Breaking News: Silk Fly Line Casts Farther than Modern Plastic Fly Line

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Breaking News: Silk Fly Line Casts Farther than Modern Plastic Fly Line

Sunday, November 4. 2007

We hear of the joys of casting cane fly rods, and some even wax poetic about the sound of a silk line slipping through the guides, but many fly fishermen believe that cane rods and silk lines can't cast a long distance. Olaf Borge of Viroqua, Wisconsin (a.k.a., "The Silk Line Pimp") felt it was time to enlighten the new breed of fly fishermen to the tremendous casting abilities of the silk line/cane rod pairing.

Taking advantage of the Cane Rodmakers Gathering at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum, Livingston Manor, NY on September 8th and 9th of this year, Olaf threw out a challenge to the assembled makers and cane enthusiasts to counter the challenge presented by the Cortland Line Co. (see 1st International Rodmakers and Casting Challenge Rules.)

Here were the rules:

Phoenix Silk fly line
Bamboo Rod Maker, casting, Challenge Trophy held
at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum
September 8th and 9th, 2007

Since Silk fly lines were, and often still are, the natural choice of cane rod fishermen; and since the plastic fly line provided for the “1st International Rodmakers and Casting Challenge” is named “SYLK” it would seem appropriate that a counter challenge should be offered by a true silk fly line manufacturer.

That challenge is to cast a true modern oiled-Silk fly line of the same AFTMA weight designation, further, under the same conditions, than the modern plastic “SYLK” line.

The rods used will be the bamboo rods selected for the “International Challenge Finals”. The casters and casting format will be the same as the “International Challenge Finals”.

Casters will use a Phoenix WF 5 silk fly line, with appropriate leader and fly, provided by Phoenix Silk Fly Lines and Olaf Borge.

The Phoenix silk fly line award will be presented to the caster, rod combination that casts the furthest in this endeavor.

And furthermore a Phoenix Silk Fly Line, of the winners choice, will be awarded to the rodmaker and caster combination who casts further than any rod cast with the “SYLK” fly line in this contest.

And now (drumroll) the results of the competition...

PVC Cortland "Sylk" line Caster Challenge finalist with preliminary distances scores:

Caster		total distance
Leonard Tobler		405’ 11”
Rick Miller		431’ 5”
Tim Cammisa		385’ 9”
John Long		424’ 1”
Don Trump		399’ 8”
Chris Bogart		369’ 10”
Jeff Phelan		351’ 5”

Caster Challenge finalists with longest cast of #5 Tim Abbot rod and Cortland "Sylk" Line:

Caster		Longest Cast
Leonard Tobler		73’3”
Rick Miller		72’3”
John Long		78’4”
Chris Bogart		53’10”
Jeff Phelan		74’2”

SILK FLYLINE CHALLENGE

The winning rod (Marty Karstetter #16) left before the silk fly line challenge began.

Tim Abbot's #5, second place rod was used for the silk fly line challenge.

Tim Cammisa a caster finalist left before the silk fly line challenge.

The longest cast with the SYLK line with rod #5 was 78’4” so a caster must cast further than 78’4” to be the winner of the Silk fly line Challenge.

The longest casts with rod #5 and the Phoenix Silk Fly Line, by competitor:

Leonard Tobler		81’1”
Rick Miller		92’6” WINNER!!
John Long		78’5”
Chris Bogart		76’4”
Jeff Phelan		67’7”

[ Editor's Note: The Phoenix Silk Line was cast 20'3' farther than the farthest cast of the Cortland plastic "SYLK" line of the same AFTMA rating, on the same rod, by the same caster, and 14'2" farther than the longest cast by any caster with the plastic line and the #5 rod.]

Posted by Reed F. Curry in Fishing Facts and History at 14:51 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)

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I make that nearly 17% more distance for the average cane wielding Joe. That's pretty significant.

#1 Kbarton10 (Homepage) on 2007-11-05 08:48 (Reply)

Wow! I would never have guessed that. I had considered buying a silk line in the past, not very seriously, mind you, just in passing, but it was more for my attraction to the traditional ways. Now to hear that silk actually out performs the modern lines on cane rods. I still can't afford a bamboo rod, but I plan to build a fiberglass rod as a step in that direction. Maybe I'll spool it up with a silk line. Of course, for the cost of a silk line, I could almost buy a cane rod...so much cool stuff and so little money. Take care,

Nathan

#2 hawgdaddy (Homepage) on 2007-11-07 13:30 (Reply)

This doesn't surprise me at all.

If both lines were within the AFTMA specifications for a 5 wt line then the thinner line will cast farther. The thinner line will have more mass by volume than the fatter line. That and the thinner diameter allow it to cut through the air easier. So a thinner silk line will cast farther than a fatter plastic line of equal weight if they have similar taper designs.

60- 70 years ago the tournament casters were all using bamboo and silk and throwing over 160-170 feet of line on a single handed rod. These days they are only 15 -20 feet beyond that with all the extra technology.

#3 Guy Manning (Homepage) on 2007-11-09 18:02 (Reply)

Guy,

It doesn't surprise me either, but let me add to your excellent reason.

As well as the reduced air resistance you mentioned, the texture of silk lines (caused by the braid) means that the line is contacting the guides less. Scientific Angler recently attempted to simulate this effect with their new Sharkskin line with, apparently, good results.

Plastic lines also stretch. The more line is out, the more stretch. Silk lines have very little stretch which means that most of the energy is directly and immediately transmitted into the cast.

Plastic lines are relative soft in their coating and are hollow as well. This means that they deform slightly under stress as they cast - increasing the surface area contacting the guides. Silk lines are usually (but not always) quite hard in their coating and the interior is completely filled with hardened oils. This means they stay more circular and contact the guides less.

#3.1 Reed (Homepage) on 2007-11-09 18:43 (Reply)

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