50ft Enough Line?

[Cliff]

I have an opportunity to get a silk line for my 7wt Edwards rod, but it's only 50ft (16 yards?). I'm not much of a distance caster, but do you guys feel this is long enough for most fishing? I would be using this rod/line for mostly bass, pinks, possibly salt.
Thanks,
Cliff

 

[Phil K]

My initial thoughts are: 50' is probably fine for most river fishing, but I'm almost always trying to cast further in the salt. And- would the salt play nice with a silk line? More knowledgable folks than myself should be along soon.

 

[Zak]

I have an opportunity to get a silk line for my 7wt Edwards rod, but it's only 50ft (16 yards?). I'm not much of a distance caster, but do you guys feel this is long enough for most fishing? I would be using this rod/line for mostly bass, pinks, possibly salt.
Thanks,
Cliff

50' is more than enough for most of the fishing I do. I mostly fish streams, small rivers, and (since moving to Washington) lakes.

I do not know anything about silk lines in the salt.

 

[clarkman]

just 50' for salt?

Doesn't seem like enough to me.

Even for bass....although, the vast majority of my bass fishing could take place under that distance.

they don't make a longer line?

That sounds like a fun rod though!

 

[Divad]

Personal opinion is that if you were only targeting bass, probably fine. Pinks and saltwater, I’d rather not be hindered by my line length and pass the connection constantly. You could join it to a coated line or mono but at that point why not go with a longer silk.

Silk Fly Lines in Saltwater: Casting in the face of the Alisios

 

[Jmcj1984]

I recently bought a 50ft silk line and love it but it is simply to short for a 5w plant to sell it and buy a longer line ,silk line are great in general if you don’t mind the maintenance

 

[Cliff]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll pass on this. I appreciate everyone's suggestions.
Cliff

 

[Dave Westburg]

Cliff, I'll be interested in what you think of the Sylk line (e.g. performance, care issues...). My guess is the smaller diameter of silk will play well with the Edwards rod guides. The bulky modern lines ore sometimes too big.

 

[@Dryflyphotography]

Seems like 50' from the reel to the end of the line is only 41'-43' from the rod tip. I'd be uncomfortable letting the backing work up into the guides and having to grab skinny backing in my non-casting hand during normal casting. That would be much too short for my tastes.
Ron

 

[Cliff]

Personal opinion is that if you were only targeting bass, probably fine. Pinks and saltwater, I’d rather not be hindered by my line length and pass the connection constantly. You could join it to a coated line or mono but at that point why not go with a longer silk.

Silk Fly Lines in Saltwater: Casting in the face of the Alisios

David, I forgot to say what an interesting article this was. Thanks for finding it and posting it.

 

[Cliff]

Cliff, I'll be interested in what you think of the Sylk line (e.g. performance, care issues...). My guess is the smaller diameter of silk will play well with the Edwards rod guides. The bulky modern lines ore sometimes too big.

Dave, I've been fishing silk of various kinds for years, but I've never tried the Sylk lines, so I cannot compare. One of these days I'd like to try one.

 

[@Dryflyphotography]

Cliff, if you want to try an antique silk line of unknown quality, weight or taper, I have one that I rescued. It came with an old vintage fly reel I purchased off eBay years ago. It was silk, not nylon (you test by burning the end...if it turns to ash it's silk, if it melts it's nylon). I was not rotted which was the case with a line I'd tried to rescue previously. After cleaning it and coating with many coats of tung oil and letting it dry for days, I tried it and found it cast really well on my five and six weight bamboo rods. It was very quick, sleek, and zipped a long ways with little effort. I have never fished it but keep it on a vintage fly reel which I use sometimes to as a prop to shoot old bamboo rods. You would be most welcome to come by and try it on your rods with a little lawn casting, if interested. Ron.

 

[Cliff]

Cliff, if you want to try an antique silk line of unknown quality, weight or taper, I have one that I rescued. It came with an old vintage fly reel I purchased off eBay years ago. It was silk, not nylon (you test by burning the end...if it turns to ash it's silk, if it melts it's nylon). I was not rotted which was the case with a line I'd tried to rescue previously. After cleaning it and coating with many coats of tung oil and letting it dry for days, I tried it and found it cast really well on my five and six weight bamboo rods. It was very quick, sleek, and zipped a long ways with little effort. I have never fished it but keep it on a vintage fly reel which I use sometimes to as a prop to shoot old bamboo rods. You would be most welcome to come by and try it on your rods with a little lawn casting, if interested. Ron.
View attachment 100269

Ron, thanks very much for your offer. I have several 5w & 6w silk lines that I can try out on this rod, both old and new. I appreciate your offer but I think I'm ok for now. -Cliff.