Has anyone out there fished Cortland's "Sylk" lines? What do you think of them?
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"Sylk" Lines
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 flyfishingpastor |
"Sylk" Lines |
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Posts: 295 07/18/2007 21:18 |
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 DrLogik |
Re: "Sylk" Lines | #1 | ||
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Posts: 1696 07/18/2007 22:57 |
Wished I hadn't spent the money. Much has been written about them already on this forum. Some folks like them though. I found that their terminal three feet began to sink right away...even right out of the box. This has been reported by many.
They may have worked out the kinks by now but Cortland lost a lot of credibility in my eyes by releasing a product too early that had dubious quality performance for the end user. The last hand full of years I have become an "almost" complete AirFlo convert. Their quality is stellar but Cortland 444 DT Peach still rules in my opinion. |
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mtn |
sylk | #2 | ||
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Posts: 493 07/19/2007 00:13 |
I'd stay with the peach 444, haven't found a rod I like the Sylk on. I may be spoiled from the real "silk" tho.
Mike |
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gmflyfish |
Re: sylk | #3 | ||
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Posts: 1241 07/19/2007 06:58 |
There has been lots of things written abou the lines. It is sort of you either love them or hate them. I am in the former category and have 4-5-6 wt Dt Sylks for fishing on my bamboo fly rods. I love them. I have dealt with the sinking issue. I now use them with a furled leader and treat it and the first three feet of the line with Muscilin. They really work for me. I have a first or second production year line and have used them hard the past two years.
Gregg |
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pvansch1 |
Re: sylk | #4 | ||
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Posts: 4887 07/19/2007 07:01 Moderator |
They are nice lines, they like to be clean.
Also as far as the tip sink issues - I have posted this before. According to the Cortland Line Rep at last years CRG, the issue is easily solved by using a finer butt'd leader to better match the the line diameter and to grease the leader with a floatant as mono absorbs water causing the sinking problem. I fish mine for hours with Uni thread furled leaders. As far as greasing the leader / end of the line, I use Red Tin Mucelin or on stream have used Gink. They work good for me. Pete
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flyfishingpastor |
Re: sylk | #5 | ||
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Posts: 295 07/19/2007 08:26 |
Gentlemen: thank you for your commends. As always, I found them helpful. I'm sure this topic has been discussed before on this forum, but since I'm new to this forum (and fishing bamboo), I was unaware of previous conversations. Thanks for your patience with us 'newbies.'
 FFP |
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Fall Creeker |
Re: sylk | #6 | ||
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Posts: 6 07/19/2007 09:51 |
I am also new to bamboo rods and this forum.
Over the past month or so, I have been fishing two rods. One a 7' 5WT with a peach 444 line(WF5F). The other a 7'1/2" 6WT with a a Sylk line (DT6F). I think both lines have their merits and work well on the rods. The Sylk line is fairly "limp" in comparison to the 444. I think it loads nicely and I have not had a problem with the sinking tip described by others. I spoke to someone at Cortland before buying the Sylk and we had a long discussion about the taper on the Sylk line, which is very different that that on other Cortland lines. The taper allows for a more "gentle" presentation of dry flies than with some other lines (ie 444 Peach). Before deciding on these lines I cast 9 or 10 other lines (most were Cortland although I also cast Rio and Scientific Angler). These were the two that seemed best adapted to the rod and my now slow cast. |
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alpom |
Re: sylk | #7 | ||
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Posts: 349 07/19/2007 10:08 |
I fish Sylk lines for two years and never saw tip sinking. I nail knotted perfection loop and use Orvis Braided Leader treated with Mucilin.
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GrsdLnr |
Sylk | #8 | ||
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Posts: 199 07/19/2007 22:56 |
I also haven't experienced the tip sinking problem (2 Sylk lines, a DT4 with very little use so far and a DT5 with maybe 30-35 outings) Both have Maxima mono loops, nail-knotted and coated with Knot Sense, used primarily with mono leaders. What I have noticed is the tendency to get dirty quickly, they need to be cleaned (Glide or Line Speed) before every use or the line sticks in the guides.
I won't buy another, there are other lines that cast every bit as well with less maintenence. |
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gofish60 |
Re: Sylk | #9 | ||
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Posts: 2106 07/20/2007 00:37 Registered User |
Like them fine, but especially early in Spring or late in the year. Limp like real silk without the maintaince.
A quick run through a cloth or paper towel with a little Armor All and they are as good as new. gofish |
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firehole |
Re: Sylk | #10 | ||
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Posts: 4062 07/20/2007 00:53 Local user |
Never a problem with my 3 Sylk lines.
Dennis |
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Gnome |
Re: Sylk | #11 | ||
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Posts: 2319 07/20/2007 08:49 King of the Gnomes |
I like mine and it along side of one on a rod that Bob Taylor was fishing yesterday and we where in 100 degree temps and the lines performed admirably.
Mine is also a first or second year run. Jeff |
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FlyDoctor |
Re: Sylk | #12 | ||
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Posts: 554 07/20/2007 11:19 |
For you guys that don't like yours, I'd like a DT 5wt to go with my 3 and 4 wts if you want to sell one--Larry
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Hipgnosis |
Re: Sylk | #13 | ||
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Posts: 520 07/20/2007 16:07 |
The "Sylk" has pretty much become my line of choice and fits most of my rods well. I've had no floating issues and use nail knotted mono leaders.
My only issue is the squeek that is produced at times when the line is used with Carbaloy stripping guides. No noise with agate or ceramic strippers. FWIW... Mike HIPGNOSIS
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djo |
Re: "Sylk" Lines | #14 | ||
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Posts: 120 07/21/2007 13:10 |
I got a couple of the early lines that were so terribly sticky. It would stick to itself so tightly it was noticably harder to pull off of the reel. It would stick to the rod so badly it would not cast. Cleaning did not help. I sent the lines to another bambooer who would not believe me. They are now tying up his tomato plants. This was a common problem with the early lines, but I have not heard of such problems with more recent lines. It was also no a problem with all early lines. I may give them a try again in the future.
David |
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16 pmd |
Re: "Sylk" Lines | #15 | ||
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Posts: 775 07/21/2007 18:45 |
I also had a very sticky one that a Cortland rep immediately swapped for one that didn't have the problem. The long gradual taper and
suppleness of the line are great, but the coating was definitely a problem, maybe fixed now. Seems to me the real issue was to put out a product prematurely that was so inconsistent that you couldn't rely on getting a good one - making for an unnecessarily bad reputation for the product and perhaps even the company. I received my line free as a test line and wrote the rep that it had problems, but apparently they didn't pay attention to my and others' comments before putting them in the stores. The result is many people still questioning the product today. |
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narcodog |
Re: "Sylk" Lines | #16 | ||
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Posts: 291 07/21/2007 19:30 |
I have a Sylk on my Orvis Battenkill with a furled leader and loved the way it gently laid that fly down. It was almost nirvana.
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Piglegs |
Re: "Sylk" Lines | #17 | ||
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Posts: 164 07/22/2007 15:23 |
My line was sticky, and then the coating came off so it grated in the guides - it was a horrible line; I'm sure mine was a quality control mistake but I'll never buy another.
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leatherneck |
Re: "Sylk" Lines | #18 | ||
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Posts: 203 07/22/2007 19:46 |
[I have a Sylk on my Orvis Battenkill with a furled leader and loved the way it gently laid that fly down. It was almost nirvana.]
Couldn't have said it better! |
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bswild |
Re: "Sylk" Lines | #19 | ||
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Posts: 403 07/22/2007 22:25 |
Maybe the "stickiness" of the Cortland Sylk was to emulate the stickiness of the real thing. Authentic friction, folks--just like silk! Seriously, my impression of the line was not so much its consistency as its taper. The taper is so long and gradual you have to have at least 30 feet out to load the rod. Most of my casts are made in the 15 to 25 foot range, so I'd probably have to use a line weight higher. But then I'm back to the thickness of my double taper Peach 444. So why bother?
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Gnome |
Re: Re: Sylk | #20 | ||
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Posts: 2319 07/23/2007 09:05 King of the Gnomes |
Mike,
So I am not the only one that has a rod that actually squeeks/sings with the Sylk on it  I just finished a rod with snakes and it is the snakes on this rod that are making noise andf it is the first time I have ever heard that one before. glad I am not losing my mind Jeff |
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