I'm about ready to go back to nightcrawlers.

[Prosopium w. 0]

All this over a carp line???? Quality, situation-specific gear is a nice luxury to have. Not necessary, but it definitely helps. It won't turn a newbie into a pro, but it will give a pro an edge and further their range of effectiveness. Use what you enjoy, but balking at what others enjoy is pretty low-rent. If a guy wants to fish bait on a fly rod with a spinning reel, fine. If he wants to fish hobbled rods with worn out reels and level lines, cool. If he wants to spend a little extra and get a high performance set-up, then why not? A person definitely isn't a better or more savvy angler because of the techniques or gear they choose, but when you get critical of someone else's choices in gear and methods then you are the one with the problem, not them.

[JSzymczyk 0]

Wow, hits a nerve.

 

I'm rather being critical of marketing and gullibility, not the angler's choice of gear.

 

Your comment "but it will give a pro an edge" is interesting, and it screams two things at me:

 

1. A "pro" would be capable enough of catching a carp on a NON-carp-specific line, and

2. A "newbie" (or insert another term for anyone not able to be classed as a "pro") would not be able to take advantage of the performance nuances - real or imagined - of a carp line.

 

Back to the real world, the "Pro" will be given equipment by sponsors - or at least provided it at wholesale cost or less. The "newbie" won't give a flying-fish about a carp-specific line, so that leaves about 95% of the people waving a fly rod. Those are the ones on which the company will either make money or not. IMO if they can make enough money on a carp-specific line to keep it in the lineup, they should be calling it Sucker-Specific line, not carp.

[robow7 0]

Yea, I always have to laugh at these species specific line designs. Take Rio's Smallmough specific line design. If it's going to be ideal for tossing small to medium size light weight poppers for smallies then it not likely ideal when I start throwing heavy chunks of lead crayfish patterns. Any line is a compromise and let's face it, it's a heavy front loaded taper and that's OK, but then they probably have a half dozen lines very similar under different names and colored boxes.

 

And oh btw, I hear Rio is coming out with a new nightcrawler specific taper design line so you may want to hold off for a while.

[Crotalus 0]

If a guy wants to fish bait on a fly rod with a spinning reel, fine.

 

/Thread jack

 

This brought a smile to my face. The guy that got me back into fishing used a setup just like this. i was in my mid 20s, he was in his early 60s (an aging hippie), we worked together at one company where we almost got in a fist fight over a project, a few months later he left that company then a few more months later he called me and told me about an opening at his new employer, I ended up switching jobs too. We became good friends. He fished nearly everyday after work and kept inviting me to go with him. So one day I did. I had a great time, fishing had taken a backseat to other things through high school and college but he helped bring it back into my life. I used a normal spinning rod but he liked a fly rod with spinning reel for some reason. Unfortunately we lost contact, he liked to switch jobs every 2-3 years and I am not sure if he is even alive now.

[shoebop 0]

I'm rather enjoying this banter. It sure beats "What's your favorite..." or "Which vise...".

 

Keep going!

[fish shaman 0]

Im thinkin any one that catches carp on a fly should be eligible for pro status. I know that when Fish Shaman raises his wand every carp in the vicinity disappears.(poof)

[petelangevin 0]

You mean i should not buy the luminescent floating sink tip bluegill line? Ok ill stick with my 25$ combo i got at a second hand shop that casts just fine for my skill level.

[Double_Taper 0]

I'm all for new and expensive fly fishing gear. People buy it and then sell it to me for a 1/10 of the cost in their yard sale once they need some quick cash/decide fly fishing isn't for them/baby is on the way and won't have time for fishing/or something to that aspect.

[ditz2 0]

Back in the days of glass I knew an old fella that used a 9' flyrod with a closed face Shakespeare spinning reel and he caught a lot of big fish in the local streams on bait of various kinds. He gave me my start in rod building and fly tying. I spent many hours sitting in his man cave sharing lies and other fishing BS. His health was poor by the time I met him so I never had the chance to spend any time with him on the water. It was my loss. Everet Ross in Upland Indiana. I am sure he passed many years ago.

[DrinkSmokeFish 0]

Who cares? I drive a Toyota, but I'm not going to swear off car-driving in general just because Ferraris exist and are expensive. Let the market do what it wants and vote with your own dollar to keep practical, affordable companies doing their thing. Complaining about wanting to 'go back to nightcrawlers' because some people with money want to waste it on frilly gear is silly, don't let it change your appreciation of what you do.

[singletrack 0]

I personally like specific things. I hate multi-tools for the reason that most of the time they are a bunch of tools together and almost all are less use full then there full size counterparts. Sometimes it makes sense. I don't mind bringing my leatherman around but it has its place. Quick fixes to things I just need to work, it is great for. But for my high-end equipment I am not using it to fix them. I have bought a Bass specific weight forward line (on sale) it turns over big furry flies really nicely. I was surprised and I guess that's the point. If you notice the benefit then its for you if not then do what ever you want.

[TheCream 0]

[Dcap240 0]

Something that I think was totally missed here is that this is what evolves our gear and our sport. Your $100 fly rod or your $20 line was once top of the line gear years ago. Same thing for the best expensive gear today. In 10 or however many years you will be buying today's best technology as mid range or bottom of the line gear. Don't get me wrong I'm usually a mid range or on sale buyer myself but I think if there wasn't a market for the latest and greatest out gear wouldn't really change much or at least not as fast as it does.

[singletrack 0]

+1 to this point. We could all be using silk lines, paw reels and cane rods. Would be interesting to catch a carp on that setup.

[SkinnyPole 0]

Only $79.00 for a carp line, man that's cheap.

 

Pardon me would you have any grey poupon.

 

Sknnny