms in its marketing that I gave up trying to understand them, opting for alphabet soup instead.

Still, I do want to take advantage of all your research: Why fly line is best for someone fishing for rainbow (instead of brook or brown) trout, typically at altitude (usually facing west or north).

Oh yeah, I’m right handed.

Thanks.

]]> By: KBarton10 http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3601 KBarton10 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:31:46 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3601 Roughfisher - Part II is RIO and Cortland, and you'll find some vendor cleverness contained in both. Roughfisher – Part II is RIO and Cortland, and you’ll find some vendor cleverness contained in both.

]]> By: » Don’t Miss This: 30 March 2009 Best Fly Fishing Yellowstone.com: Flyfishing in Yellowstone, Montana, and Around http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3600 » Don’t Miss This: 30 March 2009 Best Fly Fishing Yellowstone.com: Flyfishing in Yellowstone, Montana, and Around Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:23:09 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3600 [...] at Singlebarbed waxes poetic on fly lines in Part 1 of 2: Is the fly line industry running out of superlatives?  How in the hell can he write so much so well? I just can’t seem to leave well enough alone. [...] [...] at Singlebarbed waxes poetic on fly lines in Part 1 of 2: Is the fly line industry running out of superlatives?  How in the hell can he write so much so well? I just can’t seem to leave well enough alone. [...]

]]> By: the roughfisher http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3599 the roughfisher Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:55:21 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3599 so are you going to expose Rio's carp line on part II? so are you going to expose Rio’s carp line on part II?

]]> By: James Marsh http://singlebarbed.com/2009/03/30/part-1-of-2-is-the-fly-line-industry-running-out-of-superlatives/comment-page-1/#comment-3598 James Marsh Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:34:37 +0000 http://singlebarbed.com/?p=2979#comment-3598 Very, very, very good and 100% correct. Last night before seeing this, I worked jotting down notes to advertise a new fly line we are introducing. Here is what I wrote. "Fly Line Color:We think the color or a fly line can make a big difference in one's success. Although one purpose of a leader is to hide the fly line from the fish, it doesn't always accomplish that. Where ever the line is on the water, it is capable of spooking or alerting nearby fish of its presence. It just makes common sense that from the fish's point of view, the better the line blends in with the background, the less conspicuous it is. Over the years we have asked many of the best fly-fishing anglers in the country if they thought the color of a fly line make a difference in alerting fish. Every single one of them replied that they thought it could. None of them preferred brightly colored fly lines and neither do we. Never-the-less, in recent years the trend, dictated purely by fly line manufacturers, went from subdued shades of colored fly lines to bright, even fluorescent colors of fly lines. The advertised theory behind that change stressed the importance of being able to see your fly line well even though anglers have really never had much of a problem seeing any color or shade of color fly line. Fly line manufacturers are always trying to come out with a new angle to convince anglers that they need a new fly line. We think the bright, fluorescent colored lines were an insult to the intelligence of many anglers. Fly Line Surface:For years fly line manufacturers tried to outdo one another by claiming their fly line was slicker than the others. Therefore it provided less friction shooting through the guides of a fly rod and cast farther. They also claimed that the slick finish of floating fly lines held less dirt and therefore floated higher. Both of these theories make sense. The problem was everyone was capable of making slick fly lines and all the manufacturers did just that. Recently the dazzle-dazzle trend is just the opposite concept. The rough finished fly lines or those similar to the skin of a shark would better accomplish those objectives. These fly lines cost much more not because they were necessarily more expensive to make but certainly because it required a whole new large giant xxxxss huge marketing and advertising program to promote it." You have really given me a lot more material to work on. Keep up the good work. Can't wait for part two. Very, very, very good and 100% correct. Last night before seeing this, I worked jotting down notes to advertise a new fly line we are introducing. Here is what I wrote.
“Fly Line Color:We think the color or a fly line can make a big difference in one’s success. Although one purpose of a leader is to hide the fly line from the fish, it doesn’t always accomplish that. Where ever the line is on the water, it is capable of spooking or alerting nearby fish of its presence. It just makes common sense that from the fish’s point of view, the better the line blends in with the background, the less conspicuous it is. Over the years we have asked many of the best fly-fishing anglers in the country if they thought the color of a fly line make a difference in alerting fish. Every single one of them replied that they thought it could. None of them preferred brightly colored fly lines and neither do we. Never-the-less, in recent years the trend, dictated purely by fly line manufacturers, went from subdued shades of colored fly lines to bright, even fluorescent colors of fly lines. The advertised theory behind that change stressed the importance of being able to see your fly line well even though anglers have really never had much of a problem seeing any color or shade of color fly line. Fly line manufacturers are always trying to come out with a new angle to convince anglers that they need a new fly line. We think the bright, fluorescent colored lines were an insult to the intelligence of many anglers. Fly Line Surface:For years fly line manufacturers tried to outdo one another by claiming their fly line was slicker than the others. Therefore it provided less friction shooting through the guides of a fly rod and cast farther. They also claimed that the slick finish of floating fly lines held less dirt and therefore floated higher. Both of these theories make sense. The problem was everyone was capable of making slick fly lines and all the manufacturers did just that. Recently the dazzle-dazzle trend is just the opposite concept. The rough finished fly lines or those similar to the skin of a shark would better accomplish those objectives. These fly lines cost much more not because they were necessarily more expensive to make but certainly because it required a whole new large giant xxxxss huge marketing and advertising program to promote it.”
You have really given me a lot more material to work on. Keep up the good work. Can’t wait for part two.

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