Does anyone know if the Airflo 40 plus in an intermediate, is any good for Stillwater trout fishing with a switch rod? I need a line for overhead casting and I can't find any reviews on it. I would also like to know if it will really cast 35 to 40 yards with two false casts like their YouTube video advertises.
Airflo 40 plus fly line
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G
Guest
·Then tend toward heavy landings, like the Rio OBS. Other than that they should do well. I'm sure Tim Rajeff can cast them that far. That doesn't mean we mortals will be able to, especially in the 5 weight configuration you'd be likely to use for stillwater trout.
David1123
The reason I need a line that will overhead cast long distances is because our lakes won't allow boats and are too deep for wading. The trout are usually just out of reach. That's why I would like to know if the Airflo 40+ will cast 35 to 40 yards with two false casts like their YouTube video claims. I'm thinking about using their 7wt. intermediate on my 4/5 Meiser switch rod. I'm not new to fly casting, Iv'e been doing it for 35 years. I just want to know if Airflo's claim is correct so I don't waist anymore money.
The reason I need a line that will overhead cast long distances is because our lakes won't allow boats and are too deep for wading. The trout are usually just out of reach. That's why I would like to know if the Airflo 40+ will cast 35 to 40 yards with two false casts like their YouTube video claims. I'm thinking about using their 7wt. intermediate on my 4/5 Meiser switch rod. I'm not new to fly casting, Iv'e been doing it for 35 years. I just want to know if Airflo's claim is correct so I don't waist anymore money.
G
Guest
·I guess the easiest answer to that is to be honest about your own casting skills. If you're a caster with really solid technique then I'm sure it's possible. For them to say it is possible to cast that far with two false casts doesn't mean everyone will be able to do it. I've seen lots of guys with many years experience that can barely get a fly out 35'. Suffice it to say that this line is not going to add any significant distance to your casting. A bit, maybe, but if your best is now sixty feet I doubt that any individual line will add more than 10-15% to that. Others may disagree and I now yield the floor...
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2,095 Posts
The concept of the 40+ is pretty simple: it packs they weight of a long, distance taper line into a short head design and then backs it up with lots of running line - total 120'. So the length and the weight is there if you need it.
This results in a line that is about two line weights heavy compared to an AFTMA chart, but then the total head of a distance taper line is also at least two line weights heavy, if not a whole lot more. The weight of the entire head of a typical distance taper, AFTMA accurate 5 wt. can be close to the AFTMA rating for a 10 wt.
So can this line go far? Yes, in the right hands. Before my elbow troubles, I had no problems casting the 10 wt. coldwater salt version and a big clouser about a 100' on my 9' 10 wt. saltie rod. I used a Spey setup cast, water loading into one backcast, slip some line backwards and then send it on its way. (and no, my elbow troubles weren't related to this
). I used this approach as stripers can hit close in so we strip a lot of the head into the guides. The end of the head can finish up in the stripping basket. The Spey cast got the head out of the guides and the water load let me fire the line out quickly with no false casting - don't like false casting heavily weighted clousers.
The front taper of a 40+ is quite long so it will roll out nice and gentle if the cast is allowed to run out of gas. It's really a shooting head with integrated running line so whether it presents gently or not depends on how it's handled.
I use a 9 wt. 40+ Expert line (longer front and rear tapers) in an intermediate on my 9 wt. PRO 4X switch rod as a cold water line for this rod. Works fine. The Expert might be a better choice if you're very worried about presentation.
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Depends on whether we're talking about the AFS Outbound or the Outbound. If we look at the taper profiles, the Outbound has the bulk of its weight moved forward for optimal turnover of large, weighted flies and for a quick load when overhead casting. The flip side of this arrangement -- this taper is not so good for roll or Spey casting. The Airflo 40+ Sniper is a similar line and does the same job.
Heavy lines with short front tapers like the Outbound or the Airflo 40+ Sniper when used with small, unweighted flies, need a polyleader to dampen their powerful turnover. Otherwise, there's a tendency for them to really kick as they roll out. They are big fly solutions that expect mass on the end.
The 40+ Extreme or Expert style taper moves the weight rearward, looking more like a Spey line in profile, so it needs at least some of that rear belly out to load the rod quickly, plus it won't turn really big flies as well. It will present more subtly than an Outbound. The older Coldwater Salt 40+ intermediate lines had much thicker tips compared to a standard 40+, so they handled big, heavy flies very well.
The 40+ Expert has the longest head of these lines, so it will tend to cast for distance with more stability.
The AFS Outbound was an AFS head with integrated running line and I don't think it is made anymore. Perhaps a Rio guy can jump in and confirm.
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Depends on the guy on the handle. Apparently this guy can do it with a 7 wt. but he is one of the top fly casters in the UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15UZ39F4uOg
I've overhead cast a 40+ Expert 9 wt. over 100' (measured) in the yard, using a Loomis 9 wt. PRO 4X switch rod and two hands.
The original Airflo Delta taper, on which the 40+ taper is based, was originally developed specifically for lake fishing in the UK.
David1123
I can overhead cast the custom made two piece scandi line that came with my Meiser 4/5 switch rod, 80 to 90 feet with one or two false casts, and I can also cast it just as far spey style. The only thing I don't like about it is its not one piece. The head is an aggressive driver for wind at 336 grains. I thought maybe an Airflo 40 plus would cast even farther and land a little more gently on the water, but I'm beginning to think their claims are just hype.
I can overhead cast the custom made two piece scandi line that came with my Meiser 4/5 switch rod, 80 to 90 feet with one or two false casts, and I can also cast it just as far spey style. The only thing I don't like about it is its not one piece. The head is an aggressive driver for wind at 336 grains. I thought maybe an Airflo 40 plus would cast even farther and land a little more gently on the water, but I'm beginning to think their claims are just hype.
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Your money, your choice.
These are perfectly reasonable distance lines, though if you are really reaching for distance you might want the longer head of the 40+ Expert. But they are not going to turn you into Steve Rajeff.
If you really want to reach out to 120ft with a single-hander or short 2-hander, if you're like most people, what you probably need is a lot of practice, specialized coaching, and the willingness to un-learn a lot of what you think you know about flycasting.
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824 Posts
Not hype. in the right hands using the right rod, this means the entire fly line. And it does get out the backing knot. Peter s-cs comments are way better than I could have said; and I experienced much of the same fishing these lines for surf stripers out on the cape.
40+ WF7 head weights about 290gr. Very good caster should cast it 110ft using single hand rod but it would need at least 60ft line carry before line shoot.
With TH rod 100ft should be possible but light line and TH rod is not nice or easy when long casts are needed.
Every line weight class step up (~15% more) increase max distance about 5%. Changing a WF line to a shooting head and using lighter Nylon shooting line increase distance also about 5% when line is shot when just the head plus few feet or running line is out of rod tip.
Esa
Not as good as Scandi heads but 40+ head taper is good compromise for Spey and overhead casting.
Esa
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5,612 Posts
Like butter on either my RPL 796-2, 7100-2 or 8100-2,
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