I have an 8wt that I am contemplating putting a Triangle Taper line on..... My 8wt is my Jack of all Trades rod.... steel heading, carp, bass, red fish(hopefully one day) and anything else. I'm wondering what everyone's thoughts are regarding the Triangle Taper being a Jack of All Trades line for a Jack of all Trades rod.....
Triangle Taper....Jack of all Trades...Master of None???
- Thread starter lthrnk03
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I enjoy the TT lost tip in an 8wt for saltwater fishing. Nice line, needs a good stretch staight from the box. Slightly heavier than that stated IMO.
Casts very well.
Not good for short casts, needs the whole head out to shoot good line. But it does it well.
I wouldn't call it for a Jack.
Casts very well.
Not good for short casts, needs the whole head out to shoot good line. But it does it well.
I wouldn't call it for a Jack.
T
turbineblade
Guest
TT lines are an old, nasty dinosaur with a very specific use -- about as far from "do all" as you can get with fly ines.
I hate, and I mean HATE TT fly lines. If I want a long, super-thin front taper that won't turn over anything I'll just use a regular fly line with a long leader and thin tippet. That'll do a fine job of blowing back in your face.
Every TT line I've ever owned I've ended up cutting off 1 or more feet of the front taper
. I guess they could be a "do all" if you fish in a variety of situations and you always want your cast to blow 4 feet off target.
I hate, and I mean HATE TT fly lines. If I want a long, super-thin front taper that won't turn over anything I'll just use a regular fly line with a long leader and thin tippet. That'll do a fine job of blowing back in your face.
Every TT line I've ever owned I've ended up cutting off 1 or more feet of the front taper
. I guess they could be a "do all" if you fish in a variety of situations and you always want your cast to blow 4 feet off target.
catspaw
Well-known member
My #1 line for sight fishing with an 8wt. Bonefish and stripers.
moucheur2003
Well-known member
My impression of TT has always been as a spring creek line, for delicate presentations in the lighter weights. It has never occurred to me to try one in an 8.
If I were trying to choose an all-purpose 8 weight line it would probably be one of the all-purpose saltwater WF lines, with a slightly longer belly than a regular WF for distance and mending, and with a core that holds up equally well in both warm and cold water. (Saltwater lines are perfectly fine in freshwater too.) I'd probably want front and back loops, a high-floating tip, and the slickest surface coating I could find. The brand doesn't matter as much as the characteristics. It wouldn't necessarily be the very best line for any particular application, but a good enough line for just about anything you would need to do.
If I were trying to choose an all-purpose 8 weight line it would probably be one of the all-purpose saltwater WF lines, with a slightly longer belly than a regular WF for distance and mending, and with a core that holds up equally well in both warm and cold water. (Saltwater lines are perfectly fine in freshwater too.) I'd probably want front and back loops, a high-floating tip, and the slickest surface coating I could find. The brand doesn't matter as much as the characteristics. It wouldn't necessarily be the very best line for any particular application, but a good enough line for just about anything you would need to do.
ditz
Well-known member
I am sure no expert but I have a TT on my 9wt for the salt. I have yet to fish the rig but it sure casts great in the back yard. A 70' cast is a great cast for me but I was getting up to 90' plus with this new 9wt rig. I have been impressed fishing for yard bass. It may not fish well but it seems great in the back yard. My old SW rig had a SA saltwater taper and did not cast like this for me. I the above TT is the only one I own. I splurged on this new outfit.
guest61
Well-known member
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They are great lines and cast very well. Tho I wouldn't call it a do-it-all. Theres better choices for a do it all line. I like a line with a long belly so it can be controlled and mended with a lot of line on the water. Personally, I would go with a Rio salmon/steelhead taper. I keep one on my 7wt and it can do just about everything. Throw big bass flies, lay down quietly for carp, floats high and mends up to 60'. It even performs in warm sticky conditions.
This is the line (or one with similar specs) I choose for a do it all line.
This is the line (or one with similar specs) I choose for a do it all line.
runningfish
Well-known member
If the Triangle Taper you meant was like the Royal Wulff's TT then I am a big fan of it. I have the 7wt Royal Wulff TT for my 8wt single hand rod and use the same line for my 4/5/6 wt switch rod.
josie
Member
I use the TT 4WFF on my Sage SLT 4wt and love it. No complaints. I use that outfit on smaller creeks and rivers. Seems to match the rod perfectly for me.
tfrank
Well-known member
I love the TTs. Have several from 3-6wt. Only one in 8wt. It's the Bass bug with the shorter head and I use it primarily for striper fishing in salt/brackish. For me it makes a great distance line, shoots really well. Under 30' it's not great.The long taper makes it front light. The other thing going against them for a do-all line is the fairly thin running line makes them a little harder for me to mend with a longer line out. It took me a little while to learn a technique to shake the running line from the surface tension and get a good flick to the fat part of the head moving.
I've never really had a problem with TTs turning over large for rod weight flies. And find them quite accurate in strong wind.Rio's windcutter, and the Airflo delta (it has a new name now) are modeled after the TTs. I can really get the speed and tight loops to cut through the wind. It also excels at delicate presentations. It roll casts well as long as you get the fat part of the head moving. The heavier line will just keep the lighter line in front of it rolling.
I wouldn't call them a do-all in an 8wt. The running line coils a bit. It seems it may be stiffer to help with hinging from the short rear taper. I would recommend trying before you buy because they do feel different and can take a little getting used to for some people. Some people just can't stand them.
I've never really had a problem with TTs turning over large for rod weight flies. And find them quite accurate in strong wind.Rio's windcutter, and the Airflo delta (it has a new name now) are modeled after the TTs. I can really get the speed and tight loops to cut through the wind. It also excels at delicate presentations. It roll casts well as long as you get the fat part of the head moving. The heavier line will just keep the lighter line in front of it rolling.
I wouldn't call them a do-all in an 8wt. The running line coils a bit. It seems it may be stiffer to help with hinging from the short rear taper. I would recommend trying before you buy because they do feel different and can take a little getting used to for some people. Some people just can't stand them.
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As mentioned above, you can cut the line to customize it. The description on the Royal Wulff site actually mentions this. Personally this is more trouble than I'd go to but if you're someone who enjoys tweaking his gear you could find the right profile to turn over your flies.
T
turbineblade
Guest
I don't think everyone is comparing apples to apples here either -- I see the tropical "bermuda triangle taper" line is alot different from the TT lines I've used. I think some of you are using more of a "trapezoid" line vs. triangle taper, to the extent that the only thing "triangle" about the taper is a very small amount of thickening along the head portion...making it virtually indistinguishable from other WF lines to me anyway (unless you're comparing a 22' cast to a 27' cast, which I doubt is the case with bonefishers).
The ones I'm referring to are long, very thin front taper lines....similar to the rio trout LTs and stuff. These end in a very thin tip which generally sucks on big waters and for anything larger than a size #14 soft hackle or so.
Have fun with one -- but carry a sharp knife, a nail knot tool, and a spool of 30 pound mono. I think some of the newer stuff actually comes with an exacto knife and several spare slip on leader loops.
TT = "The Jack of all ****!" (TM)
The ones I'm referring to are long, very thin front taper lines....similar to the rio trout LTs and stuff. These end in a very thin tip which generally sucks on big waters and for anything larger than a size #14 soft hackle or so.
Have fun with one -- but carry a sharp knife, a nail knot tool, and a spool of 30 pound mono
. I think some of the newer stuff actually comes with an exacto knife and several spare slip on leader loops. TT = "The Jack of all ****!" (TM)
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ditz
Well-known member
You may be correct at least in my case Turbineblade......I went looking for the original box and did not find it. I may not have the box since I bought the line already on the reel along with the 30# backing. I am embarrassed to say that I don't know exactly what I have. All I can say is that it seems to be a great line for my style of casting. :sorry:
T
turbineblade
Guest
You're good -- I'm being ridiculously, overly dramatic
. Everyone should always use what they like and what works for them.
tfrank
Well-known member
I'm quite sure exactly what my lines are. I've been fishing TTs for almost 25 years. I've fished them quite a bit in 10wt also (standard TT and bass bug). Just don't own them in 10wt right now.
I was fortunate for several years (before the local fly shop closed) that he gave me new products to test out in the salt for him. I was spending 150-200 days a year on the Chesapeake at the time and he couldn't get out there. It worked out for both of us in that I got to try a lot of stuff and he got feedback that he valued. We had slightly different tastes so he got a different view. He was the freak that liked GL3s better than GLXs ???
I was fortunate for several years (before the local fly shop closed) that he gave me new products to test out in the salt for him. I was spending 150-200 days a year on the Chesapeake at the time and he couldn't get out there. It worked out for both of us in that I got to try a lot of stuff and he got feedback that he valued. We had slightly different tastes so he got a different view. He was the freak that liked GL3s better than GLXs ???
ditz
Well-known member
I have found out that the 9wt that I like is a Wulf Bermuda triangle taper 2. It has a 30' head so it is not one of the real long taper lines. If this thing fishes as well as it works for these backyard bass I will also replace my old 8wt line with one.
Please let us all know when you find that line.
sweetandsalt
Well-known member
I suppose this TT is a love it or hate it line...or a line that the owner has not directly compared it to anything else, is a third possibility. I have a few friends who are excellent casters that love this line above all others. I have observed that each of them uses it as a shooting head; extending the entire taper out the tip and then shooting the extra thin running line (which must be stretched, it is prone to tangles). Considerable distance is attainable. For short casts the thin front part of the Triangle may not load a rod all that well and the transition from the thickest part of the taper at the rear of the Triangle drops precipitously to the running line, hardly a prescription for articulate mending. These TT lines are a 1/2 size heavier than rated. I am a great admirer of the late Lee Wulff but not of this line.
Read my recent piece about the newest flats lines in the Articles section of this Forum below.
Read my recent piece about the newest flats lines in the Articles section of this Forum below.
tfrank
Well-known member
S&S, I was wondering if you were going to show up on this one. I seemed to remember you saying you didn't like these.
On the short head bass bug taper I use it like a shooting head in the salt. The reason I use the bass line in the bay/shore is the tangling you mentioned with the flats lines. The first time I handled one(flats line) I knew it would be a pain here in Md. But the freshwater line does pretty well here most of the year. It doesn't tangle and coil nearly as bad as the SA Striper and Cortland striper intermediates lines I use. They coil real bad especially from October to May. During prime big striper times ???? But once they are stretched out good, they shoot, and hold a good tight loop. When the water is below 60 or so they coil back up like a slinky.The TTs definitely coil and tangle more often than most of my lines but coiling is only one issue. I haven't found a perfect line yet. They all have strengths and weaknesses.
On the short head bass bug taper I use it like a shooting head in the salt. The reason I use the bass line in the bay/shore is the tangling you mentioned with the flats lines. The first time I handled one(flats line) I knew it would be a pain here in Md. But the freshwater line does pretty well here most of the year. It doesn't tangle and coil nearly as bad as the SA Striper and Cortland striper intermediates lines I use. They coil real bad especially from October to May. During prime big striper times ???? But once they are stretched out good, they shoot, and hold a good tight loop. When the water is below 60 or so they coil back up like a slinky.The TTs definitely coil and tangle more often than most of my lines but coiling is only one issue. I haven't found a perfect line yet. They all have strengths and weaknesses.
moucheur2003
Well-known member
If I were you, that would be all I needed to know, at least until it wore out and I had to get another!