Posted on October 12 2010
A microscopic view of the new Textured Series line next to Sharkskin. Click to enlarge.
Mastery Textured Series Fly Lines
Scientific Anglers is releasing a new textured fly line for 2011, the Mastery Textured Series. They will be available in five Mastery Series tapers: GPX, Nymph, Coastal Express, Saltwater, and Magnum. Using their microreplication technology, Scientific Anglers has given the surface of these lines a completely new patterned texture consisting of small round dots — similar to a golf ball surface. This texture enables these lines to cast with less effort and less memory. Scientific Anglers also says that it increases durability.
Click here to see a video of SA product development engineer Tim Pommer introducing them to MidCurrent at the International Fly Tackle Dealer show in Denver.
I have to admit that as I was reaching for the 12-inch sample Scientific Anglers had at the IFTD show, I was expecting the new textured lines to feel similar to Sharkskin. I was thoroughly surprised when I had to really concentrate to feel the texture. If I didn’t know the sample was textured, I would have thought it was an ordinary piece of fly line. As you can see in the photo, there is a radical difference between the two. The new line uses a moderately textured “golf-ball dimple” pattern, whereas the sharkskin texture is deeply grooved and linear.
SA product development engineer Tim Pommer introduces the new lines in the video below. Pommer noted that the new line might not give you all of the extra distance the Sharkskin does, but it comes close. And the new line tends to float higher, making it easy to pick up.
Mastery Series Textured Lines will retail for $79.95.