Saltwater Cold water VS Tropical line

[runningfish]

Is surf/beach fishing in SoCal or pacific in general considered a coldwater or tropical fishing?

I mean like Florida, Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, SoCal are considered tropical right?

Take Rio Intouch Striper Intermediate. it's box say Coldwater but an online store told me that it was perfect for SoCal beach. Kinda lost here. these lines are $$$$$ and I don't wanna buy a line that going to be temperamental in different temperature.

 

[karstopo]

Beach Water is usually pretty cool to cold in California, even in the warmer months. Santa Monica water temperature right now is in the low 60s. Tropical lines can be a little stiff in water that cool. Tropical fly lines really start to perform well as the water gets closer to 80.

I don’t think the fly shop steered you wrong. If I was fishing SoCal, I’d want a cold water or temperate line and definitely not a tropical one. I use both tropical and temperate lines. Tropical lines are meant for really warm water, 80s, and blazing hot boat decks that might wilt a temperate or cold water line.

Station Home Page - NOAA Tides & Currents

 

[gpwhitejr]

Is surf/beach fishing in SoCal or pacific in general considered a coldwater or tropical fishing?

I mean like Florida, Bahamas, Canada, Mexico, SoCal are considered tropical right?

Take Rio Intouch Striper Intermediate. it's box say Coldwater but an online store told me that it was perfect for SoCal beach. Kinda lost here. these lines are $$$$$ and I don't wanna buy a line that going to be temperamental in different temperature.

I live a few miles from Canada and have never considered it tropical.

 

[trout trekker]

There's a third option that falls between the two, warm water lines.
In line lingo, nine months of the year you're a coldwater angler, the other three you're in warm, not tropical.

Get a cold water line and just be happy with the idea that in mid summer, it'll be even more supple. Keep it wet and you porbably won't ever notice the difference.

Here's a thought, do you fish any of the freshwater lakes down your way in late spring, summer or early fall? If so, do you have special tropical lines for doing that, or do you use your basic freshwater lines? See where I'm headed here? The surface temps of those lakes will likely exceed your local surf temps.

Dave

 

[huronfly]

Canada is anything but tropical

Fwiw I've used a coldwater line in Mexico and it was just fine, not overly limp.

 

[runningfish]

Karstopo.... thank you for the insight. it is very helpful.

trout trekker.... you actually intercepted my next question. I am also fishing my local lakes for trout and bass from the shore and at times I accidentally catching striped bass. So recently I am kinda obsessed about surf fishing and getting things ready for the first trip.

So, kinda looking for a striper intermediate line that I can use for both fresh and salt water.

P.S.
Glad that at least 2 caught guys with the Canada fly so far.

 

[Rip Tide]

So, kinda looking for a striper intermediate line that I can use for both fresh and salt water.

The line in these pictures is a Cortland 333 intermediate
They're around $35

Edit: Ooops. Doesn't look like they even make 'em any more. That figures.

 

[runningfish]

Rip.... that was a grandeur show off :worthy::worthy: but very inspiring.

googling cortland 333 mode on!

well....after over analyzing it. I am going to use an intermediate polyleader onto a floating line and see if I could hold the depth. The stripers are coming in close to ~50Ft range and holding in about 2FT-3FT from the surface at dusk.

I'll over analyze some more when needed.

 

[Rip Tide]

Rip.... that was a grandeur show off :worthy::worthy: but very inspiring.

There's a lot of folks around here who would like you to believe that it's necessary to spend top dollar on your gear.
It's long been my mission to prove that you don't.

 

[runningfish]

Mission accomplished Rip....the cheapskate part of me kicked in and saved me a few bucks. Shame...shame...shame!

 

[Rip Tide]

Striped bass look up

 

[runningfish]

Yeah, they'd better be looking up. 'Coz I can't count pass 5 LOL!!!

 

[flav]

Definitely no reason to go tropical in the SoCal surf, that's for really warm conditions. Give that poly leader a try, but they're not the easiest thing to cast on a standard WF line. I think you'll find the floating line will be the real problem in the surf, the waves will do all kinds of crazy things to your line. Intermediate is the way to go.

 

[runningfish]

Thanks Flav, it'll give the poly a try first and we'll see. I can probably use an intermediate switch rod shooting head but I'll see if I can find an after market intermediate or give that Cortland 444 a try.

Rip...what weight rod did you use to pull those guys in?

 

[clsmith131]

I use the Rio In touch striper here in GA, on lake winter and spring, and in rivers throughout the summer. It behaves pretty well. I've fished it in water in the low 70's with no problems. It does get flimsy in the heat of the summer days, but a few drags through the water help, and I keep a stripping bucket on board with water in the bottom that also helps keep it cooler.

 

[runningfish]

clsmith131 thank you for your input.

I am now pretty sure it should be OK for me to use Rio Intouch Striper in on both surf and lakes here in SoCal. Speaking about stripping basket, I've just acquired one about a month ago and really liked it. No more line dancing or stepping on the line. I did add some water into it because the basket is pretty shallow and water helps me to keep the line untangle and stay in the basket when the wind is really blowing. Surely the water will keep the line cooler also. I also at times dipped my rod and reel into the water when the guides starting to make the scratching noise.

by the way, is that line really glow in the dark? or is it just an expensive bs?

 

[clsmith131]

by the way, is that line really glow in the dark? or is it just an expensive bs?

Both, it really does glow: You can charge it with a headlamp and it will glow for a while.
But: it's also not very visible in the water against moonlight or other man made lights.
The biggest advantage to the glow in the dark for me, has been not stepping on it as much in the boat.
I should also mention that the one I use is labeled 9wt. I think they now label it by grain wt instead.

 

[runningfish]

Rio will probably need to build USB ports on their lines to keep 'em glowing longer and brighter! J/K...my utmost respect to Simon G.

Since the line weight from one company to another is all over the place I am much preferred to talk in grain weight. One of 2 rods that I am using for this can go 300-330 and the other one is 330-360. So 330 is the sweat spot for both.

 

[runningfish]

I pulled the trigger on the Rio Intermediate Intouch Outbound 8WT and the line arrived yesterday.

I haven't bought Rio lines for quite awhile since Airflo has been my #1 pick due to their prices, the no stretch tech, the ridged surface, and suppleness. Recently I bought Hatch line just because it is basically an Airflo line but with Hatch brand.

Anyway, I spooled it with a help from my ever competent 4 years old assistant and the first thing that I noticed was how supple the line was. It is almost similar like spooling backing onto the reel.

I rested the reel on the edge of the table and let about 18"-20" dangling and there was no signs of coil at all. Peeled about 28 inches out and did a scientific hand stretch test and it felt like trying to stretch a braid line and as good as Airflo and "Hatch".

I kinda compared it with the 2 other brands' premium lines that I have to stretch multiple times the night before and on water to make it is kinda straight.

So far so good with the dry test.

 

[Rip Tide]

I can guarantee you that what ever line you're using is not an issue
When you have a fishing "conundrum", throwing money at new gear is never the solution