Intermediate/clear camo lake lines?

Wade Rivers

Wade Rivers

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1st: Is there a thread on this subject already? I did a search but didn't find it.

My old camo line came apart this year so I went with the Cortland Clear camo at a modest price. There's a lot to like about this line, but the memory coils are irritating and I don't like the lack of sensitivity on slow retrieves. I have an Airflo hover line (not clear), and I feel every nibble of fish I am missing :)

So, question: Is clear camo really better and which one do you find casts and fishes the best? Thnx, WR
 
I have used Cortland Clear Camo lines for decades now and despite complaints about them I have never found anything to complain about, probably caught almost 1,000 fish on them. So I am in an 'if it ain't broke-don't fix it' mode.

I did have an amusing experience with a clear intermediate years ago. I don't remember the brand but I spooled it up and drove to the Rowland Lakes in the gorge to spiny ray fish. Walking down to a favorite spot on the railroad side of the highway I stripped out some line with a black wooly bugger and fired out a cast with my 'invisible' new line. The second the line hit the water at least 15 bluegills appeared out of nowhere and put their noses right against my new fly line! It was so comical that I laughed out loud and remember thinking so much for the stealthy new line.

That was back in the 80's and I have been using the Clear Camo since. It may not be the best but it certainly meets Ive's "Good enough for the girls in this neighborhood" standard.
 
Years ago I had the clear intermediate line......coiled like a telephone cord!! I think they blamed it on the mono core. It seemed good in shallow clear shoals in lakes but the constant coiling made me chuck it. My .02
 
Wasn’t ever a fan the the Cortland Clear camo.
You mentioned you had a hover already. If you ever want to throw bigger stuff on your intermediate or fish a lot of windy conditions, the SA Sonar Titan would be an option to consider. You could of course fish smaller stuff on it as well. The sink rate is 1.25” per sec.
SF
 
Bambooflyguy said:
All I fish for wet lines is a type 3, it covers all zones depending on line out and strip rate.....I’ve only been fly fishing 57 years so far and don’t know all so if something better comes along......
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You need to read Denny Rickards stuff on presentation. You can't really fish the upper 5 ft of the water column with a type 3. To keep you fly in that zone with a type 3 you have to strip it too fast. If you fish lakes much you really need a intermediate line. Unless I am indicator fishing I am using my intermediate most of the time.
 
ifsteve said:
You need to read Denny Rickards stuff on presentation. You can't really fish the upper 5 ft of the water column with a type 3. To keep you fly in that zone with a type 3 you have to strip it too fast. If you fish lakes much you really need a intermediate line. Unless I am indicator fishing I am using my intermediate most of the time.
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Wish I could give an unlike......I’ve read and met Richards, Morris, Chan and Rowley. I fish lakes 95% year round.....not my first rodeo, maybe you could teach me? It’s all good, to each their own.
 
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I must have the only Cortland Camo that doesn't act like a slinky all the time. If I stretch the line before I cast it, it doesn't coil badly on my apron or in the footwell of my pram. Oddly enough, if I do hook a fish (it happens from time to time) and get the "fish on the reel", then I have to restretch the line. Last winter I bought a Cortland Compact (intermediate), the jury is still out as this line does like memory but I haven't used it much.
 
Buzzy said:
I must have the only Cortland Camo that doesn't act like a slinky all the time. If I stretch the line before I cast it, it doesn't coil badly on my apron or in the footwell of my pram. Oddly enough, if I do hook a fish (it happens from time to time) and get the "fish on the reel", then I have to restretch the line. Last winter I bought a Cortland Compact (intermediate), the jury is still out as this line does like memory but I haven't used it much.
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Agreed on stretching the CCC to reduce coils. Like your experience, I have to restretch after putting the line back on the reel. It's not "horrible" but irritating and worse than my old camo line (forget the brand).

If I didn't have my non-camo non-stretch hover line as comparison, I wouldn't know any better as far as feel.

PS. Gentlemen, you can't fight in here...this is the War Room! /justkiddingfont

PPS. Appreciate all the comments and guidance
 
I fish intermediate clear 90% of the time. I've used Cortland and SA. When I replaced my worn out Cortland 444 clear camo a couple of years ago, the new Cortland just seemed different. Didn't like it. So picked up an SA sonar titan clear intermediate. Like this line, casts really well, doesn't seem to coil excessively. But I'm pretty accomplished at creating tangled messes with my fly line - some of the tangles I've created with a floating line have been epic.

Personally, I think the clear helps with spooky fish. On the other hand, fished Crane with a friend for several days in June, he used a sink tip, I used a clear. Mostly same flies fished, and results were pretty much the same. So I don't know - but it's a confidence line for me.
 
I fish a clear intermediate stillwater line and have for so many years I can't even remember what brand they are. I've seen times when they were the difference in catching lots of fish and just a few. The lines behave differently in colder weather and coil more than when its warm. I make sure to stretch them the day before I leave for a trip and have found times where I've stretched them bit by bit on my apron. But in my opinion they're the best option for fishing lakes subsurface.
 
ifsteve said:
Stopped using my clear camo for the coil issue a couple of years ago. RIO Camolux works better. If you are worried about them seeing the fly line use a longer leader which is better anyway.
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I switched to the Rio line also and haven’t noticed a difference in my catch rate but I will it casts and handles much better than the old Cortland clear line.
 
Bambooflyguy said:
Wish I could give an unlike......I’ve read and met Richards, Chan and Rowley. I fish lakes 95% year round.....not my first rodeo, maybe you could teach me? It’s all good, to each their own.
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Well then here's a real unlike for you.

Take your type 3. Get another stillwater profiecient angler with an intermdiate.

Go to a "neutral" lake and have a fish off with caluctta betting. I place all my chips on the other guy.
 
The point is why would you limit yourself to just a type 3? Is that a good line? You bet under some circumstances. But so too is an intermediate. And there are plenty of circumstances where an intermediate will out fish a type 3. And the reverse is true to although I think less often.

Still have both in your arsenal.
 
You guys are all lost and have no clue.
If you are not using $30 for 30 yards of the newest bestest space age fluoro leader, it doesn’t matter what line you have…😉

Now let’s have a real debate, fluoro vs. mono 😂.
 
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