[bonefish41]

I have not tested in salt but have been in fresh smallmouth...somewhat overgunned...but I need all the practice in me dotage...for me the biggest advantage over cortland 444 tropic plus on the same rods is the ability to lift 50-60 feet of fly line off the water and re-cast without another cycle and shoot another 10 feet...the combination really works for me; however, ridge requires cleaning after the day...but if it works as well in salt with 15 wind then I won't mind the laundry...I was wading in 2 feet and even the trailing line shot well on the forward cast...

[Frank Whiton]

Hi bonefish41,

Thanks for the report on the Ridge line. I have heard about the same results once before. How well does the tip float. Do they make it a little larger in the tip to compensate for the ridges? I have never seen one yet.

[bonefish41]

Originally Posted by Frank Whiton

Hi bonefish41,

Thanks for the report on the Ridge line. I have heard about the same results once before. How well does the tip float. Do they make it a little larger in the tip to compensate for the ridges? I have never seen one yet.

Cannot accurately comment on tip because I was sinking it with fluro and heavy clouser...but even so the rod/line combination, particularly recasting, worked for me ...my recollection is that the Ridge tropic has an overall shorter weight section than the 444 tropic plus however, that fact would not significantly influence 60 feet of line pickup since both the 444 and ridge at that length are well into the running line...I am going to get an 11 wt and try it on my winston xtr(old model 3 piece)...I am not a powerful caster...for me to tb able to pickup 50-60 of fly line and recast with a shoot is remarkable...that said I do believe the line does degrade with fresh water slime...but since I was river smallies I casted in four hours more than two days of flats fishing...my initial impression is that the line and the TCR was a good fit for me and I would grade my saltwater casting ability just a B

[bonefish41]

Was again this day testing the TCR and Airflo Ridge in a raging smallie stream in Indiana...took me hours to fight the NFL opening game trafffic...but it was a success...for a saltwater snob who eschews the trout now knee deep in heavy metal water...with a 12 in smallie on a 9 wt TCR...no I didn't have to put him on the Abel 3N...but he put a real bend in the 9 wt and jumped three times once allout...and he took down a #4 bonefish toad...Frankie the test was a success..a good combo for my casting abilities