As per title, Whats the difference between cheapo line and a more expensive option..

I have cheapo line off e bay ( Talon) which has been great for practice and would reccommend it to other newcomers for practice . Its had some stick and still looks and feels fine .

i have had it caught in tress etc and had to really pull on the stuff to get line free and it has never broken..

i want some new line for fishing but not keen on spending for the sake of it ..

will a more expensive line automatically mean it will cast better than this cheapo one ?


billy

Nope.

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

Depends on the rod design, the line design, and your style of casting.

Some lines work better with certain rods. So if you happen to have a cheaper line whose profile is more compatible for your rod than the profile of a more expensive line, you'll cast better with the cheaper line.

But if the line profiles are equal, generally a more expensive line will have a better coating that lasts longer. It will also generally resist coiling in colder temperatures and float higher.

If you don't need the most expensive lines right now for your fishing, the best strategy is to wait until a new series of fly lines comes out and to buy the older stock at close out.

I am not familiar with the Talon fly line you are using or the rod you are casting it with. It may be that another brand of cheap line would cast better with your rod than the Talon line you have.

Your question also has another implied question. The cheapest lines are generally off brand lines, manufactured by lesser or totally unknown companies. Some of these are made by a major company as a private brand but how is one to know?

There are many discussion about what line design is best for what rod and so the question you have asked is complex and not easily definitively answered other than to say that if you stick with a well known line manufacturer, the line will likely be better than an off brand line.

I would suggest you buy a moderate priced line manufactured by one of the major fly line companies.

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Silver Creek- "Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought"....Szent-Gyorgy

In the sport of Fly Fishing, the line is a very important component in the delivery system that propels the fly to the fish. It will also play a large part in whether the fish actually takes the fly or not. Often it is a key factor in whether the fish will be landed or lost. By definition the line also determines whether a person is "fly fishing" or doing some other kind of fishing. In the case of "fly fishing", the line provides the weight that loads the rod
and extends that kinetic energy to the target. In that way, a lure that is too lightweight to generate enough energy is taken along for the ride. A fly line can be an elongated floater or an elongated sinker. It can also be any color including clear.
The key parts that determine the performance of a fly line are:
The Core The Coating Taper Design Line Weight

Every line can be dissected into two parts: Core and Coating. It's the modification of these parts that allow fly lines to be designed with specific performance characteristics -- castability, shootability, and durabilit to meet the demands of most fly fishing situations.
A cheap line doesn't use the same quality of material that goes into the construction of a more expensive one. The dearer line is better designed, will perform better but will not necessarily last long longer.


BK

Ok Thanks for the replies. I'm going to stick with the cheapo ones on the cheapo reels for perch etc and working margins at the marina but i'm due a better quality reel now i know i'm sticking with fly fishing so will try a "better quality" line on a new reel ..

rods are both shakey oddesssy , 4/5 and 5/6 but to be honest the 5/6 is better with the 5 line , 6# loads it too harshly i think ..

i like the feel of my 7 foot 4/5 anyway with the 5 line for the close in work i'm interested in .....

The thing that drove me to standardise on Snowbee XS floating lines is line memory. I have some other lines (which happen to be cheaper) which come off the reel like a slinky in cold weather.

My instructor told me to spend more on the line than on the reel as all it was was a carrier for the line.
David

the worst line I have ever had was the most expensive one, buying a line is like buying wine, I,ve never been disapointed with a budget wine, easker1

Billy,

I have mullarkeys mill ends in various weights, also. A Sparton and more recently a cortland.

Even in my clumsy hands I get better results with the better lines, but nothing really to shout about. The cortland has a very slippery coating, whether this is factory or added I dont know as I bought it used.

In my experience the cheaper lines are more prone to memory, I have a DT8F from mullarkys that was like a slinky until I put some hours on it.

On the other hand, the Sparton line was an absolute pig to weld a loop on, when compared to the cheapies.

There are guys on here producing their own lines that get great reviews.

cheers chaps, well i am suprised i didn't get a load of replies stating it must be expensive line which is good

i obviously want stuff good enough for the job but really don't relish the idea of paying £60 for some regardless of who makes it .

the cheapo stuff i got floats well and casts ok .. i did have a bit of a problem with it starting to sink at the tip when using braided loops but i fixed this by using a simple overhand knot and a blob of superglue to make a small loop and just make loop to loop connections , it now floats fine to the tip..

billy