I have tried a couple of Trout Boss lines; this is from a new generation of the Boss, and I can see and feel a fair few differences, and this is the first Double Taper Trout Boss I have tried. (As an aside, I really like that Trout Boss name.)

This is a 90ft line, 6ft tapers at both ends. The core is conventional braided multi-filament nylon. The coating is PVC, Cortland list a couple of branded extras in the coating, HTx and Shooting Technology – usually trademarked additives or features like these refer to slippery additives in the PVC and treatments to harden the surface of the line, eg. HTx is described as a ‘heat-tempered surface treatment’. The Boss has welded loops at both ends. So far I’m describing a conventional if ‘high-tech’ fly line.

Did I mention this is Moss Green/Yellow/Orange – that’s not a choice, this line has an olive end and an orange end. And this #5 line weights 160grains at 30ft, which if I check the AFFTA line standard makes this a #6 line.

In my hand, this feels a little harder, more wiry than I recall of Cortland lines. Off the reel I can see curves and maybe even coils in the line; it’s cold in Scotland at the moment, so some coiling maybe normal. Pull and stretch and the Boss and the line seems straight and lies straight when cast.

On a light, fast #5 rod the #5 Boss feels fine, if I didn’t know this is heavier than… well.. somebody else’s five-weight. My point being that unless I switch to and fro comparing lines the actual difference in weight is very slight; the extra mass for my rod to work against just seems to give me more sense of the rod bending. I tried this on #5 and #6 rods; I’d use it on either, it just seems to sit well on a light, powerful modern five-weight.

Cortland describe the taper as ‘aggressive’, the fly-line marketing terms for ‘short’. This is a punchy line, the tip straightens with a slight kick or pop, ideal for heavier leaders. It straightens into the wind rather well. This type of taper can straighten with enough energy so the leader and tippet seem to bounce back, in which case my leader is too short and or far too light or thin.

Off the spool I have the orange end tied to my backing, the olive end to the leader. Come low light conditions, I want to see my line more clearly, or maybe I want to see the line as a novice casts? I can quite quickly and easily unloop the ends and reverse the line, a bit of stretching and straightening and the bright orange end is identical, but just a whole lot more visible.
This feels and performs like a premium line. It runs through the guides very smoothly, that slight hardness helps the line shoot cleanly. At my feet the line falls in open loops and I had no tangles at all. The Trout Boss lines I have used were top all-round fly-lines, this leans in the same direction. Useful for casting bigger flies, very useful dealing with wind and weather.

From January 2019

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