Techy Thursdays - Airflo Clear Camo Intermediate Review
When it comes to fishing most NZ stillwaters there is one line that reigns supreme, the Airflo Clear Camo Intermediate! With shallow margins and weed beds offering up an abundance of food, our trout gravitate toward these areas, and fishing in these shallow areas can produce some exciting fishing.
At a sink rate of 1-2 inches a second most intermediates are perfect for fishing lures slow, or to fish invertebrate imitations down to depths of around three metres with slow strips, figure 8's around the holes and channels in weed beds and up on the flats of the lakes. Or when the fish are up on the surface fast hauls, using smelt or bully imitations.
When the fish have seen a lot of pressure or are simply playing hard to get there is one line that comes in super handy and has become one of the most used lines throughout the world, and that is the clear camo inter. Now this would have to be my personal number one line on NZ stillwaters and also for wetlining rivers, swinging lures as well as wee-wets. Yet up until now although the brand I had been using was a favourite amongst all stillwater anglers, I found that it would tangle easily and also slip through your fingers when you got an aggressive take or had frozen hands in winter.
As well as that, it had a fair amount of stretch which at long distances and with subtle takes meant it was harder to get a deep hook set. Now I believe some stretch is important meaning you can fish lighter tippets enhancing your stealth even more when this line comes into play yet this line had a little too much for my liking. I loved the feel of the standard Airflo sixth sense intermediates, yet at times there was a definite advantage using the clear camo when it came to getting fish to take. The sixth sense range of lines also enabled take detection at long distant, and had a great feel in the hand, I had just recently been having a conversation with another angler down south, saying wouldn't it be great to have this Airflo technology in a clear camo?
Well funnily enough someone must have been listening into our conversation and my minds wishes and only two weeks later I was gifted the latest Airflo line to try out and you guessed it, it was a 'clear camo inter'! While it is not a sixth sense line renowned for their sensitive feel, and of mono core construction, it still stretches yet has a controlled amount of stretch, and at first use immediately felt good through the hands when shooting, and locked up well through finger pressure when takes were detected.
With the typical Airflo finish it shot through the guides well and also loaded quickly eliminating the need for multiple false casts, meaning more time with the flies in the water and less strain on the body's joints. I have now used it on the lakes for six days and can comfortably say this is my new fave! And while I haven't used it on the river yet, I can already tell that the coating feels good enough to withstand the beating that I give my gear and should handle being dragged through the odd rocks while wetlining.
Bring on the season this line is about to get hammered!
By Cory Scott NZ Fly Fishing River Champion 2015