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Fly Fishing with Doug Macnair
A Product Update: A Line for Every Man^©

By Doug Macnair

 

So what’s new? Written in 1997, nothing much, except for the fact that the line featured in this article is now formulated with AST (SciAnglers Advanced Shooting Technology). I then wrote, "Think everything is going well? Perhaps it is, especially if Spring doesn’t see the return of Minnesota’s mutant frogs." However, I'm informed there is little difference in 2001. The mutant frogs are still with us! As I said then, "If you want to save money on frog legs, you can; thanks to the mutant frogs in Minnesota, you can now expect to get three, four, or five legs for the price of two. That truly is a bargain! Let’s hear it for mutants!" Of course in 2001, in discussing mutant frogs, no one uses the term, "Mutant." Apparently, it's now politically incorrect to use the right word to describe much of anything, including mutant frogs.

 

I think frogs must be a lot like the canaries miners used to carry deep into the coal mines not so many years ago. When the canary died, the miners knew they were up to their neck in deep piles of the digestive remains of Texas bulls. I fail to see why frogs are different except, of course, for the "Spin" of the Spin-Doctors. Happily, since nothing is wrong, I can hardly wait for the birth of Homo Superior, the soon to be replacement of us guys who are properly known as Homo Sapiens. The mutant, Homo Superior, will probably have three arms, five legs, and no brains. "No brains" is something that already abounds in plenty, especially in Washington, D.C., the home of all mutants.

 

In the real world of fly fishing, however, something is new. Scientific Anglers has introduced the Mastery GPX series of fly lines. Good things continue to happen. I was fortunate enough to comment on the GPX before its final release.

 

The line I evaluated was a Mastery GPX WF-7-F. I did not know at the time, the line was to be one of the new Mastery General Purpose series of fly lines. You should know that when I evaluate a line, I throw it from multiple rods and against other lines of the same taper and weight. One of the other lines used in this evaluation was a Mastery Saltwater WF-7-F, one of my favorites for this part of the country. As you know, summers in Texas are hot. Surface water temperatures easily exceed 80º on summer days. Unless built for the "tropics," a line tends to wilt fairly fast.

 

The first thing I noticed was the supple feel of the GPX in comparison to the saltwater version. In my casting tests, the GPX performed well. Depending on the rod used, and I used six, I attained excellent distance -- the best cast was about 89-feet. For a "general purpose line" not designed expressly for distance, that’s a great attribute. While the GPX is not built for distance casting, knowing it will reach out is an extra bonus. Of course, reaching out depends on your stroke, rod, and line weight. Therefore, let me repeat -- 89-feet is the maximum distance I attained during a number of casts with six different rods. A good caster can expect casts between 60 to 65-feet, depending on their casting stroke. Importantly, casting 40- to 60-feet is an all-day effortless expectation you can count on.

 

Summarized, the GPX did very well against the other lines. It is easy to handle and develops high line speed with little effort. The GPX’s casting success is attributed to a longer head of about 40-feet (7-feet front taper, 27-feet belly and 6-feet) and a super coating that reduces friction through the guides. The coating also makes this line a high floater and that makes for cleaner breaks when initiating the backcast.

 

My casting distances, by the way, are fairly accurate. To measure distance, I use something very unusual to fly casters: a tape measure. I’ve found most tape measures do a pretty good job of measuring the distance from here to there. The one I use is no exception. Some folks, of course, continue to rely on the fly fisher’s famous "calculated eyeball." Unfortunately, I’ve found the calculated eyeball gives way to a number of errors when subjected to factual measurement. I take a back seat to no one in my casting abilities. Are there those who are better? Of course -- there is always a faster gun!

 

The GPX is a fine line worthy of anyone’s consideration. If you are further north than Texas, and most of you are, the GPX series is an addition you cannot afford not to pass by without consideration. While I cannot evaluate this line in cold weather or cool waters, I have no doubt it will perform as Scientific Anglers suggests -- that’s better than you might expect! Expect minimal line memory; therefore, no coils or extraordinary stiffness when you hit the water. Try the GPX, you will like it, especially given the advent of AST!

 

For more information, contact:

 

3M Scientific Anglers, 3M Center, Bldg. 223-4NE-05, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000. Telephone: 1-(800) 525-6290.

 

 

© Copyright: Douglas G. Macnair, 1997-2008

 

 

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