Line for casting large gurglers, poppers, mice, etc?

[Wade Rivers]

I do a striper trip every June and have been fishing pretty big gurglers and poppers. I also hope to go to Alaska some day and try wogs and mouse patterns. My striper rod is a stiff 9 weight Sage and throwing those gurglers in the wind was a chore.

Do I need a bass bug taper? What type of line should I try?

 

[mcswny]

SA Titan taper!

 

[Chucker]

I do a striper trip every June and have been fishing pretty big gurglers and poppers. I also hope to go to Alaska some day and try wogs and mouse patterns. My striper rod is a stiff 9 weight Sage and throwing those gurglers in the wind was a chore.

Do I need a bass bug taper? What type of line should I try?

How far do you want to cast them? If you are casting fairly short distances, then an overweighted short head line will do the job. If you are chucking 100’ for stripers it’s a completely different question.

 

[Billy]

For really big stuff I go to saltwater tapers. Airflo redfish, SA Titan Tapers etc. I like the SA Bass Taper too for medium size stuff which is probably large size for most. It's a nice line.

 

[rattlesnake]

Bass bug is great but can get a little coil-y if it’s cooler (think like sub 70s air temp).

Basically echoing others sentiment to go either titan or titan long. Titan is good for bombing casts out and not needing to be concerned about tucking under a tree whereas the titan long doesn’t shoot quite as nice but handles much better.

Airflo used to make a cold saltwater striper line that I liked (might be able to find one online but doubt it) and I’ve heard really good things about their beach line.

 

[Wade Rivers]

How far do you want to cast them? If you are casting fairly short distances, then an overweighted short head line will do the job. If you are chucking 100’ for stripers it’s a completely different question.

100 feet!?? I appreciate the vote of confidence. With a big foam gurgler (and me casting) 50-60 feet would be cause for celebration. Luckily a super long cast is not required.

Based on the conversation here so far I am researching the titan options. Interesting that it is two line weights heavy.

 

[NBC]

Airflo used to make a pike/musky taper that absolutely bombed bigger poppers for coho in Alaska. According to their website, it's discontinued, but I found it here: https://www.reelflyrod.com/new-airflo-super-dri-bassmuskie-fly-line.html

Note that it is advertised as a freshwater line only.

 

[Wade Rivers]

Airflo used to make a pike/musky taper that absolutely bombed bigger poppers for coho in Alaska. According to their website, it's discontinued, but I found it here: https://www.reelflyrod.com/new-airflo-super-dri-bassmuskie-fly-line.html

Note that it is advertised as a freshwater line only.

OK thanks. The Titans are also referred to "Freshwater" lines by SA. Will that be a problem? What happens if you use a freshwater line in the salt?

 

[NBC]

OK thanks. The Titans are also referred to "Freshwater" lines by SA. Will that be a problem? What happens if you use a freshwater line in the salt?

I haven't done a whole lot of saltwater fly fishing but I believe the coatings on the freshwater aren't made specifically to stand up to the salt. I'm sure someone on this forum has a much more scientific answer though.

 

[Stonedfish]

OK thanks. The Titans are also referred to "Freshwater" lines by SA. Will that be a problem? What happens if you use a freshwater line in the salt?

Nothing really. I’ve used a number of different lines lines labeled as freshwater including the SA Titan lines in the salt here locally without issue.
SF

 

[fatbillybob]

Are you double hauling yourself to death?

 

[clarkman]

To echo others here, SA Titan is outstanding. But, for my large musky topwater stuff, the Wulff Ambush floater works very very well....out to about 70'. It's not a distance line by any stretch, but it throws very big junk easily to most fishing distances. If you want more distance, I'd be rolling with the SA Titan.