Mel Kriegers 'long roll cast'

[Paul Arden]

I’ll have to get some more coldwater versions made up! It would be nice to have these lines for every rod in cold and tropical versions. In fact it would be even better to design a line taper completely from scratch! And then of course I would want some in sinking versions - intermediate, moderately fast and HiD - there are virtually no long belly sinking lines, but the market for them is tiny!

Anyway I don’t have 40K floating around, and if I did I wouldn’t spend it on fly lines

I’m quite sure, however, that I’ll do this at some point in life. It’s just going to take a while

Cheers, Paul

[Lasse Karlsson]

The orange MED comp head is not what it says on the box but is in fact the same as the non-comp line, which used to be called the XXD. Can’t remember what they call it now. Head is 68-72’ depending on line weight. It’s perfect for Spey casting on a 9’ rod. The front taper isn’t perfect for Speys but apart from that it’s awesome. The Thunderbolt/TCR taper is also spot on as a longer head.

Cheers!
Paul

They fixed that mistake on the website, and the line is still mastery expert distance regardless of colour

They do vary in headlength, and since they changed the runningline to be tapered Its hard to tell where the head ends.
There's some measurements on the norwegian casting federations website.

Cheers
Lasse

[nicholasfmoore]

Hi Paul,

i would absolutely love a cold water one, and i do think you would do very well with them! Great idea with the sinking lines, you and i both like long belly lines, and i don't think many people do, because as you say, the market is tiny! Haven't seen a double taper sinking line for years, even a spey line.

I have had a long belly intermediate, i can't even remember where i got it from. Does it cost more to have different line weights done, or wold they rather you order in a massive batch? I have no doubt you will!

All the best

Nick

P.S.

Thank's for that, Lasse!

[Paul Arden]

I actually have some DT sinking lines and they are still manufactured... in China! Unfortunately they are rough as hell.

Multiple line weights don’t work and there is a minimum order for every line spec. Not surprising of course! Minimum order is 50 - for me anyway - which is also entirely reasonable.

Even us, however, don’t currently sell the numbers of long belly lines to make then viable in all line weights!

Cheers, Paul

[nicholasfmoore]

That's cool, Paul! Do you mean that they have defects in the coating?

That is a shame! Do you think the industry will reform back to long belly lines rather than a line that casts like a boulder on a string?

All the best

Nick

[Paul Arden]

I’m not really sure what it is Nick. Whether it’s the machines they use, or their level of expertise. All the Chinese lines I’ve tried have been slightly rough and limp. Many of them are true to weight however!

I believe there are two manufacturers, one is manufacturing quite a lot and the other, who I know quite well, seems to be not selling so much. He told me he can’t produce tropical lines for example - but they are working on it.

The wholesale prices are 1/5th compared to the US. And of course there is a huge market out there of people who say “well it’s not as good but it only costs 20 quid”

That is a shame! Do you think the industry will reform back to long belly lines rather than a line that casts like a boulder on a string?

As long as the average level of casting is crap, then no. Overweight short clunky heads appear to be the norm. I think they should take all that weight and mould it into a sinker. That appears to be the way we are heading.

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Cheers, Paul

[Torsten]

I'm not much a fan of the ED taper for fishing. I think a good DT has a better presentation. I'm sure other tapers are better for roll casting too.
You can splice your own tapers - that's not too difficult. A friend of me halved always DT lines and added a running line (saved him money).

[Lasse Karlsson]

What is a good DT for you Torsten? Most I have need to have the taper cut to suit the fishing, they tend to be too long and end too thin.

Cheers
Lasse

[Torsten]

Cortland's are good (e.g. 444SL), but I've also used the Shakespeare ones. For heads I've cut sometimes the tip a bit shorter - I remember some mill-end DTs had indeed a bit too long tip.

[Paul Arden]

I’d be very happy to just fish with double tapers. I think these extreme short heavy WF lines that were once quite specialist and are now quite common really do a disservice to fly casting. I actually have a few lines - levitians? - that cannot land straight after they’ve been shot no matter what you do; check the shoot, stand on the line, cast with less force. Not only that but I can throw a DT line further FFS.

Cheers, Paul