Thanks for the reply.
Hopefully if shops have an opportunity to do these lines again, one will choose a version of the CQS with a braided core.
SF
Official Beach Line Thread
- Thread starter mtskibum16
- Start date
Thanks for the reply.
Hopefully if shops have an opportunity to do these lines again, one will choose a version of the CQS with a braided core.
SF
Most supposed beach lines have a fairly clunky head, designed to turn over big flies, tips etc...which are not necessary when beach fishing coho, etc. There are very few available suitable for light mono leaders and smaller flies. Many of us, here on Vancouver Island, have been using the Snowbee XS integrated switch lines...both for sh and two-hand casting on the beach. It has a 29' - 31' head (depending on wt) with more of a scandi taper than most others...and works very well with mono leaders and light tips/flies.
Coho season is right around the corner. I've been fishing the Airflo Superflo 40+ Extreme I/3 for the past few months.
Durability has been great so far. Kind of clunky to cast like most integrated lines, but not too bad. A few tangles, but again no more than any other lines I used.
The running line had a bit coil / memory from being on the spool the first few times out but after fishing and stretching it, that has disappeared. Overall I'm happy with it and would buy it again.
Anyone else trying out new beach lines for this coming season?
SF
Durability has been great so far. Kind of clunky to cast like most integrated lines, but not too bad. A few tangles, but again no more than any other lines I used.
The running line had a bit coil / memory from being on the spool the first few times out but after fishing and stretching it, that has disappeared. Overall I'm happy with it and would buy it again.
Anyone else trying out new beach lines for this coming season?
SF
I'm determined to make the trek up and finally hit some of those Admiralty Inlet beaches for migratory coho this summer. I'm pretty flush with 6 and 7 weight intermediate beach lines, but if I were to try a new one I think it would be the SA Sonar Titan I/2/3. I wonder if the ty 3 tip would be too much for beach fishing though? I suppose it depends on the beach.
A type 3 will fish fine on nearly every beach. I find they sink just a bit deeper then an intermediate and if you are snagging up, just strip a bit faster. I haven’t found snagging up to be an issue though with a type 3 head.
SF
Not new to this thread, but new to me - been fishing an SA Sonar full? intermediate and it has been just fine. Durability is good so far. It tangles more than my beloved 40+ type iii but not too obnoxious. I’m on a truly horrendous fishing cold streak, so hard to say how it handles actual fish as opposed to casting
I fished a SA Sonar Titan I/2/3 for the majority of last season and didn’t have any problems with snagging bottom. Good casting line, and it didn’t self destruct like Rio.
skyrise
Steelhead
Does one need to over line when using these Sonar Titan lines ?
I was wondering that too... it probably depends on the rod, the caster and personal preference. I haven't yet used a Sonar, but my notes say that the 6wt is 210 grains and the 7wt is 240 grains. That makes them lighter than the Rio OBS (235 / 265) but the same as a 40+ or Rio CQS. I tend to prefer an over-weighted line so if I get one it'll probably be the 7wt and I'll try it on my 6 weight rods first. If it's too much I have a 7wt rod I can use it on.
Porter2
Legend
They throw a lot of line options at you. True weight /half weight heavy/ one line heavier. Then there’s the taper. Then there’s the float:intermediate/and different sink rate types. Head and intergrated heads. Here’s a different angle. Local fly shops were important due to the local information they could provide. I mean when I went to Oregon or Montana part of my trip is to stop into a local fly shop or two, buy some flies, anything else I might need, and most importantly, the low down. Where to go and what to use. Knowing the answers will be helpful but no secrets revealed. But now, not really this has been going on for years, your fly shop is valuable in line selections. Many shops have demo lines. Many in the shop have tried many lines on gear like yours or similar….. they have knowledge. They have ideas. Or of course just do Amazon or something like them and wish for best. 
I also encourage you if you do demos from your fly shop then buy from them too… when that big decision is made. Or else soon we will all be guessing. It’s a bit of a different world today but we can still keep it semi local by supporting your fly shop. I’m in the spend a few bucks more for a service I can depend on. Plus many times your local shop will make things right when some product has gone awry. That has been my experience. Wish you the best.
I also encourage you if you do demos from your fly shop then buy from them too… when that big decision is made. Or else soon we will all be guessing. It’s a bit of a different world today but we can still keep it semi local by supporting your fly shop. I’m in the spend a few bucks more for a service I can depend on. Plus many times your local shop will make things right when some product has gone awry. That has been my experience. Wish you the best.
I don’t but definitely could. For me, the same casts requires more false casts fishing a true weight SA Titan versus a marketed weight OBS for example. Beach fishing is all about efficiency which is why for all its issues, nothing beats an OBS IMO. If I am blind casting for 6-7 hours for less than a dozen takes per session, I want the the fly in the water as much as possible. Folks with even mediocre casting skills can clunk very fishable casts out with a single water load using an OBS. It won’t be pretty but will be effective and have you fishing way more than casting. As I enter my 8th or 9th season fishing coho pretty hard off the beach, the one thing I wish I could advise other fly fishers I see is watch those false casts. Your doing 6-7….or even 4, I am doing 1-2 which over hours of of fishing means my fly is fishing way more than yours. Once you become proficient, you can cast with the best of them off the beach with very few false casts using the right line.
I hate that I fish the OBS on the beach. No line I have ever fished has given me more heartburn via tangles and been less durable than the OBS. I have not found a suitable replacement though. I have high hopes for the Cortland Compact. I’ve fished the type 3 and type 9 this winter and been very happy..
skyrise
Steelhead
I have run the same route as you. Seems like I am always coming back to the OBS. Even on vacation in the islands I purchased a tropical OBS for the winds in September. Like how the tropical version shoots line even using it around here in the summer. Guess I better take a second look at the Cortland compact as my old 8wt OBS is past it’s prime.I don’t but definitely could. For me, the same casts requires more false casts fishing a true weight SA Titan versus a marketed weight OBS for example. Beach fishing is all about efficiency which is why for all its issues, nothing beats an OBS IMO. If I am blind casting for 6-7 hours for less than a dozen takes per session, I want the the fly in the water as much as possible. Folks with even mediocre casting skills can clunk very fishable casts out with a single water load using an OBS. It won’t be pretty but will be effective and have you fishing way more than casting. As I enter my 8th or 9th season fishing coho pretty hard off the beach, the one thing I wish I could advise other fly fishers I see is watch those false casts. Your doing 6-7….or even 4, I am doing 1-2 which over hours of of fishing means my fly is fishing way more than yours. Once you become proficient, you can cast with the best of them off the beach with very few false casts using the right line.
I hate that I fish the OBS on the beach. No line I have ever fished has given me more heartburn via tangles and been less durable than the OBS. I have not found a suitable replacement though. I have high hopes for the Cortland Compact. I’ve fished the type 3 and type 9 this winter and been very happy..
I get about 3-ish years of heavy use out of my Cortland Compacts. I love how they fish.I don’t but definitely could. For me, the same casts requires more false casts fishing a true weight SA Titan versus a marketed weight OBS for example. Beach fishing is all about efficiency which is why for all its issues, nothing beats an OBS IMO. If I am blind casting for 6-7 hours for less than a dozen takes per session, I want the the fly in the water as much as possible. Folks with even mediocre casting skills can clunk very fishable casts out with a single water load using an OBS. It won’t be pretty but will be effective and have you fishing way more than casting. As I enter my 8th or 9th season fishing coho pretty hard off the beach, the one thing I wish I could advise other fly fishers I see is watch those false casts. Your doing 6-7….or even 4, I am doing 1-2 which over hours of of fishing means my fly is fishing way more than yours. Once you become proficient, you can cast with the best of them off the beach with very few false casts using the right line.
I hate that I fish the OBS on the beach. No line I have ever fished has given me more heartburn via tangles and been less durable than the OBS. I have not found a suitable replacement though. I have high hopes for the Cortland Compact. I’ve fished the type 3 and type 9 this winter and been very happy..
Currently for most of my musky fishing, I use CC but also Airflo Sniper, which I also like.
I ran across CQS for half price and picked up a 8 weight, a 9 weight and a 10 weight. I don’t fish for 5 or 6 hours, and sense my area only opens for 3 days a week, so these will last me for this season.
skyrise
Steelhead
Looking at the Cortland Compact Intermediate on their website. Shows this line has a 26 foot clear head & light blue running line. Grain weights seem ok maybe a bit light compared to OBS. I am gun shy about purchasing this line after disappointment with buying other lines the last few years. How do these clear head lines cast ? Maybe the SA sonar Titan is better? Though the Titan has a 30 foot head ? Or just keep using my old worn out OBS lines until they break ?
I have not fished the intermediate Cortland Compact. I will say the Compact type 3 and type 9 are the closest lines I have found to the OBS I/3/5 to date. Take that with a grain of salt though. The the 9 has only been fished a day for lingcod and the type 3 a few for SRC. I’ll have a better feel once MA 9 opens for salmon. Early take is the compact fishes more similarly to the OBS than the Titan though. That said, I don’t think you’ll go wrong with either choice.
The Cortland Compact Intermediate line casts fine and fishes the beach well. I have used the 7wt line with my 6 weight Scott Meridian. Best advice is to load the rod and launch with minimal false casting. Just shoot it out there.
Grandpa Jim
Steelhead
I've been looking at Intermediate lines on internet for a newer TFO Axion II-X 7 wt. I bought at end of last season. The OBS 7 wt. Intermediate is 260 gr./30’, Cortland Compact 7/8 Intermediate is 275 gr./26’. The TFO Axion II-X 7 wt. is a fast rod so I wonder if I would be better using the slightly heavier grain Intermediate line with it?