Recently I bought an 8 weight setup to use for this upcoming season but still had a decision to make when it came to the type of line I wanted to use with it. The questions I asked myself when making this decision were: Where and how was I going to fish this rod? What brand of line did I want to use? Did I want to use a floating, intermediate, or a sinking line?
I thought about these questions and started to answer them one by one, I decided I would most likely be throwing streamers with the rod, and wanted a line I could use to throw large flies for pike and to throw articulated flies for trout in large rivers. I felt like an intermediate line would be the ticket for this application and decided on the Airflo 40+ Extreme Distance Fast Intermediate fly line. I knew Airflo had a great reputation for their fly lines but had never owned one, I had used their lines before on trips and liked them but always stuck with Rio when it came down to purchasing a line. I wanted to try something new so I went with Airflo, I was not disappointed.
The Airflo Extreme Distance Fast Intermediate line has a lot of features I like about it, the Polyfuse coating and the Ridged running line makes for a smooth and slick surface through the guides to get the extra distance needed for long cast, and the weight forward head loads the rod quick for less false casting. The sink rate for this line was also great, one and a half inches per second works great in the situations I would be fishing in, I can get the fly deep by waiting a few extra seconds before I start retrieving the line but slow enough to I can still use it to swing streamers in rivers without the fly getting to deep and snagging on rocks. I also like the translucent green head; I believe it gives it a little more camouflage in the water compared to a solid color sinking line or tip. Since the line is a full intermediate it gives the fly a level plane to drift and during the retrieve, making it easier to create a more life-like presentation of the fly.
The only down fall I found about this line is the shooting head on the line is pretty long, making long cast in a confined area tough, it’s not a super aggressive head so casting with trees and bushes behind you can get a little frustrating. You need to make sure you have enough room for your back cast when trying for long distance shots.
What I am using it for and the places I will be fishing it, you couldn’t ask for a better line, I encourage anyone to try this line if you are looking for something to use with streamers in shallow water. If I wasn’t disappointed I don’t think you would be either.
